Why exactly is less more?

Posted Wednesday, September 10, 2008, at 9:18 PM

I went down the snack aisle the other day at the big conglomerate grocery store (that we all know and dislike, but go to anyway), in search of some crackers…just a box of plain old crackers. This was no easy task. I found chicken flavored thins (have you ever seen a thin chicken?), bacon and ranch flavored crackers, rosemary and olive oil wheat Triskets, basil and tomato crackers and cheese crackers of all kinds.

There are low-fat crackers and regular old fat crackers (although I think they call them "original").

If I want bacon, I'll fry it. If I want chicken, I'll bake it (ok, maybe I'll fry it). If I want Rosemary, I'll call her on the phone. If I want ranch, I'll make a salad or ride a horse in the direction of one. If I want olive oil, I'll pay nearly seven bucks for a bottle for it, or I'll tune in for a Popeye cartoon. If I want cheese, I'll buy a brick of it. If I want basil and a tomato, I'll buy some basil and I'll buy (or better yet, I'll pick) a tomato.

I finally found an "original" box of wheat crackers and paid more for them than anything on the shelf.

I proceeded to the aisle of salad dressing. Now's the time for Ranch. But no, I had to wade through the creamy cucumber, the raspberry, the "free" this and the "low" that and again the bacon ranch and the poppyseed and the rest.

I fail to understand how things that contain less can cost more. If it's fat free, it's priced higher…looks to me like if you don't get the fat, you don't get your money's worth…they oughta charge less. If it's "low" sodium, then the makers obviously didn't put the usual amount of salt in it, so how can they charge more than the sodium-loaded product?? Go figure. Again, we're not getting our money's worth here.

The theory seems to work oppositely for high-fiber items. High fiber bread is half again the price of regular bread. So, in this case, more IS more, as opposed to the LESS is more theory with crackers and dressings.

Skim milk would be another realm altogether. Seems to me that you should start at the top with whole milk, with it being the most expensive. Take that same gallon of milk down to 2% fat, and I'd say they oughta knock off at least 50 cents. And when they take it down to the "skim" level, a gallon should be about half of the whole milk price per gallon. It only makes sense. The dairy company keeps all the fat and puts it into ice cream or cottage cheese (certainly not Skinny Cows) and they're making another profit off of what we've already paid for!

And soda (or "pop" as they say in the "nawth")…If a regular Coke costs a dollar from a machine, then you should be able to insert a dime and have a sugar free, caffeine free or "Zero" Coke "pop" out….but, alas, I've tried to no avail.

And coffee….if they take out the caffeine, then they shouldn't be charging us for it.

And finally, something with which each of us can identify….Gasoline! Leaded is more, correct? And so, why exactly is "unleaded" approaching four smackers a gallon? It should be around 45 cents, as I see it. They, much like Minnie, have "gotten the lead out!"

Minnie o'

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Oh Minnie, you're wisdomed (is that even a word?) sarcasm strikes again...and I always LOVE it!

Another thing on the gas issue. You're absolutely correct on the leaded vs unleaded issue...but the one thing I don't understand (and I used to manage the Caseys here in Dexter) is how can Caseys and On the Go, for example, be able to charge the same amount for regular and super? The octane is 87 for regular, and 89 for super, yet they charge the same amount. I'm not complaining, because our truck gets better gas mileage out of super, but if they can afford to sell it for the same price, shouldn't they also be able to afford to lower regular since it doesn't have as much octane in it???

-- Posted by mrsdolphin on Wed, Sep 10, 2008, at 10:02 PM
Good point, Mrs. D...I also wonder why crunchy peanut butter isn't much cheaper than smooth. They didn't have to bother smashing up all 'dem goobers!

-- Posted by Noreenmhyslop on Wed, Sep 10, 2008, at 10:18 PM
Minnie, dear, your logic is flawless, as usual! And, by the by, I do so appreciate your euphemistic labels for that certain store which has caused so much acrimony on the blogs of the past!! Haha!! We must avoid all those nasty HOT BUTTONS wheresoever we find them!!

-- Posted by goat lady on Thu, Sep 11, 2008, at 8:47 AM
Do I smell the scent of fresh apple cake??? Surely our Cake Lady will take note of your new blog, Minnie!!

I would write more, but I most go gas up the ole tin lizzie before the prices go UUUUUPPPPPP!!!

-- Posted by goat lady on Thu, Sep 11, 2008, at 6:21 PM
Good idea, Goatie,

They say since Ike is approaching the Gulf, gas prices may rise up to over five bucks a gallon.

Fill er' up, ladies and gents!

I remember the days when we used to actually pull in and get one dollar in gas! Can you imagine? It actually took us about 100 miles..what now costs us about $20!! Of course, I made about $2.40 an hour back then. I suppose everything's relative, but this somehow seems ridiculous.

-- Posted by Noreenmhyslop on Thu, Sep 11, 2008, at 10:24 PM
Apple cake? You betcha! I've been baking my sox off, Goat.

Have been wondering, however...whole wheat flour was less expensive than regular flour...what do you thik they do with those left-over wheat bits? Just wondering.

-- Posted by letseatcake633 on Fri, Sep 12, 2008, at 6:36 AM
They feed them to GOATS.

Funny seeing all the morons in line yesterday filling up their tanks for nothing. Lines at Sikeston were 12 deep. Hope we don't start drilling for oil anytime soon. We don't need any of our OWN oil.

-- Posted by shannonhoon on Fri, Sep 12, 2008, at 10:41 AM
Goats don't particularly like wheat. They do like soybeans, corn and houseplants, however...

-- Posted by goat lady on Wed, Sep 17, 2008, at 9:17 PM
Well, GL, I hope that they don't favor plain old crackers, 'cause it sounds like they'll have a hard time finding them at Wal-Mart.

-- Posted by Noreenmhyslop on Thu, Sep 18, 2008, at 11:45 PM
Hahaha! But that's deliberate on Walmart's part, bringwine! A friend recently told me of a university business class in which they studied Walmart marketing. The reason they move all that stuff around is so that shoppers won't be able to walk in, go right to what they need, and then walk out. The theory is that they buy more if they have to HUNT for stuff!!

Unfortunately for them, they don't factor in the I'm-mad-and-I'm-not-gonna-take-it-anymore factor!!

-- Posted by goat lady on Fri, Sep 19, 2008, at 7:58 AM
I love Wal Mart. Every town should have one. If they ain't got it, I don't need it.

-- Posted by I.B. Le Truth on Tue, Sep 23, 2008, at 9:14 PM
Le Truth, You have been brainwashed by WalMart propaganda. Besides, almost every town does have one these days. It's a sad, sad thing. Only one word comes to mind....BOYCOTT!

-- Posted by ct on Wed, Sep 24, 2008, at 3:13 PM
Ah, ct, I knew I liked you!!

-- Posted by goat lady on Wed, Sep 24, 2008, at 5:55 PM

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