Saturday, May 16, 2009

Processed Foods

I don't buy a lot of processed foods. Not only are they expensive, but they lack nutritional value. I grow most of the vegetables we eat and freeze the excess for the winter months. I like to make our bread, too. I will occasionally buy some time saving things like a frozen pizza or pot pies just to have on hand when cooking a meal is impossible (Fridays).

Schwanns used to provide the single serve ice cream we sell during the summer; but we stopped ordering from them due to the delivery charges and the fuel charges they started tacking on to the bill. Not only that, they are really expensive and there is a price point you can't exceed in a camp store or you will find yourself with merchandise that will not move. We buy all of our candy and snack items at Sam's and now we simply take a large cooler with us to transport the ice cream. The Schwann's truck stopped here today. He services this area and I see the truck go by every other Thursday on his run (one of the reasons I objected to the fuel charge). Nice man and I feel sorry for him as he is no doubt scrambling to try to get business. I did offer to give out his catalogs to the pipe liners I have coming. He was getting a little insistent that I order something and said to me, "You know we have other products than just ice cream." "I know that," I replied, "but I don't buy a lot of processed food." To which he replied, "It's not processed, it's frozen." I give up. No, I didn't buy any of his frozen offerings.

Since I am on the subject of processed food.......... Have you looked at Pop-Tarts lately? I buy them for the store. They are good sellers to campers with kids on board. Hey, they have 7 vitamins and nutrients! Seven! But back to the subject at hand, these handy-dandy breakfast items now come in a gazillion flavors. I don't have enough shelf space to properly display them. One new flavor--vanilla milkshake-- had me intrigued. I am a lover of all things vanilla. Or maybe not. These were hard to describe. The icing and pastry was predictable, but the gooey inside was so not good. Left an aftertaste of artificial flavoring that begged me to go brush my teeth. I won't be giving a taste test to the remaining assortment of flavors that include chocolate banana split and chocolate chip cookie dough. At least one can justify the fruit fillings if you don't think too much about the sugar.

Pringles also come in a huge variety of child friendly sounding flavors, such as macaroni and cheese. These also are a big favorite among my clientele. Doritos was not to be left behind in this war of adding assortment to your product line. They even had a flavor with no name and a contest to name that flavor. I tried that one, too. Had an aftertaste of ketchup. It was reminiscent of a cheeseburger in a Happy Meal from McDonalds. I like the plain ones. I can dip them in salsa for an added flavor. I prefer plain Lays potato chips, as well. Love of my life likes the vinegar and salt chips and the new dill flavor. All these flavors are artificial and taste artificial to me.

I think I will stick to those flavors of nature that grow in the ground and on the trees. I am patiently waiting for the cherries to ripen. It will happen all of a sudden. I will awaken one morning and the trees will look like Santa is coming. Nature is a wonderful to behold.

7 comments:

Jilly said...

I'm glad my frustration gives you such pleasure and I really, really mean that. You deserve it after putting up with me and my idiotic attitude throughout my teenage years!

ellen abbott said...

Vanilla milkshake pop tart? Thanks, but if I want vanilla milkshake flavor, I'll drink a vanilla milkshake. And I don't want my potato chips to taste like hamburgers. If I want that, I'll eat a hamburger. All I can say about that stuff is...eeuuwwww. Or ick.

I really don't understand why people want their food to taste like different food so I don't buy that stuff either. It'll give you cancer. Or diabetes.

Unknown said...

I love food from the ground best as well...it is a little obvious from my recent foray at the farmer's market.

Nancy said...

I had just had a small bowl of cherries just before reading this - and I am jealous of that tree!

I hardly every buy any processed foods anymore. I have to admit to the macc & cheese in a box for my kids back in the day - but their food repertoire was limited. Very limited. Macc & cheese was a way to keep my sanity.

Which is very funny - because they are both health food nuts now! Go figure.

Hilary said...

It's almost impossible to avoid the nasties in packaged foods. I can imagine your dilemma buying for a camp shop.. when so many people love their junk food on holidays.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today. Your kind words are very much appreciated. :)

scarlethue said...

I HATE pop tarts. Yuck. Cardboard with hard frosting. Shudder.

Husband and I are the same on our chip choices, though-- I like plain, he likes salt and vinegar.

I too try not to eat a lot of processed foods. It sure it hard with the way work has been going lately to want to come home and cook meal too. Lots of salads lately.

lovelyprism said...

We call processed food "fake food" so much of it has no nutritional value. I love Schwann's but I haven't ordered from them for years. Their stuff tastes really good but it's too expensive. I love Sam's Club too but ours is disgusting! I go there once in a while but I really dread it. I'm with you on the vegetables! I can't wait for the tomatoes to be ready.