Well, not having been there at the time I can't tell you for sure, but she did say that she and my grandfather worked together from morning until night in their little vegetable market in the Bronx, so let's say: until night. :)

I know things were different then. Her kids didn't have the kind of extracurricular activities today's kids do, but on the other hand they had chores and had to do their homework.

...back before TV and convenience food, when kids had chores, and women knew how to boil a cabbage after working in the market all day.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go make my first-grader do his pages and pages of spelling homework then make dinner before my wife gets home.

...but maybe meals were -- or not. That's up to you.

What about those of us who love Annie's -- but only buy the organic and whole grain versions? (There is an organic whole wheat and cheddar as well as a whole wheat and alfredo Arthur-inspired version). Kraft doesn't do that -- even the Trader Joe's and Whole Foods' versions don't. Eating and supporting organic production and consumering less-refined grains (and sugars) are, to me, huge steps for the environment and sustainability as well as personal health. So here's to Annie's for, in one corner of the processed food universe, providing me with that option.

In response to Bauhaus's fair question, if I remember correctly, Ronald Reagan was president in 1985, when Smartfood was introduced.

While I meant the comment as a light-hearted parting shot, a deeper examination of the qualities of Smartfood as marketing phenomenon and the qualities of the Reagan-era zeitgeist suggest the same conclusion.

Smartfood identified itself as better than the cheese corn that had been commercially available up until then. Its bold black and yellow packaging and angular graphics attempted to separated it from its competitors. And ultimately it resonated with consumers, even those who knew it wasn't necessarily healthy for them.

You don't see in this a mirror of the Reagan era?

Reagan suggested that his government, a leaner government, a more efficient government, was better than the flabby, wasteful FDR social security net government consumers had grown accustomed to. Reagan's bold, black hair, Nancy's yellow coif, and his and his wife's angular graphic shoulder pads attempted to separate them from the slovenly, graying (though much younger) Carter regime. And ultimately the "great communicator" resonated with consumers, even those who knew he wasn't necessarily healthy for them.

Ciao. Or is that chow?

I buy local and organic when I can, but Annie's Mac and Cheese tastes awful! Why eat something that is nutritional garbage if it doesn't even taste good! Generally, organic food is better quality and tastes better. When it doesn't and is not, I'll buy evil Kraft/Phillip Morris.

Rastas Barques

Much of Annie's line is partially or fully organic. Right there, it trumps KRAFT. i am realistic enough to know that kids will be captured by corporate branding to some degree or another. i would rather mine be captured by a company that utilizes organic standards. BTW, the microwave single serving, is MUCH easier than making a pot of pasta, grating, etc. I am sure there are those on the fringe who will now note the environmental waste of single serving packets and find some harm in serving kids microwave food, but for me its all about the sliding scale of "doing the best you can" with the time and money you have - Annie's line takes me alot closer to the best than KRAFT

a stereotype park slope mama - bugaboo-pushing, honda-odyssey driving, clog wearing, food coop member

The correct name for Whole Foods is Whole Paycheck. Anyone who's ever shopped there understands why.

posted on Salon to generate clicks for ad revenue. Was that even a half-assed attempt at an informative article, or just a seed to generate clicks?

It doesn't even mention that Kraft foods is owned by Altria Inc, formerly named Phillip Morris, one of the most evil conglomerates on the planet.

Mac and cheese? Who gives a shit. But give a C grade Salon writer a thousand words and it becomes the hot topic du jour.

Does Salon have any satisfied subscribers left? What suckers.

Of course noodles and cheese are not that good for you! Of course it is just powdered cheese. I think all of us who are serving this up to our kids every once in a while know that it is not homemade veggie lasagna but it won't kill em either. We all made it through TV dinners and box mac and cheese. Get over it.

OK, full disclosure, Annie WIthey is my cousin. However, there were some parts of this rant that were unfounded and I feel compelled, as a conscientious consumer and loving cousing, to defend the bunny brand:

- Annie did develop the original Smartfood, but she left the company and her then-husband because as the product started to dominate the company was slipping ethically in their "green" production and disposal methods

- Natural is the best term to help differentiate your ingredients when they are produced with environmental, ecological and nutritional sensitivity but can not be certified as organic. And despite the costs Annie's uses as many organic ingredients as possible.

- The powdered cheese is exactly why good consumers can feel good about buying mac-in-a-box: it does not have the chemical neon tint. It's not a small distinction, it's THE distinction. If you want to make your own homemade mac-n-cheese with the good white cheese, go ahead. But many people don't, and grating is a large pain in the @#$, and that is the reason that the bunny box has hopped to the top of the game. Even good consumers can be lazy, and even comfort food can be healthy.

On a personal note, Annie is not a mega-business bitch but a sweet and softspoken REAL hippie who walks her talk, and who does live on an organic farm and has respect for the earth. And Bernie was an actual bunny, until the dog ate him.