Friday, April 30, 2010

New Food Allotment Standard

Have you noticed the new packaging for old foods? Lately there's arisen some 100-calorie craze. I think it started with cookies and stuff (I am particularly fond of the Oreo 100-calorie packs). And then I noticed the dried cranberries 100-calorie packs. Now the latest are packages of Kraft processed cheese squares (no, I did not notice that they were processed when I bought them or maybe I wouldn't have - a friend pointed that out). Apparently 100-calories equals something like six bite-sized squares of cheese. I'm wondering what food they'll dole out next in these small amounts.

And what makes 100-calories the magical number? Admitedly, it is a very visible and easy method of portion control. But really, who eats just one 100-calorie pack for a meal? There's everything else that you're not measuring out that adds up fast. Of course, this may be a conspiracy to package all of our foods in little packets and have us eating each part of our meal in systematic 100-calorie bits. Feels a bit Huxlian to me.

Also it runs terribly afoul of the whole green movement. The packaging is a virtual environmental nightmare. Inside each multi-pack box or bag are a half-dozen or so little packages. Yikes! How long before protestors notice and start saying something?

The whole thing has me scratching my head. Does it really work? I suppose when it was just the cookies I was feeling pretty good about myself because I could limit my snacking to a mere 100-calories. And perhaps that's the aim with the cheese bits too - that snackers control how much they munch on cheese. Beyond snacking though, it doesn't make any sense.

Anyone gotten hooked on the 100-calorie trend? I'm wondering if people have worked this new packaging into their diet. Does it work? Does it make you want to buy things because you can eat them 100-calories at a time?

3 musings:

everydayMOM said...

I tend to avoid things like that when they are *overly packaged*. I feel like I'm spending more money for the packaging than I am the product.

Maybe it's because I don't like someone telling me what to do. If I want to eat 100 calories, I can figure it out! =]

Anonymous said...

Love this post. I sometimes buy them but don't like all the extra packaging!

Jen Berg

Lara said...

everdayMOM - spending more money for the packaging than I am the product. There is that, isn't there? Do you think the companies ever think of that?

Jen - Thank you for commenting! Makes me wonder how much stuff I buy is actually overpackaged. I might start watching more carefully.