Best Of The Worst?

[KYHeirloomer]

You raise a very good point. Which is why, even though I don't use many convenience products (depending on how you want to define that), I don't knock most of them either. There are reasons people like using them.

But when a "convenience" product is not particularly more convenient than doing the same thing from scratch, then it's just an expensive froppery. And usually a less healthy one to boot.

Take that bruchetta in a tub. It is nothing more than chopped tomatoes with some basil, garlic, and a sprinkling of grated cheese. Do you really believe that anyone who would think to buy something called "bruchetta" doesn't know what it is? Or that they don't know how to chop a tomato?

That's not the same as, forgive me, spaghetti sauce in a jar. To make a good sauce is time consuming, and requires some knowledge of how flavors work together. So I can see somebody opting for the convenience of a jar. Some people don't know the difference. And some people tell themselves, "not as good as homemade, but for a quick meal.....," and some really think it is as good. But people who use it are at least saving time.

[Peachcreek]

A few months after my kid entered grade school he started about wanting to take a Lunchables to school for lunch. He usually won't eat things like ham roll or pepperoni or processed cheese so I postponed buying them until he'd finally assured me that he'd eat it and that all the other kids had them etc etc and so forth. And I bought a few when they went on special.. After a few times he took them to school I figured out what he was doing- I told you he didn't eat any of that stuff well he doesn't. He'd eat the little candy out of them and then trade the rest of it to kids whose lunch items he liked better!