Wednesday, August 22, 2007

How they get us

The first cake mixes were complete failures because they had all the ingredients in them. Housewives felt guilty using them, so they wouldn't buy them. When someone realized this, they made mixes that needed to have oil and eggs added - and their success was assured.

This is a good example of how marketing evolved over the years. They've come a long way since then - at our expense. Pun intended.

You can now buy cakes, pies and more ready for the table. All you have to do is thaw them out. My, how much we have learned.

8 comments:

  1. Pat,
    I didn't know that cake mixes used to come complete, like that! Very interesting to learn. Thanks. Pam

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  2. Yes, we've learned a lot since we rejected complete mixes, haven't we? ;)

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  3. I guess we have really "un-learned!" Cooking from scratch is becoming a rare thing!

    Not only has "convenience" foods been an expense on our budgets, but also our health. Profit is not made by top quality ingredients.

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  4. Amen, Gigi. We've come a long way, in the wrong direction.

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  5. After doing a lot of baking lately from scratch there is no doubt in my mind how much better and cheaper the results. Would like to take on baking my own bread. Any suggestions to a good source for recipes. Thanks in advance.

    DL

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  6. I'm going to blog a basic recipe that I use with variations.

    Here's a good place to get recipes and ask questions about baking: http://www.countrylife.net. Click on the box on the far right and a list drops down. Choose the "baking and cookery" one.

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  7. So true, so true.

    Back in the day, there was no "bad food" or "health food" -- there was only "food," and it was all good. What a concept!! :P

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  8. That's true, Marsha. Even what was bad was good - somehow it didn't seem to hurt us so much.

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