Food Issues: Get the Media out of the Kitchen

When I started this blog, I was going to write weekly. I have a list of potential topics, and even some rough drafts. But somehow... didn't happen.

However, this week, I do have thoughts. It's a minor topic, but worthy of consideration. So I've decided to share. See, I'm having food issues, and it's getting serious. In general I gross out easily, but it does take some serious work to turn me off my food. And yet, recently....

I was okay with Babe, the talking pig, even though millions of children would learn that their ham and bacon came from pigs NOT lucky enough to "talk sheep".

And I think it's kinda funny that adults are grossed out at finding breast milk in the fridges of new moms but regularly drink the breast milk of a completely different SPECIES.

But then there were the "Break-free" commercials, with the hen in group therapy to come to terms with the fact that HER eggs were not going to be eaten like regular eggs are. Which completely turned me off the product. I'm sorry, but I can't be a part of giving some poor hen psychological angst.

And the latest Milky Way commercial is just WRONG... the one where the a guy, after a date that went badly, turns to a candy bar for comfort. He pulls off the wrapper and reveals a stunning model who calls him her "buffet of manliness" (or something like that). Which just goes to show that eating chocolate for the aleviation of psychological pain is not just for women any more. (Maybe the hen should try it.)

But the commercial that has REALLY given me food issues is the new one from Dairy Queen, the one about their new popcorn shrimp. For those lucky people who can still eat shrimp 'cause they haven't seen the commercial... either stop reading now, or give up on seafood.

For those still reading: in the commercial, the lady shrimp comes along to the man shrimp and asks what he's eating. He says it's Dairy Queen's new popcorn, and it's really good. She has a piece, agrees that it's good, but then realizes that it's not popcorn, it's popcorn SHRIMP. Then they realize that their kids are missing. And the tagline? "Dairy Queen's new popcorn shrimp... so good, even shrimp'll eat it!"

Ew. On SO many levels.

First, we have talking food. I don't want talking food. I don't eat food that still has a face, so I can't eat large shrimp in Chinese restaurants or buy fresh fish in the grocery store. I CERTAINLY don't want to know that prior to being served on the table, my food was in a group therapy session, searching for their kids, or even just reading the paper over their morning coffee. And I REALLY don't want to be thinking that I'm eating someone's kids. I know I am, but I don't need to be reminded. It's hard enough to eat healthily... now is just not a good time for me to become vegetarian.

Second, we're introducing the concept of cannabalism. So, again, EW. I don't WANT to think something's so good that another of the something would it eat. That's Just Wrong.

I don't know that I'm really making a point. Not sure these thoughts are "blog-worthy." But it's WAY past suppertime, my tummy is rumbling, and I'm afraid to watch TV lest ANOTHER food become verboten.

Which I don't think is the goal of food manufacturers!