Snack food corporations are ripping us off.

Their products are unhealthy, foster childhood obesity, are expensive and often use cheap unskilled labor. Millions of dollars go into advertising their products, much of it targeted to children who instantly recognize their jingles and mascots while unable to identify common fruits and vegetables. Obesity is becoming the norm. Snack foods are an easy pacifier for busy parents while in the long run, we are poisoning ourselves. Food corporations now fill the void of disappearing traditional diets, dictating what foods should be eaten and making lots of money along the way.

In Israel children grow up with the Bamba baby, and the company slogan “Ima, Aba…Bamba” (Mommy, Daddy, Bamba), is on television, on billboards, radio, in children’s magazines and in every grocery shop in the country. There have been many times when I bought bags of Bamba  (corn peanut snack) and potato chips for long car trips because it was a convenient way to keep the children occupied. Recently, after becoming more aware of the role these corporations play in perpetrating bad eating habits, especially in children, I decided that education is the most important defense.

• Junky snacks foster childhood obesity. They leave an addictive lingering taste in the mouth and don’t satisfy the appetite. Kids just keep putting more and more in their mouths till they’re full…of junk.
• They’re expensive (Bamba costs seven times more per weight than home-made popcorn).
• The ads and jingles target our children, who instantly identify them but no longer recognize common fruits and vegetables. How do you feel about big corporations profiting off your kids, at the cost of their health?
• Osem corporation, the producer of Bamba, adds vitamins to the snack and advertises it as healthy and nutritious. But it contains considerable amount of salt and fat. According to Ha’aretz, Osem is unwilling to disclose the exact make up of its product.
• Waste from snack bags pollute and litter the environment

The solution is complex. But one small step is to stop relying on food corporations for so much of our food. Another is to try to mitigate and balance the effect of their constant advertisement with education. So next time you want a snack, why not make some old fashioned popcorn, not the bagged microwavable popcorn which is much more expensive?

Popcorn, the old Fashioned way

1/3 cup popcorn kernels

3 tablespoons canola or peanut oil (high smoke point)

A 1 liter pot with lid

salt

Cover bottom of pot with oil, add a thin layer of popcorn, cover the top and heat on medium. Wait several minutes until popping can be heard. Remove from heat when there are several seconds between pops.

I don’t like testing if the oil is hot enough by dropping in a few kernels, as oil can splatter.

Gourmet Caramel Popcorn

With the money you save you can make gourmet caramel popcorn which is heavenly if not exactly dietetic. It does however, help break “the munch and go” habit and kids can help mix all the ingredients in the pot before heating.

1/2 cup popcorn

3 tablespoons canola or peanut oil (high smoke point)

100 grams butter

1/2 brown sugar

1/2 salt

1/4 cup honey, maple, date or carob syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Make the popcorn as directed above.

In a small pot, melt the butter and add the sugar, salt and honey and mix until everything is dissolved. Do not let it caramelize. Remove from heat and add the vanilla. Pour the mixture over the popcorn and mix until everything is well coated. Spread a thin mixture on a parchment paper lined baking tray and bake at 170°C for 20-30 minutes or until it becomes golden. Mix once or twice during baking to ensure they are evenly baked.