We are full well into autumn now, here in the Northern Hemisphere, and with Samhain just around the corner, it's time to take stock of what we've harvested this year. More on that next week, maybe.
It's also the sort of time when little gripes grab our attention. Take, for example, the packaging of the two items in the photo below. (I'm not complaining abou the spices -- they're fine.)
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| Lynne Cantwell 2026 |
(Yes, I'm calling out Albertson's/Safeway. They appear to be the worst offenders, at least to me.)
Remember back in the old days, when ziploc bags were first introduced, and we all thought it would be great if they were added to everything? Yeah. Sometimes it's good, and sometimes it's not. Take the shredded cheese packet on the left. Pros: There's a ziploc at the top of the package, hooray! Cons: the zipper part is kinda faulty. The sides don't match up exactly. So I really have to concentrate when I shut the bag, or else the zipper doesn't zip, and I end up with dried-out cheese the next time I use it. This doesn't always happen, but it happens often enough that I'm annoyed by it every time.
Frozen veggies from this store's brand also have ziploc closures installed -- but the zipper isn't at the very top of the bag. Instead, it's positioned about an inch down from the top on one side, forming a sort of envelope closure, and it doesn't go all the way across. That works fine when the bag is mostly full, but it's a stupid design when I'm trying to extract the last of the contents; invariably some get caught in the top portion of the bag, above the zipper, and I have to fight to get it all out.
Speaking of having to fight to get the last of something out, let's look at that half-and-half carton. Kudos for using waxed paperboard instead of plastic. But the "convenient" spout on the side of the carton makes it a real pain to get the last bit out. If I open up one of the sides that's folded in and make a spout, as generations of schoolchildren had to do with small cartons of milk from the cafeteria, invariably another serving of half-and-half pours right out.
If I were the suspicious sort, I would wonder whether these "convenient" closures have been added to these packages to make consumers give up in frustration and buy more of the same product sooner. They wouldn't actually do that, would they?
Or would they?
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I've sometimes wondered why manufacturers of cereal packaging don't put ziploc closures on their products. Seems like a no-brainer: the cereal would stay fresher longer, especially for folks who live in humid parts of the country. Nothing like a big bowl of mushy cereal to get your morning off to a great start, amirite?
But, see, if they did that, people wouldn't get so disgusted by soggy cereal that they'd throw it out and buy a new box.
We could count the ways that Big Grocery tries to trick us into wasting their products so that we give them money for new stuff before it's strictly necessary. And I'm happy to do that (I'm taking nominees!). But wouldn't it be great if manufacturers were honest and actually acted to make our lives easier, instead of just claiming to while tricking us into spending more? Especially when prices for everything keep going up and up?
Yeah, I know, they'll get right on that. Right after we get universal healthcare in this country.
Which is to say that I'm not holding my breath.
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These moments of curmudgeonly blogginess have been brought to you, as a public service, by Lynne Cantwell. Vote early (but not often)! Drop your ballot in your city's or county's official ballot box! Or make plans to vote in person on Election Day! Don't let the bastards win!
