Why does EVERYTHING that's food have to be labelled "Homestyle"????

[daveamkrayoguy]

I hate that word and I will never, ever buy another product with that description on it!!!!

Cake mixes, frosting, sauces, gravies, bread,--even TV dinners! --Even peanut butter!

And even when you see other 'adjectives' used or printed on the carton, box, bottle, or jar, there's still THAT WORD!!!!

-- Dave

 

[danemodsandy]

I Feel Your Pain:

I think the worst was the vending machine in a place where I once worked. Everything was prefabricated, shrink-wrapped and microwavable.

The vending machine proudly proclaimed, "Old Fashion Foods"

I don't know which got me worse, the plastic eats or the use of "fashion" for "fashioned."

When food companies try to tell me their food is "homestyle," it tempts me to write them, to ask:

"In what homes are you finding sodium benzoate, polysorbate 80, guar gum, xanthan gum and calcium chloride?"

 

[wayupnorth]

They cant label it Homemade, because its not, but Homestyle makes it look more appealing. All a marketing ploy.

 

[frigilux]

Because the term 'Factorystyle' was not well-received by focus groups.

 

[jeffg]

I don't think the adjective works as well as it once did. For younger Americans, "homestyle cooking" usually means microwaved plastic and pizza delivery.

 

[arbilab]

All the above. Hawhawhaw, "factory style".

Those "food" companies pay ad agencies 6-7 figures for adjectives they can legally put on labels. Then they kindly require you to reimburse them.

Word to BigFood, don't bother floriating your labels. Caveat essor, let the eater beware.

 

[mrb627]

Wow!

Have you seen what they are feeding our kids in school cafeteria's these days? I remember when they prepared real food in my school cafeteria. Now, they just reheat party appetizers and call it lunch.

My point being that kids nowadays don't have much concept of "Home Made" meals.

And could someone explain what "Homestyle Microwave Popcorn" is all about?

Now peel back the foil and enjoy...

Malcolm

 

[washman]

Most food served in this country

is an abomination.

Lack of desire to make something from scratch, time, cost etc and we've evolved or should I say regressed to the animal level. In other words, if it fills my plate and ultimately my belly, costs 4.95, then by golly I'm eatin' good.

Sadly, an entire generation is being brought up to think this is how we "cook" these days.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

Ooooh--forgot about Breakfast Time!!!! Biscuits, Pancakes, Waffles!!!! Both, Frozen AND Mixes!!!!

 

And don't forget Microwave Popcorn!!!!

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<a name="preview"></a><strong><strong>--</strong></strong><a name="preview"></a> <strong></strong><strong>Dave</strong>

 

 

 

[turquoisedude]

It is pretty sad when you think about it...  So many younger people of today have no clue that food can be made and not just picked up and reheated.   I love to see the look on the faces of kids who visit us in Ogden when I start whipping up a cake or batch of pastry from scratch.  They have no clue whatsoever!  

 

I hate to think how many people would be unable to prepare enough food to survive in the event of a disaster, too!!

 

[ken]

You really want to blow a young persons mind today just have them watch how homemade ice cream is made from scratch. And Im talking about a hand crank freezer that uses ice and salt. Not one with an electric motor and/or is placed in the freezer.

 

[frigilux]

People come to my house for dinner on a regular basis and some of them have kids ranging from ages 5 to the upper teens. I try to include them in some food prep as often as possible, and they usually have a lot of fun with it.

Changes: Those of us living in rural areas used to prepare more meals ourselves; there was simply not a lot of choice in the matter. Those living in larger towns/cities had more options for take-out, etc. Today, the grocery store in my tiny town has a full-service kitchen with several choices of entrees and side dishes every day. Between that, the Chinese restaurant, the pizza joint, and fast food options, you could quite feasibly have plenty of meal choices and rarely cook.

I have a friend in Seattle who has never turned on his oven. All his meals are take-out or delivery.

[this post was last edited: 7/2/2014-10:10]

 

[jeffg]

"I hate to think how many people would be unable to prepare enough food to survive in the event of a disaster"

As my dad used to say, college teaches you everything you need to know, except how to cook food, make clothes and build shelter.

 

[appnut]

15 years ago at least, I had some friends over for dinner.  they had a toddler about 3 or 4 years old.  I had made home made pudding for dessert--it may have even been bread pudding.  I announced we had pudding for dessert.  As I was heading to the fridge the little tyke ran to my pantry and opened the door.  I had a "look" on my face of "huh".  The mom was beet red.  She said that's where his pudding comews from, not even the fridge and it being instant mixed with milk.  Naturally dinner had included home made bread too. 

 

[arbilab]

Pardon to your dad Jeff, college DID teach me how to cook. That is, being there with no practical option besides mcdonalds and TV dinners did. Nothing exotic, but most stuff I like to eat I can make from scratch. (Or almost. Gravy eludes me. I can enhance it but not scratch it.)

Tomorrow night, a dish I invented in 1968. Never had it but sounded like a good idea. Diced whole potato, skillet fried with spam (lowfat these days) egg and cheese. And ketchup.

Friday night, Whataburger to go. Yeah I can do better but sometimes I still like it done for me. Plus there's a Twilight Zone marathon on Syfy. And I have a $2 coupon. I'm an equal opportunity glutton.

 

[jeffg]

"Pardon to your dad Jeff, college DID teach me how to cook. That is, being there with no practical option besides mcdonalds and TV dinners did."

IME 95% of college students take the McDonalds/TV dinner path of least resistance.

 

[davey7]

Homestyle would be a turn off if you grew up with bad cooking....

A surprising number of people don't use their ovens. Friends of mine visited a friend and to thank her for use of her apartment made her a meal. The oven still had the plastic wrap on the racks and the instruction manual a year after she moved in. Course, ovens aren't universal in the world...

 

[circlew]

My nephews, now 34, 29 and 19, got home cooked meals. The younger two can both cook, and the 29 yr. old is a corporate chef at present.

My sister works full time as an RN, tends to a garden and yard on their farm, and cleans her house. If she has time to cook, I think anyone who desires to, can. She isn't the best cook in the world, but most of what she makes is far better that store bought.

 

[turquoisedude]

Homestyle would be a turn off if you grew up with bad cookin

Funny that should come up - it was the opposite in my case...

 

My late mother was a decent cook, but when she arrived in North America, she succumbed to the advertising hype of 'instant' foods and 'just add water' mixes, so a lot of my childhood memories of 'home cooking' meant Madame actually dragged her own arse into the kitchen and flicked the lever of the can opener or opened the box of a casserole mix.   Now, my grandmother on the other hand felt this style of cooking was a 'bloody shame to turn good ingredients into that muck' and taught me the basics of old-fashioned or dare I say 'homestyle' cooking.   Between her and a few close neighbours I learned that you can produce better quality results with just a few ingredients and I have been on a make-it-yourself bender ever since...