They say that stress sometimes comes from having too many choices.
You only need to spend five minutes with a dinner menu at Cheesecake Factory to realize how true that really is.
I was reminded of this dilemma when I went to purchase a loaf of bread at the grocery store. This seemingly easy task turned into an outing that would be more difficult then taking a pack of sugar infused 4-year olds to Disneyland.
When I was young, I think we had two choices — wheat or white. Now there are 2,459 types of bread to choose from. You have wheat, white, whole grain, multi-grain, half grain, etc., etc.
Not sure I fully understand the “grain” thing. Is seven-grain better than six-grain? What about 12-grain?
I feel like calling my sixth grade woodshop teacher for help — 220 grain sandpaper was fairly smooth; 80 grain sandpaper was very rough; six or seven grain? That sounds like wheat boulders, not bread slices. I can’t swallow that.
The name doesn’t help me much either. Wonder Bread. I don’t think about bread much let alone “wonder” about it.
Please, for the sake of all that is good in the world, start cutting out some of my bread options. McDonald’s knows this. I only have to order by number. If other food producers followed suit, I think I would be happier with fewer choices.
Now, if you will excuse me, I have to go find milk.
About Godfather
On the Wonder Bread issue…It was pre-market availability-advertised as “There’s a ‘wonder’ coming”. Also, the great wonder was this was one of the first breads that came pre-sliced for the public to buy in the supermarket (if you think I’m making this up, google it)…no more lopsided pieces of bread that your mom cut up along with the hunk of bologna she cut of the log for your sandwiches.
As for making bread choices I look at it like this….store brands…white or wheat “sandwich” bread is what I buy. It’s cheaper, just as good for you as all these other supposedly healthy options that amazingly enough are still enriched with all the same junk. Why pay $2.37 for a loaf of bread when the 99 cent stuff serves the same purpose just as well? Of course, because my 4 year old eats his sandwiches 2 at a time, and my 9 year old often presses for 3 (what the heck..when I was that age I was only allowed one no matter how hungry I was!), I stil buy $20 worth of bread, since that will get me thru the weekend.
Don’t even get me started on milk….I look at the longest sell by date and teh cheapest skim brand….my wife seems to think whole milk is bad for her butt or something.
Too funny Mike! I am also going to assume you are banking on the fact that your wife has something far better to do than read your posts!
I owuld like to hear your opinions on the inflationary costs of candy bars, along with the deflated sizes they offer us. It seems to me, the king size is now the old original size, and the new original size cost what the old kingsize used to cost…
I once got into an arguement with my wife over bread. We stood in the bread aisle for over 5 minutes. This is not an exaguration. Finally I grabed all 4 loaves being considered. Threw them in the cart and stormed off. It was stupid. (We usually only go through one, and it spoils.) Why is there an entire aisle dedicated to bread? My theory, It is an evil plot by marriage counselors to increase business.
WOW JAY, really?? over bread??? Are you saying I shouldn’t budge on the whole milk I like, and buy both, or force her to deal with it? LOL
All this time I just assumed you two were the perfect couple who didn’t argue over such things!
There’s too many choices of any product in the market these days. I was buying oatmeal the other day with my wife and I nearly went blind looking at all of the types and brands of oatmeal. I had no idea oatmeal could even be made in this many ways. My mom always bought Quaker oats. Period. That’s it! Now, it takes me an hour to decide. The Kroger we shop at is like a mall in itself. I once got lost in the Hallmark aisle for an hour! And you need a map to navigate the beer department these days. I didn’t know there were 125 brands of beer…. Jees!
Plain Oatmeal with brown sugar and raisins please!