I noticed that bagged mini-carrots (baby carrots) were mentioned on another thread. This is just one of many examples of how some healthy foods are being re-branded by growers to make them more approachable to our current lifestyle.

Do you know how they get 'baby' carrots? They take big carrots, slice them into 1 - 1/2 inch chunks then roll them around in a machine that peels them and tapers the ends. They then put a preservative over them because otherwise they'd go bad very quickly. Heck, I could taper carrots at home with a hand peeler and skip the perservative.

I've seen apple slices sold in the grocery store, and bigger packages at Costco, that are prepared much the same way - peeled, sliced then sprayed with a preservative (which in the case of apples is usually just vitamin C). I admit that it is tempting to purchase apples packaged that way to make eating fruit more appealing but when I see the price, buying 'just' apples is a much better way to go.

I find the new steam bags of veggies to be humorous. Imagine, now I don't even have to put the frozen veggies into a microwave safe container to defrost them. I can steam them right in the plastic bag! Do I need this convenience in my life?

Don't get me started on those 100 calorie snack bags.

Healthy foods have ventured into the unhealthy market. Can you think of other examples?

I like this thread! I am one of those who likes those small packages - I am the only one that eats veggies (except baby carrots - dd and ds eat those), and dh gets on my case anytime I end up throwing any out that haven't been eaten. Um...eat some, then!! I am also so busy, I really don't have the time to cut things up. I never thought about that preservative on the carrots - any idea what it is? I know it can get slimy, so we use them up as quickly as we can; otherwise, we get the big ones.

And those 100 calorie snack bags? Don't know about you, but 1 just isn't enough for this family!

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dd loves the one hundred calorie bags of oreo's and I found that I can buy them at big lots for only 1.50. Thats just fine by me but my main purpose for buying them is too keep in the car. The baby carrots I never gave much thought to it but I guess I should start buying big ones and peeling myself. I have time so I really should be doing it.

You are right things are being packed to make them more apealing to bussy or lazy people and their is a huge profit in this. My only problem with it is all the waist. IF it promotes people to eat healthier than maybe its not a totaly bad idea.

I do buy whole carrots for stews/recipes, but love baby carrots for the snack factor. If buying them that way makes my family more likely to eat them, that's a plus for me.

The rest of my fruit/veggies I usually get the whole thing and peel/chop them myself. 100 calorie bags are a joke to me too. People can't exercise enough restraint that they have to have special packaging? Sounds like a nice marketing scam thought up by the diet industry.

We love baby carrots....I only pay $.99 a bag( I usually buy 2-3 bags at a time) at Aldi's and keep them in a special fridgesmart container thingie from Tupperware....they keep a month or more in that conatiner and my kids will eat them all the time. they won't eat big carrots even if I cut them into carrot sticks....weird, eh? We don't buy the 100 calorie packs unless they're under $1.50..sometimes I get them at dollar tree and Big Lots.

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I agree with Kim. Yes, they cost more sometimes, yes they may have preservatives on them, but if y buying these, I can get my kids to eat carrots, apples, or any other veggie or fruit instead of junk food, I'll do it! The 100 calorie packs, I buy also, but it is because I buy them INSTEAD of buying the prepackaged higher calorie ones for lunch boxes, etc. I don't do it often, but sometimes the kids have to have something prepackaged and that is what I buy!

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I agree with those on here that like the baby carrots. I actually use them in my dh and my dd'd lunch. I know it is more expensive...but when packing up their lunch it makes it much easier. You will probably hate this...but I also by the snack size ranch dressing to go with the carrots in their lunch. The dressing may make it less healthy...but it is still better than a bag of chips...and they love it.

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Stacey

“The best and safest thing is to keep a balance in your life, acknowledge the great powers around us and in us. If you can do that, and live that way, you are really a wise man." ~ Euripides

I too love the baby carrots. They are an easy snack. If I had to go through and peel and chop them up myself I probably wouldn't eat as many so I justify it that way. I can usually get them at a pretty good price at Aldi or Albertsons on sale. They are one of my favorite snacks.

I love the steamer bags of veggies. I buy them when they are on sale and they have actually been a lot cheaper than the regular vegtables. Sometimes I will just eat that for supper because it's so easy. (you do still have to pour them in a bowl to serve them so I am not sure why the bag is such a big deal, but it does seem to really speed up the cooking time--and it's really easy)

I don't buy them all the time but when they are .69 cents and I have coupons on top of it, I do stock up!

100 calorie packs--I don't know, never used them--they just don't appeal to me. I would try them If I was better about bringing my lunch to school--usually I just grab a breakfast bar or granola bar though. I am not so much concerned about the calories--more something handy to bring along for a quick snack. At my house, if I open a bag of cookies--they are gone in 5 minutes, but if I buy individual packaged things, they know they are for mom or dad for at school or work (or for the kids for school lunches)

Oh Cookie2, you have me ROTFL with the explanation of how we get the "Baby" carrots!!

We like to steam them, actually my 1 and 2 year old love them this way.

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