| Little Debbie rules the world... |
Until now, I didn't even know there was an organization called the Center for Culinary Development and Packaged Facts. Or are they two different groups? Oh, who gives a damn -- the interesting news is the packaged facts, as it were: Of the 3,700 men and women interviewed for the study, near half (46 percent) of "men and women across the Boomer, Gen X and Gen Y segments say they turn to baked goods, sweets and desserts for comfort verses 19 percent who cite entrees, 14 percent salty snacks, and 4 percent breakfast foods."
Fat City's Jonathan Bender can eloquently discuss candy items from his generation, like Pop Rocks, that came along after I had grown up and moved to other more interesting vices, like liquor.
I can't necessarily speak even for my own so-called generation (unless, like me, you can still sing all the commercial jingles for old cigarette TV commercials), but here are my own Top Five Trashy Comfort Foods, dating back at least to my days of teenage angst, when the only thing that could calm my jangled pubescent nerves was a cold Shake-A-Puddin' and a heaping bowl of Kellogg's Puffa Puffa Rice ("Yummy, yummy, digga digga bowl full").
1) Little Debbie Snack Cakes. There's something so overwhelmingly vulgar about these treats, that I feel sheepish even putting a box in my grocery cart. It's like buying cheap boxed wine.
2) Macaroni and cheese. If you can't get a quality version, like the decadently delicious version served at Oak 63 or Cafe Trio, there's always the frozen Stouffer's version. Not bad. But the Kraft product only satisfies if you're under 13 years old ... or in an altered state.
(Image via Flickr: - rebecca- )
3) Red Lobster. For God's sake, don't tell anyone. It's like confessing to owning this record album.
4) Necco Wafers.
5) Nestle's $100,000 Bar. I don't think they exist anymore, do they? I want one right now.
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It is certainly interesting for me to read the post. Thank you for it. I like such topics and everything that is connected to this matter. I would like to read a bit more soon.
Kara. Alas, I'm not Gen X (although there are days when I feel like "Brand X," to use an old 1960s TV commercial metaphor). But as late Baby Boomer, I definitely grew up on branded foods. My siblings and I never trusted ANY food that wasn't heavily advertised on TV. I begged my mother to buy a bottle of Tang because the commercials were so enticing. Imagine my horror when she finally did...and it tasted like crap! Kool-Aid had more flavor!
Thanks for the plug, Charles. My name is Kara and I wrote the comfort food report. Are you Gen X? If so, you confirm our thesis that Gen Xers (and I am one) grew up on branded foods that retain a lot of comfort value. And you have a sweet baked good as your top comfort item. Crazy, huh?
I remember eating bars and bars of Tangy Taffy as a kid. Its not the same as the Laffy Taffy minis they sell nowadays, Tangy Taffy was a foot-long of artificially flavored sugar goodness. I liked that the packaging suggested to smack it against a table to break it into pieces.
I can't eat the hundred grand bar any more - made myself sick on them too many times in my young and foolish years.
A hundred grand was worth more in the 1970s than it is now, so the candy bar has been de-valued too. I'll bet its smaller as well. I think Necco Wafers -- like Woody Allen films and the macarena -- are acquired tastes. I can only eat them now if they've been frozen -- and they're still not that good.
As for Little Debbie Snack Cakes, I love the Nutty Bars and the Swiss Rolls, but one night I ate a whole box of Zebra Cakes and started hallucinating.
The $100,000 bar has been renamed a 100 Grand bar, and they're readily available (and really not all that trashy).
Necco wafers? Bleh.
I remember going to the grocery store when I was 16 to buy junk food for late-night Baseball Stars sessions. I usually ended up with Little Debbie Nutty Bars, which were the layered wafers with peanut butter in between.
Add some Always Save grape soda and you had the 4th meal of champions.
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