Hannah, isn't there a middle ground? Sure, this stuff won't kill you, but it probably isn't doing you any good. Why let the shitmeisters control your kids' minds? While you can, show them what real food looks like. They'll probably spend their twenties surviving on ramen and coffee anyway, but for awhile corporate food didn't rule the day.

If you're an adult and you want your french fries dyed blue, knock yourself out.

Yes, yes, Stinky, and "corporate greed kills all life." We've heard it before. Whether all these overprocessed factory foods are a health threat on a grand social policy level is a valid concern, but I don't see blue-fry related mass graves becoming a reality, somehow. I speak as an ex-vegan who's seen the light: one bite of anything isn't going to kill you, unless it's glowing. Give Heinz another ten years, and even that won't be certain. :p

that shit'll kill you dead

Maybe it's just me, but blue french fries sounds like an affront to god and nature. The sour cream and chive ones sound good, though :)

Edited by author 08-30-2002 07:11 PM
Well, my kids are slim and athletic. They eat artichokes, asparagas, eggplant, all kinds of different foods. Our goal in feeding our children is to not make food the friend or the enemy. We want them to be able to make good choices based on fact, not what someone assumes is in or missing from food. Pat is right...once kids get set loose outside of our own kitchens, we have very little control over what they shove into their mouths or what others offer them. We can only hope they learned what they need to from us. Will we buy blue fries again? I dunno, I didn't think they were particularly wonderful, but if they want to try another version, maybe we will. It's more important to me that they drink enough water, understand basic nutrition and get enough exercise to remain healthy. A few blue fries are no big deal.

>>Then they go back to class and somebody passes out birthday cupcakes. No wonder kids are getting so fat!<<

No wonder kids are getting so UNHEALTHY. There is a difference.

Blue fries are damned scary.

Yes, for 2003, it's the New and Improved SOMA--in more colors and flavors than ever before! Why worry, when you've got so many choices to choose from?! Environment got you down? Pop our "Chloral Phil"* Green SOMA! Melting ice caps making you sweat? Ocean Blue SOMA to the rescue! Black-masked anarchists whining about civil liberties? The Red-White-N-Blue SOMA will show everyone your True Colors!

SOMA: it's not just an option any more!

*Don't forget to watch "the Environmental Adventures of Chloral Phil" Tuesday nites at 9 on US-1--we watch you, why not watch US!

Oh my god! Excuse me while I vomit!!
So - How long between these coming out and someone suing Heinz for making them into a porker?

Hmm, maybe, Karen, but if you want to expose them to strange food, why not give them an artichoke? They're fun, strange and healthy. Eggplant is a strange color and more or less natural, and so on.

I'd be asking myself what the hell they did to those potatoes to turn them blue.

Otoh, I fed my kids a non-sugary, low salt, home-made-bread, organic meat diet (made my own damned baby food) and the minute they got into the Cocoa-Krispied houses of their friends, I was screwed for a dozen years until they got grown-up enough to read labels. So maybe there's not much point.

Egad, lighten up. I'm not a bad mom because I serve my kids blue french fries now and then. If I served up only these fries for every meal, then I would say, yes, that's a problem. They are healthy eaters on the whole and most of the magic in these fun foods is in exposing them to new tastes that they would otherwise be unwilling to try. My job is to make sure they eat well rounded meals, get plenty of exercise and learn how to take care of themselves when I'm not around. I also believe it is my job to teach them how to enjoy life and if they can do that by eating a blue french fry...so be it!

I love chocolate covered pretzels. But let's face it- they are candy. I love candy, lets just call it candy! They are stocked with other candy i.e. nutritionless sweets. These colored flavored fries, single serving bowls of cereal, lunchables etc are full of dyes, nitrates, and other bizarre crap generated in a lab somewhere. They are marketed as 'food' not candy.

I just don't like the line being blurred- the candification of regular food can only have bad consequences for those who treat such things as meals.

Edited by author 08-29-2002 07:19 PM
Wow, I had no idea there were so many un-fun people here. I'm all over those blue fries, just like I was all over purple ketchup.

You'd think people had never had chocolate-covered pretzels before.

You want a shock? Go to a school cafeteria and see what passes for 'food'. Fat, salt, sugar, and artificial colors and flavors with tiny amounts of actual nourishment woven in. If they buy lunch they take the chocolate flavor milk beverage, buy chips and ice cream and throw away most of the rest.

Then they go back to class and somebody passes out birthday cupcakes. No wonder kids are getting so fat!

i work at a grocery store and let me tell you, kids arent eating real food
mabey its just the fact that i work in a more upper class area but all i see the parent get for their kids is super produced stuff like this.
lunchables, crustless bread and other "!!ex!treeme!" food like this are doing to good for them

But you have to admit, garlic and mesquite ketchups don't sounds too bad...

utterly revolting.