Vilifying "Annie's Naturals"

This is really directed to my fellow mac-and-cheesians, and those who have kids addicted to Annie's products, though others may find it of interest. I'm posting it here because I just didn't want to hijack my "mac and cheese on the brain..." post in food chat.

The bunny vs. the blue box

Annie's Homegrown Macaroni & Cheese is the pantry staple of harried, organo-hipster parents everywhere. But is it any healthier than the day-glo noodles of our white-bread childhoods?

By Anastacia Marx de Salcedo

After reading it, my face flushed. Is she really saying that Annie is a marketing genius and that the products are no better than - gasp - Kraft? Or, that I should be cooking from scratch more often because it's not really faster or easier to use the packaged stuff? Or that I am deluding myself and, what's worse, ruining my childrens' taste buds and perceptions of what "cooking" is? Yikes. Read it and let me know what you think.

http://www.salon.com/mwt/food/eat_drink/2007/01/30/annies/

I apologize in advance if you have to endure ads or a "daily visitor pass" to read the two-page article. I see it ad-free because I subscribe to the Premium service. If it's too irritating, send me an email and I will just email the article text to you. IMHO, Salon.com is a brilliant site, one that is totally worth the $35 annual subscription price. And, you get a bunch of free subscriptions to print publications (Wired, The Week, Rolling Stone...) that make the price a bargain. But that's not the point! Just let me know if you want the text if this is too irritating and I will copy-and-paste for you.

Susan wrote:Or, that I should be cooking from scratch more often because it's not really faster or easier to use the packaged stuff? Or that I am deluding myself and, what's worse, ruining my childrens' taste buds and perceptions of what "cooking" is?

I've read it, and while I think the article is trying to make a lot of different, disparate points, the ones I've quoted above are the ones that resonate most with me.

Often times, pre-packaged foods save you little time or effort. They are often less nutritious than a "scratch" preparation and your pantry is less flexible.

This issue of time-saving and pantry flexibility is touched on a little bit in this thread

As far as ruining taste buds, who can say, but I place a lot of value in the cooking process and would gladly spend an extra 10 minutes to put together a cheese sauce from grated cheese than to serve a dessicated powder. If I didn't have the time to make the sauce, noodles in butter or oil with salt and garlic would work just fine.

Best,
Michael

I ended up skimming that article; it really is all over the place. My reaction is that boxed macaroni and cheese is a different dish than the homemade. People who grew up eating the boxed stuff often seem to crave it. Same with that powdered "parmesan" cheese in the tube. It seems like Annie's and others do a big business in "natural" products that provide that fake cheese flavor without being labeled Kraft.

bibi rose wrote:It seems like Annie's and others do a big business in "natural" products that provide that fake cheese flavor without being labeled Kraft.

Dessicated cheddar cheese is still cheddar cheese, and neither Annies nor Kraft seem to add any natural or artificial flavor to their mac & cheese products.

Fujisan wrote:

bibi rose wrote:It seems like Annie's and others do a big business in "natural" products that provide that fake cheese flavor without being labeled Kraft.

Dessicated cheddar cheese is still cheddar cheese, and neither Annies nor Kraft seem to add any natural or artificial flavor to their mac & cheese products.

OK, not fake flavor but dried flavor. And weak cheese flavor, although even better quality cheese powders, like the blue cheese powder from the Spice House, taste that way to me. The cheese flavor is overwhelmed by the powderiness. When I was a kid, I actually liked that flavor-- and didn't like real cheese, because it tasted too strong.

When I was a kid, I actually liked that flavor-- and didn't like real cheese, because it tasted too strong.

I think this is why Kraft, Annies, etc. appeal to little kids- many children's palates are SO sensitive, they prefer weaker flavors. I say this as a kid whose mother did not allow that blue box over the threshold, and routinely made homemade mac and cheese. I did like her version, but when I was at other kids' houses, I absolutely INHALED Kraft. It was the perfect nonflavor. In general, I think you can definitely coax a kid's palate, but you can't change it. I say this as a kid whose father fed her kim chee and blind robins from the high chair thru high school, but who could not handle any flavor stronger than raw carrots until college. But then, I'm veering off-topic.