I’m no fan of PepsiCo and it’s not a secret. There’s nothing wrong with a soda treat once in a blue moon (and I mean that literally so that would have you drinking about a soda a year) but soda is a horrible thing to put in your body and it’s even worse for children and girls. Today’s rant is not about soda though, it’s about one of the many frankenfood products PepsiCo owns.
PepsiCo is about to change Cracker Jacks. They’re adding a line called Cracker Jack’d.
Cracker Jack’d is not a movie about white guys from Georgia moving to South Central LA to steal cars circa 1987. Cracker Jack’d is a candy with caffeine added.
Yes, really. PepsiCo is going to stealth caffeinate your children.
See the tagline? Snacks with impact.
Let me talk to you about caffeine and what soda and Starbucks has done to us. We’ve normalized an addiction. We’ve pretended like needing morning coffee is normal and adorable. It’s not.
If you’re a coffee drinker (and statistically most of you are) and you don’t have your morning coffee how do you feel? Cranky, headachey, lethargic? Who in their right mind would gift that dependence to their child? Who would introduce a habit forming stimulant to children? Who would give their child a product that is guaranteed to weaken their growing bones? Notice that I’m refraining from lecturing adults about loving themselves enough to quit…
PepsiCo would.
There is no reason for our children to be drinking caffeinated drinks. There is no good reason for our children to have caffeine dropped into snacks made for them. The only reason anyone would caffeinate a child’s snack is to make it more addictive than the sugar already is.
We need a new song to sing at baseball games. Cracker Jacks cannot be trusted. They have a facebook page for the new treats so ostensibly someone is listening.
EDIT: I’m not saying that Cracker Jack’d will kill anyone but it is worth noting that The New York Times is reporting that 5-Hour Energy (the one who leads in the energy trend) has been implicated in at least 13 deaths, 30 heart attacks and spontaneous abortions.
I am appalled by the crap on most store shelves. I’m fairly oblivious to most of the crap (and as a result, so are my kids). This, however, takes it to a new level. Adding an addictive substance to an already addictive substance is ridiculous. As you state: there is no other good reason for the addition.
I gave up coffee earlier this year. I still have a cup occasionally, mostly on weekends, but it’s now more of a social thing opposed to a daily necessity (much like alcohol – also a drug).
Giving up coffee was an incredible thing for me too.
What about the alcohol and energy drink problems and deaths, in youth and adults. Its one thing for adults, but pushing caffeine mixtures on kids.. is wrong. Only time for them to end up on Nick. See the new Pepsi fat blocker soda-drink stuff ?
fat blocking soda? Oh good lord. If it’s soda and you drink it you’re going to be fat… people are dumb.
My kids have only had caffeine once or twice in their lives- as a treat (a Coke, shared with us) at DisneyWorld almost two years ago. I can’t imagine why any adult would allow their kids to have caffeine – just for PRACTICAL purposes, don’t you want your children CALM? Then the health implications, well… geez. It’s a no brainer. That being said, my pediatrician has told me horror stories about babies and toddlers coming into the DOCTOR’S OFFICE with bottles filled with COLA. For real. The addiction starts young. So young the parents don’t even bat an eyelash when they filled up the baby bottle with pop and head to the doctor.
Just found your blog through Amy West, and after reading some of your posts, I am hooked to your blog!!! :) :)