Toss the Broccoli, Feed them Chef Boyardee

Can't wean your children off the starchy, sweetness of white bread? Have you tried steaming, puréeing, pouring ponds of ranch dressings and rivers of melted Cheez Whizzes, and your kids continue to toss their carrot sticks and broccoli bundles into the planter pots when you aren't looking? Well, it's time to give up on the vegetable garden and fresh produce, apparently a pantry shelf is all you need.  

"Chef Boyardee: Wheat Girl"

Oh look, a mother's daydream.
It'll never be a reality. So serve them Chef Boyardee Whole Grain
Beefaroni, now with whole grain pasta. Just don't tell them.
Obviously Delicious. Secretly Nutritious.

"Chef Boyardee: Carrot Kid"

Behold the mythical veggie-loving kid.
He doesn't exist. That's why there's Chef Boyardee, with a full
serving of vegetables in every bowl. Just don't tell them.
Obviously Delicious. Secretly Nutritious.

"Chef Boyardee: Broccoli Boy"

Until this happens, keep the secret.
Kids may never love veggies this much. But with Chef Boyardee there is a
full serving of vegetables in every bowl. Just don't tell them.
Obviously Delicious. Secretly Nutritious.

So, let's examine the argument:

A) Kids hate the taste of vegetables and whole grains; an obvious problem for health conscious parents.
B) Kids love the taste Chef Boyardee.
C) Chef Boyardee now has "a full serving of vegetables in every bowl."

Conclusion: Why not throw a bowl in the microwave, heat on high for 1 and 1/2 minutes, and serve up an enjoyable meal that will keep your kids both happy and healthy.


Okay, obviously I'm a little bit offended by this argument seeing as I have always loved vegetables (my lunchbox favourite used to be a toasted tomato sandwich, with ripe rubies and a hefty sprig of purple-veined butter lettuce), but I have to admit that these advertisements are extremely clever. The prints themselves are reminiscent of the 1950s and 60s: the posterized element and simplicity of the images acting as appeals to tradition and the reign of the all-mighty housewives and homemakers of the past. I think it's rather suiting and interesting for Chef Boyardee (or DDB Advertising) to make references to the "golden age" of capitalism, showing that their product still represents convenience, mass production and simplicity. However, by showing children with vibrant vegetables, it also shows their awareness and understanding about the concerns people have with eating processed foods. Consumers still love convenience and cutting costs, but they also care about what's in the foods they're eating.

The next trick DDB Advertising introduces is humour and an appeal to emotion. Presumably, most parents have trouble "tricking" their children into eating their veggies (especially with McDonald's down the street and Christie cookies and Lays potato chips crowding the aisles of every grocery store), so it's a ludicrous idea that kids would be hugging and cradling vegetables and whole wheat as if the ingredients were as loveable as their favourite teddy bears or blankies. The quotes add to the argument by making statements about, "the mythical veggie-loving kid," and how, "he doesn't exist." So, if you ever thought that you'd succeed in forcing your kids to like vegetables, think again.

So, we come to the big question: is Chef Boyardee really that good for your kids? I was curious too, so I went to my local grocery store to do a little field research:

The Beefaroni (pictured above) causes me a little less grief than the classic Beef Ravioli, however a few things still concern me: glucose-fructose and/or sugar (aren't there restrictions to using 'and/or' on ingredient labels) and "cheese flavour."

The traditional Beef Ravioli is even more baffling:

Ingredients: Tomatoes (Water, Tomato Puree), Water, Enriched Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), And Folic Acid), Beef, Crackermeal (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Riboflavin [Vitamin B2], And Folic Acid), Contains Less Than 2% Of Salt, Carrots, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Textured Vegetable Protein (Soy Flour, Soy Protein Concentrate And Caramel Coloring), Modified Corn Starch, Monosodium Glutamate, Onion, Caramel Coloring, Flavorings, Enzyme Modified Cheese (Cheddar Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cultures, Salt, Enzymes], And Annatto [Color]), And Soybean Oil. Contains: Milk, Soy, Wheat.

Thank goodness for those "carrots," I was beginning to think Chef Boyardee had confused tomatoes (technically fruits) for vegetables. However when you examine the Nutrition Facts, something doesn't seem to add up. If you feed your kids 1/2 a cup of carrots (considered a full serving of vegetables) they'll be receiving 204% of their daily vitamin A, however Chef Boyardee Ravioli has only 6%. Furthermore, the typical tomato contains 6% of your daily vitamin C, but Chef Boyardee has 0%, even though "tomatoes" is at the top of their ingredient list. It seems as though the most nutrition your kids are going to receive is 38% of their daily sodium.

So, although the "carrot," enriched version of Chef Boyardee has yet to come to a grocery store near me in Ontario, I don't think I'll be holding my breathe. And, perhaps before the cans get shipped north, parents could give their children the benefit of the doubt and not automatically put them on the band wagon with the other vegetable hating kids? Just some food, or perhaps a meal, for thought.




- Danielle

Need some inspiration? 

•  Allrecipes.com - Best Vegetable Recipes for Kids
• Goodmeals.com - Healthy Vegetable Recipes for Kids
• Brighthub.com - 5 Creative Ways to Get Your Kids to Eat Their Vegetables

Citation
Scott, Zachary. Chef Boyardee: Broccoli Boy, Chef Boyardee: Carrot Kid and Chef Boyardee: Wheat Girl. 2010. Advertising Agency: DDB, San Francisco. Ads of the World. Web. 8 Oct 2010. http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/chef_boyardee_broccoli_boy