primitives discuss shrinking food products

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/115743611

Oh my.

I didn't want the cooking and baking primitives to think that franksolich has been ignoring them while preoccupied with other matters.

<<<has also noticed it's been days and days and days since dear old sweet Lu was on the job.

grasswire (40,979 posts)    Fri Jul 11, 2014, 02:08 PM

Bah Humbug, Betty Crocker!

So yesterday I set out to make an old family favorite -- a sherry cake from the 1970s that starts with a yellow cake mix, a lotta eggs and sherry and nutmeg, etc. Been making it for decades now. It's delicious.Light, excellent crumb, etc.
 
Welp, as they say. Some of the manufacturers have shrunk their box weight. Up to 29 percent less now!
 
Dang! The cake turned out about half its usual loft.

To the google. Many many people have such "heirloom" recipes from moms and MILs, and are exceptionally unhappy. One suggested remedy is to simply add more flour. But that won't be a good remedy, I don't think. Another suggested remedy is to buy TWO boxes, and then measure out enough from the second box to add to the first box, to equal the old weight.
 
Just a note for us all: when making old recipes, remember that the manufacturers and their profit margins can screw things up.

NJCher (16,756 posts)    Fri Jul 11, 2014, 02:51 PM

1. yep

I remember seeing this when I worked for one of the big 3 automotive companies. Every year, when the prices came out, I would notice how they downgraded the quality or left out options to hold the line on price.
 
The other day I looked at a roll of toilet paper and marveled at how it seemed to be approaching the width of a cash register receipt.
 
On the other hand, technology sometimes steps in and adds in some value.

sinkingfeeling (29,763 posts)    Fri Jul 11, 2014, 03:05 PM

2. Yes, I've had the same thing happen. Used to be able to fill two of my cake

pans from 1 box of mix. Not anymore, unless people like a 2-inch high layer cake.

PADemD (2,697 posts)    Fri Jul 11, 2014, 03:14 PM

3. Duncan Hines Cake Mixes

I don't know if this is available where you live, but I always use Duncan Hines cake mixes and have never had a problem. For the 4th this year, I made a coconut cake that was delicious!
 
Here's a link to their products:

http://www.duncanhines.com/

There's a picture of an angel food cake with fresh citrus sauce. Looks heavenly!

grasswire (40,979 posts)    Fri Jul 11, 2014, 03:40 PM

5. yes, from what I read...

....Duncan Hines has only shrunk their size by two ounces or so.

I know, I know, it's more fun to make scratch cake and I do that often. But these old reipes are tradition in some families.

catnhatnh (6,574 posts)    Fri Jul 11, 2014, 03:33 PM

4. Any recipe more than 5 years old....

...that calls for a can, box, or package of any ingredient needs to be researched.Tuna is a great example-following Grandma's tuna casserole recipe will leave you something more like "tuna flavored pasta salad with powdered cheese-like flavorings" in the modern parlance, tuna cans having shrunk by up to 40%...
 
Packaged meats are a recent victim with sausages, bacon, and hotdogs coming in a range of sizes under a pound yet packaged to appear as much as possible like the pound packages they replaced.
 
At the same time store pricing info has gone down the drain. I've seen the same product by different manufacturers using unit pricing in price per gallon, per liter, per ounce, and per quart gerrymandered on the same shelf until the Son of God himself would need a hand calculator, a pad, and a half dozen #2 pencils to figure the per portion cost of a casserole...
 
Meanwhile the little convenient little envelopes of rice or pasta sides-many of those, thanks to "product shrinkage" now yield (by their own info) 3-1/2 servings...lets see-3 1/2, 7, 10 1/2, 14...That's it!!! Next time we invite over EXACTLY 6 other couples these are just the right size...
 
Oh I could go on and on and on and on...but I think you get my drift-the food giants are having their way with us and most of us are too stupid to even realize it.

grasswire (40,979 posts)    Fri Jul 11, 2014, 03:42 PM

6. yeah we used to get four sandwiches from a can of tuna.

Now it's two.

progressoid (31,746 posts)    Fri Jul 11, 2014, 05:11 PM

7. Was filling up a couple "five gallon" buckets yesterday.

turns out they are 4.5 gallons.

Poor primitives!  Always being cheated, the poor primitives!

[ChuckJ]

grasswire (40,979 posts)    Fri Jul 11, 2014, 02:08 PM

Bah Humbug, Betty Crocker!

So yesterday I set out to make an old family favorite -- a sherry cake from the 1970s that starts with a yellow cake mix, a lotta eggs and sherry and nutmeg, etc. Been making it for decades now. It's delicious.Light, excellent crumb, etc.
 
Welp, as they say. Some of the manufacturers have shrunk their box weight. Up to 29 percent less now!
 
Dang! The cake turned out about half its usual loft.

To the google. Many many people have such "heirloom" recipes from moms and MILs, and are exceptionally unhappy. One suggested remedy is to simply add more flour. But that won't be a good remedy, I don't think. Another suggested remedy is to buy TWO boxes, and then measure out enough from the second box to add to the first box, to equal the old weight.
 
Just a note for us all: when making old recipes, remember that the manufacturers and their profit margins can screw things up.

She probably just didn't add enough peas.

[JohnnyReb]

With all the abortions and free wyminz healthcare....families aren't as big so you need less....and Moochelle says you can't have cake anyway....it's only for the elite, like her and Barry.i

[98ZJUSMC]

catnhatnh (6,574 posts)    Fri Jul 11, 2014, 03:33 PM

4. Any recipe more than 5 years old....

...that calls for a can, box, or package of any ingredient needs to be researched.

Huh.  I wonder what happened....   

[Dori]

Huh.  I wonder what happened....   

They were complaining about fewer oz being in the boxes, cans etc. then there were a few years ago.

[Big Dog]

Huh.  I wonder what happened....   

This looks like a good spot for an

 

[GOBUCKS]

grasswire (40,979 posts)    Fri Jul 11, 2014, 03:40 PM

I know, I know, it's more fun to make scratch cake and I do that often.

A memorable DUmp dinner would be an NJCher stew, followed by dessert from poor addled grasswipe.

Poor addled grasswipe Judy is an artist in the kitchen.

[Big Dog]

I just noticed the bottom left corner of that picture.

Three wise camels are pointing their toes at Judy's pie.

[franksolich]

They were complaining about fewer oz being in the boxes, cans etc. then there were a few years ago.

You know, usually boxes of food have on them--somewhere--a description of how much of a finished product it'll make.

<<knows this, even though only a guy.

Haven't the primitives over the years, the decades, been reading those?

<<reads those, even though only a guy.

[Karin]

That did annoy me, a short while ago when bacon prices spiked, all of a sudden there were a bunch of 12 oz packages in the bin.  I really need the full 16 oz package.  You have to be careful and read the fine print when dealing with such an important matter as bacon. 

[Big Dog]

That did annoy me, a short while ago when bacon prices spiked, all of a sudden there were a bunch of 12 oz packages in the bin.  I really need the full 16 oz package.  You have to be careful and read the fine print when dealing with such an important matter as bacon.

You said it!

Fortunately for me, Wright's still sells 24 ounces of thick sliced, hickory smoked goodness in every package.

[obumazombie]

Huh.  I wonder what happened....   

Yes...approximately 5 to 6 years ago. I join you in wondering.

[SVPete]

It's Moooochelle's fault!