3 ms·

I wonder why prepackaged foods are always so bad. If I make a big homemade meal, I can put some of it in the freezer. Then I can take it out and microwave it la

I wonder why prepackaged foods are always so bad. If I make a big homemade meal, I can put some of it in the freezer. Then I can take it out and microwave it later and it is still a good meal. It stays good quite long in the freezer too. Why can't I buy something like that? Sure there are ready-made meals marketed as "healthy", but it usually just means smaller portions and no taste. I think the reason is that since you cannot tell what went into a packaged meal, the producer has every incentive to replace good ingredients with something cheaper, and hide it will coloring, flavors, etc.

mark_l_watson 17y ago
That is a really good point. BTW, food stays fresh in the refrigerator for many days, so often there is no need to freeze it. I like to add a small amount of fresh finely chopped vegetables to leftovers while I am heating them: adds a minute to preparation time but gives meals a fresh taste.
Confusion 17y ago
Because you make it the way you like it, which is different from the way your mother makes it, different from the way your neighbor makes it, etc. Even with the same recipe and ingredients: a different brand of dried peppers, a slightly larger amount of tomatoes, less water in which you boil the pasta, etc. can be enough to change the taste. Small differences can be decisive in chemistry. On the other hand, they make it in such a way that the average consumer will consider it reasonable, which means that many people will rate it 'meh'. Convenience trumps taste and it's considered 'good enough'. It's impossible for a mass manufacturer to make stuff so that you like it as much as you like your own (or your familie' designated cook's) food.
elblanco 17y ago
I find that Kashi seems to do a good job of providing food like you describe.
tptacek 17y ago
Because producers A/B test their food, and rapidly find that (a) things that increase shelf stability at the price of freshness don't cause consumers to buy less, and (b) things that increase increase perceived sweetness, saltiness, and unctuousness do cause consumers to buy more. In any mainstream market there's room for a cost leader than operates at atypical economies of scale, and for several narrow-line high price niche producers. People who shop at Safeway aren't going to pay $10 for frozen pilaf. You're either going to be driven inexorably towards cheap, highly shelf-stable, highly marketable products, or you're competing at Whole Foods. Cooks Illustrated finds this all the time when they test ingredients. They don't always pick the sweetest (say) tomato sauce, but the hyper-organic natural brand with no additional sweetener often comes in last. And that's a test panel of chefs.
- bobbyi 17y ago
  Increased shelf life doesn't just provide a cost saving for the manufacturer. It's a direct benefit to the end purchaser. People like that they can buy food in bulk and have it stay good for a long time.
- rms 17y ago
  By unctuousness did you mean umami?
  - tptacek 17y ago
    No, more like "fatty mouth feel", which sounds much worse than "unctuous".

mark_l_watson 17y ago

That is a really good point. BTW, food stays fresh in the refrigerator for many days, so often there is no need to freeze it. I like to add a small amount of fresh finely chopped vegetables to leftovers while I am heating them: adds a minute to preparation time but gives meals a fresh taste.

Confusion 17y ago

Because you make it the way you like it, which is different from the way your mother makes it, different from the way your neighbor makes it, etc. Even with the same recipe and ingredients: a different brand of dried peppers, a slightly larger amount of tomatoes, less water in which you boil the pasta, etc. can be enough to change the taste. Small differences can be decisive in chemistry. On the other hand, they make it in such a way that the average consumer will consider it reasonable, which means that many people will rate it 'meh'. Convenience trumps taste and it's considered 'good enough'. It's impossible for a mass manufacturer to make stuff so that you like it as much as you like your own (or your familie' designated cook's) food.

elblanco 17y ago

I find that Kashi seems to do a good job of providing food like you describe.

tptacek 17y ago

Because producers A/B test their food, and rapidly find that (a) things that increase shelf stability at the price of freshness don't cause consumers to buy less, and (b) things that increase increase perceived sweetness, saltiness, and unctuousness do cause consumers to buy more. In any mainstream market there's room for a cost leader than operates at atypical economies of scale, and for several narrow-line high price niche producers. People who shop at Safeway aren't going to pay $10 for frozen pilaf. You're either going to be driven inexorably towards cheap, highly shelf-stable, highly marketable products, or you're competing at Whole Foods. Cooks Illustrated finds this all the time when they test ingredients. They don't always pick the sweetest (say) tomato sauce, but the hyper-organic natural brand with no additional sweetener often comes in last. And that's a test panel of chefs.

bobbyi 17y ago
Increased shelf life doesn't just provide a cost saving for the manufacturer. It's a direct benefit to the end purchaser. People like that they can buy food in bulk and have it stay good for a long time.
rms 17y ago
By unctuousness did you mean umami?
- tptacek 17y ago
  No, more like "fatty mouth feel", which sounds much worse than "unctuous".