#736 Effortless Veggie

So what is it with us Americans and our vegetables? Recently I’ve seen two new ads promoting vegetable eating.
And let me say, I applaud these companies’ efforts to do that. Veggies, fundamental to our omnivorous constitution, are ignored by millions of Americans, with dire dietary consequences like diabetes, obesity and heart disease.
So the big question for our culture is, how do we break the fast food cycle? How do we make veggies taste better and/or easier to prepare? Go from Big Macs and Mac-and-cheese to a plate of carrots broccoli and spinach. Teach our kids good eating early?
Hidden Valley thinks it has the hidden answer.
Ranch Dressing.
They have this commercial out now that’s pretty clever. An Ice cream truck actually dispenses cones of vegetables, coated with ranch dressing. Little banana split-like trays of fresh vegetables are passed around, covered with ranch dressing that looks like creamy syrup.
The final scene shows kids running up to a picnic table with a giant five-gallon bowl of ranch dressing. Three kids simultaneously grab mini-carrots and celery sticks, plunge them into the bowl and then stuff them into their smiling mouths.
The message? Everybody’s happy with vegetables.
As long as we smother them in creamy sugar, salt and fat.
A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down and a spoonful of ranch can neutralize any qualms your fast food body feels about healthy eating—and neutralize any healthy results as well.
The second company attacks the effort end of the equation. Ziploc offers the new “Zip and Steam” vegetable bag. Pour in some small vegetables, zip them in the bag, pop the bag in the microwave and, voila, instantly steamed vegetables ready for a trip to the ranch.
And best of all, according to the commercial, no cleanup. Throw the bag away, just like a fast food container.
The bags are derived from petroleum products and headed for the planet-choking waste stream, but hey, at least I ate a steamed carrot that would have been twice as better for me raw.
And bonus, I didn’t burn off any valuable calories expending the effort to clean a dish.
America, ya gotta love it.