Sorry, but this is like one of the many litmus tests for people who think they grew up in the middle class and then actually find out they grew up poorer than they initially thought.
Another good one was having canned mixed vegetables more than a couple times a week.
You’re overlooking an important detail - kids love that cheap, shitty food. It was also quick and easy to make, so their tired, overworked parents were easily persuaded to make it.
Naturally there’s a line where it becomes too much, but even rich kids love hot dogs and Mac & cheese.
You could probably mix some frozen broccoli or a diced red onion in there. Its still pretty affordable. I know I do that some Kraft. I also sometimes mix in hotdogs or shredded chicken.
Again, kid logic. Plus, many young parents don’t know (or care) how to properly cook veggies anyway. It’s a choice between canned (and usually salted) veggies, or similarly mushy, over-microwaved fresh/frozen veggies with little seasoning or flavor. It’s not like the green beans are roasted with olive oil, garlic, and balsamic vinegar.
Cutting up pickles with boxed Mac. and Cheese was one of my favorite go-tos, in grad. school. If not pickles then I used to put canned tuna in; also quite good.
Grew up poor, didn’t know it. Lots of Mac 'n Cheese w/ hotdogs and canned vegetables. I remember the first time I had a fresh green bean, I was put off by the texture. Wasn’t used to vegetables with structure.
Edit: also a fair amount of Hamburger Helper in my childhood. It’s OK.
Lol this just perfectly described my experience perfectly. I grew up eating mostly canned vegetables. When I started cooking as an adult, I didn’t think I liked vegetables. Until I followed recipes cooking with fresh veggies. The “structure” is totally different! And delicious.
Haha, I had a similar experience because of canned mix veggies. For a long time I didn’t think I liked beans because I always hated the texture of the canned lima beans.
I also thought all veggies would taste the same because canned mix veggies all adopt an odd homogeneous taste.
If you cook them until they’re mush with plenty of oil/butter, a bit more salt than I’d like to admit, pepper, dill, and a few drops of hickory smoke flavor, they’re amazing.
I really disagree with this. My parents grew up in the 50s and just thought this kind of highly processed food was normal and easy. There were also commercials that constantly reminded them to buy it. We could 100% afford better food, this is just what they wanted 🤢
My grandma used to make depression era meals for my dad (they were also poor), my dad made them for me (not as poor then solidly middle income), and I would love to eat them for nostalgia reasons. Can’t because of gluten, but I’ve been trying out various gluten free bread recipes to see if I can get something that works.
A reeeeeaaallly long way of agreeing and saying yeah, nostalgia plays a role.
I figured it out we were poor once I hit middle school, and me asking about this and further realizing the truth of it… well of course that sent Republican dad further into an insecurity/rage/alcoholism loop.
Being honest would have been too difficult, I guess.
Middle class isnt a clear cut distinction anyway. It mostly serves to divide those of us who live off of labour rather than ownership so we go after one another instead of the capitalists.
I mean, maybe, but in my case I’m sure a good part of it was neither of my parents were good cooks lol
If I didn’t watch them make it, it was pretty hard to tell if the veggies were canned or not; they boiled fresh veggies to the same consistency as the canned ones.
Sorry, but this is like one of the many litmus tests for people who think they grew up in the middle class and then actually find out they grew up poorer than they initially thought.
Another good one was having canned mixed vegetables more than a couple times a week.
You’re overlooking an important detail - kids love that cheap, shitty food. It was also quick and easy to make, so their tired, overworked parents were easily persuaded to make it.
Naturally there’s a line where it becomes too much, but even rich kids love hot dogs and Mac & cheese.
I don’t think anyone loves eating canned mixed veggies… But I admit, every once in a while I’ll make a fancy version of Mac and cheese and hotdogs.
You could probably mix some frozen broccoli or a diced red onion in there. Its still pretty affordable. I know I do that some Kraft. I also sometimes mix in hotdogs or shredded chicken.
Again, kid logic. Plus, many young parents don’t know (or care) how to properly cook veggies anyway. It’s a choice between canned (and usually salted) veggies, or similarly mushy, over-microwaved fresh/frozen veggies with little seasoning or flavor. It’s not like the green beans are roasted with olive oil, garlic, and balsamic vinegar.
Cutting up pickles with boxed Mac. and Cheese was one of my favorite go-tos, in grad. school. If not pickles then I used to put canned tuna in; also quite good.
Grew up poor, didn’t know it. Lots of Mac 'n Cheese w/ hotdogs and canned vegetables. I remember the first time I had a fresh green bean, I was put off by the texture. Wasn’t used to vegetables with structure.
Edit: also a fair amount of Hamburger Helper in my childhood. It’s OK.
Lol this just perfectly described my experience perfectly. I grew up eating mostly canned vegetables. When I started cooking as an adult, I didn’t think I liked vegetables. Until I followed recipes cooking with fresh veggies. The “structure” is totally different! And delicious.
Haha, I had a similar experience because of canned mix veggies. For a long time I didn’t think I liked beans because I always hated the texture of the canned lima beans. I also thought all veggies would taste the same because canned mix veggies all adopt an odd homogeneous taste.
Wow, I had forgotten how much I used to detest lima beans. Don’t think I’ve had them since I was a kid. I wonder if I’ll like them now.
If you cook them until they’re mush with plenty of oil/butter, a bit more salt than I’d like to admit, pepper, dill, and a few drops of hickory smoke flavor, they’re amazing.
oh god, i did most of the cooking at one point and hamburger helper was my entry to cooking. at like 12.
I really disagree with this. My parents grew up in the 50s and just thought this kind of highly processed food was normal and easy. There were also commercials that constantly reminded them to buy it. We could 100% afford better food, this is just what they wanted 🤢
Yeah same. They had to spend that money on more important things. Like church.
Gotta buy that ticket to heaven
It could still be very much middle class. Parents make it out of nostalgia from when they were kids, instead of making it out of necessity.
My grandma used to make depression era meals for my dad (they were also poor), my dad made them for me (not as poor then solidly middle income), and I would love to eat them for nostalgia reasons. Can’t because of gluten, but I’ve been trying out various gluten free bread recipes to see if I can get something that works.
A reeeeeaaallly long way of agreeing and saying yeah, nostalgia plays a role.
Mac and cheese and hot dogs are probably less reliable than the canned mixed veggies. I don’t think anyone gets nostalgia for soaked mushie veggies .
I figured it out we were poor once I hit middle school, and me asking about this and further realizing the truth of it… well of course that sent Republican dad further into an insecurity/rage/alcoholism loop.
Being honest would have been too difficult, I guess.
Middle class isnt a clear cut distinction anyway. It mostly serves to divide those of us who live off of labour rather than ownership so we go after one another instead of the capitalists.
I mean, maybe, but in my case I’m sure a good part of it was neither of my parents were good cooks lol
If I didn’t watch them make it, it was pretty hard to tell if the veggies were canned or not; they boiled fresh veggies to the same consistency as the canned ones.