Succumbing to Packaging

aem said:

You know those 1-ounce foil packets of Philadelphia cream cheese you
get with your bagel at the coffee bars? They had 50-unit bags of those
for $10.49. Twenty-one cents apiece, a lot less than at the coffee bar
but also a lot more expensive than buying 8-ounce bars or tubs. Using
cream cheese is a problem for us as it's most often used as part of a
munchie and often for only one. It's not unusual for us to have to
throw away some of it.

I used to throw out more cream cheese than I used, but then I discovered my
new favourite munchie, Triscuit crackers with cream cheese and red pepper
jelly. Around here, the 8 oz blocks usually sell for $3.27 but once in a
while I can get three packs for $6.

"aem" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I was in the neighborhood and needed paper goods so I stopped at the
restaurant supply store yesterday. Bulk prices are relatively low and
it's always fun to see the food products available in jumbo-sized cans
and bags. After loading the cart with paper towels, plates and tp and
grabbing a six-pack of clear plastic water tumblers (we don't like to
use glass around the pool/patio) I then cruised the refrigerator and
freezer cases.

You know those 1-ounce foil packets of Philadelphia cream cheese you
get with your bagel at the coffee bars? They had 50-unit bags of those
for $10.49. Twenty-one cents apiece, a lot less than at the coffee bar
but also a lot more expensive than buying 8-ounce bars or tubs. Using
cream cheese is a problem for us as it's most often used as part of a
munchie and often for only one. It's not unusual for us to have to
throw away some of it. I'm only a little guilty about succumbing to
the temptation and buying the bag. I'm pretty confident that the last
little package will still be good whenever we get around to it.
Package date is July 23 and I have no idea whether that's "sell by" or
"use by." No way those sealed contents will spoil for many months.
Since I usually have bagels in the freezer I can now indulge whenever I
want.

Last night we each had one cream cheese package along with some
crackers and some smoked sturgeon we spotted at Trader Joes.

So I thought I was going there for the big bulk packaging and low
prices and I ended up getting the tiny packaging at a higher price.
-aem

When you use the 8 oz blocks, how do you store it once it's opened?

Doug Kanter said:

When you use the 8 oz blocks, how do you store it once it's opened?

Rewrap it in its original foil. Is there more I could do? -aem

aem said:

You know those 1-ounce foil packets of Philadelphia cream cheese you
get with your bagel at the coffee bars? They had 50-unit bags of those
for $10.49. Twenty-one cents apiece, a lot less than at the coffee bar
but also a lot more expensive than buying 8-ounce bars or tubs. Using
cream cheese is a problem for us as it's most often used as part of a
munchie and often for only one. It's not unusual for us to have to
throw away some of it.

Why throw it away? It's far still less costly than those 21¢/oz
thingies if you only use half of an 8 oz package and toss half out
into the yard for the squirrels and birds. And odds are if you can't
use up an 8 oz package before it spoils then there's definitely no way
you are going to use up all of those 50 one ounce packets (3lbs+)
before a bunch of those spoil.

I can understand buying those individual packets becasue they are
convenient and they're a good way to maintain portion control when one
is dieting, but your rationale about price and waste is totally
irrational.

And if one is dieting it's a whole lot more difficult to refrain from
those 3lbs+ packets (like Halloween candy) than an 8 oz bar... at least
with the 8 ounce bar when it's gone it's gone, but there are more than
6 times as many calories with those 50 packets and odds are a dieter
will be more apt to cheat with little packets... they're like having 3
pounds of Hershey's kisses around instead of a one time 8 ounce bar.
And I like cream cheese but rarely have it in the house because I know
I'd eat that 1/2 block in probably two days... but with those little
bitty packets I'd probabaly schmear the entire 1oz packet on two
crackers, and probably go through like two dozen crackers... I'd end up
eating 12 ounces of cream cheese at one sitting... not to mention the
two tins of smoked oysters. No, I don't like to buy that kind of
stuff, mainly because at the back of my mind I'd know I'd better eat up
before they spoil... I'll buy 50 pounds of steel cut oats no problem
(no way will I be tempted to eat throuhg it any more quickly than were
it one pound)... but with things like chocolate, and cream cheese,
those will never be around anywheres long enough to come close to
spoiling... pistachio nuts don't spoil around here either, I can crack
my way throuhg 5 pounds in under a week easy, more like 4-5 days,
that's why I very rarely buy any. But anyone likes pistachios, the
very best in teh world are here: http://www.zenobianut.com

I prefer their California pistachios, they're larger and easier to open
than the Turkish ones. And if anyone likes cashews, once you eat
theirs you'll be spoiled for any others. Now I can ration myself with
cashews, but not pistachios.

Sheldon

In article <[email hidden]>,

Doug Kanter said:

"aem" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

You know those 1-ounce foil packets of Philadelphia cream cheese you

Quoted message said:

When you use the 8 oz blocks, how do you store it once it's opened?

I whack off what I need, fold the foil wrap back around it and stick it
back in the box and then back into the fridge. Good for at least
another month or more.
I've got a couple unopened packages of Philadelphia brand reduced-fat
(Neufchatel?) cheese with expiries of 2-26-06. They'll be fine in July.

--
-Barb
<http://jamlady.eboard.com> Updated 3-27-2006 It Can Can!

"If it's not worth doing to excess, it's not worth doing at all."

Dave Smith said:

aem said:

You know those 1-ounce foil packets of Philadelphia cream cheese you
get with your bagel at the coffee bars? They had 50-unit bags of those
for $10.49. Twenty-one cents apiece, a lot less than at the coffee bar
but also a lot more expensive than buying 8-ounce bars or tubs. Using
cream cheese is a problem for us as it's most often used as part of a
munchie and often for only one. It's not unusual for us to have to
throw away some of it.

I used to throw out more cream cheese than I used, but then I discovered my
new favourite munchie, Triscuit crackers with cream cheese and red pepper
jelly. Around here, the 8 oz blocks usually sell for $3.27 but once in a
while I can get three packs for $6.

3.27? thats crazy! I won't pay more than a dollar for 8 oz of cream cheese.

--

saerah

http://anisaerah.blogspot.com/

email:
anisaerah at s b c global.net

Adam Bowman said:

I always wonder when someone brings up a point about Bush, and you
then bring up something that Clinton did, are you saying they are both
wrong? Because that's all it points out to me, places where they both
messed up. It doesn't negate the fact that Bush did wrong; was that
your intention?

That type of argument is like

"Bob shot someone"

"Yeah, but don't you remember when Don hit that guy with a bat?"

Sheldon said:

Why throw it away?

I throw it away when it's blue.

Quoted message said:

It's far still less costly than those 21¢/oz
thingies if you only use half of an 8 oz package and toss half out
into the yard for the squirrels and birds.

Yeah, I didn't claim that they're cheaper.

Quoted message said:

And odds are if you can't
use up an 8 oz package before it spoils then there's definitely no way
you are going to use up all of those 50 one ounce packets (3lbs+)
before a bunch of those spoil.

That'll be interesting to see. I frankly expect them to outlive the
late July date by several months.

Quoted message said:

I can understand buying those individual packets becasue they are
convenient and they're a good way to maintain portion control when one
is dieting, but your rationale about price and waste is totally
irrational. [snip]

I didn't try to rationalize it, just reported it with a smidgen of
guilt....and we don't diet (unless [usually] moderate portions of
extremely varied foods is considered a diet). Nor are we fat. -aem

In article <[email hidden]>,

Dave Smith said:

aem said:

You know those 1-ounce foil packets of Philadelphia cream cheese you
get with your bagel at the coffee bars? They had 50-unit bags of those
for $10.49. Twenty-one cents apiece, a lot less than at the coffee bar
but also a lot more expensive than buying 8-ounce bars or tubs. Using
cream cheese is a problem for us as it's most often used as part of a
munchie and often for only one. It's not unusual for us to have to
throw away some of it.

I used to throw out more cream cheese than I used, but then I discovered my
new favourite munchie, Triscuit crackers with cream cheese and red pepper
jelly. Around here, the 8 oz blocks usually sell for $3.27 but once in a
while I can get three packs for $6.

Your sale price is the standard price here. We don't pay more than a
dollar for the eight oz block, and sometimes pay less. Our most
frequented grocery store often has a good coupon for it.

Regards,
Ranee

Remove do not & spam to e-mail me.

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/
http://talesfromthekitchen.blogspot.com/

aem said:

I was in the neighborhood and needed paper goods so I stopped at the
restaurant supply store yesterday. Bulk prices are relatively low and
it's always fun to see the food products available in jumbo-sized cans
and bags. After loading the cart with paper towels, plates and tp and
grabbing a six-pack of clear plastic water tumblers (we don't like to
use glass around the pool/patio) I then cruised the refrigerator and
freezer cases.

You know those 1-ounce foil packets of Philadelphia cream cheese you
get with your bagel at the coffee bars? They had 50-unit bags of those
for $10.49. Twenty-one cents apiece, a lot less than at the coffee bar
but also a lot more expensive than buying 8-ounce bars or tubs. Using
cream cheese is a problem for us as it's most often used as part of a
munchie and often for only one. It's not unusual for us to have to
throw away some of it. I'm only a little guilty about succumbing to
the temptation and buying the bag.

Doesn't it bother you to think that you will contribute 50 small sized
packages to your landfill, instead of 6 cardboard boxes (recyclable)
and 6 small pieces of foil wrap? The environmental cost of
overpackagiong is FAR more than any savings you will justify. Not to
mention, I know cream cheese can be frozen. Have you ever considered
wrapping what you have left and tossing it into a ziploc in the
freezer? As long as you buy bars and not whipped tubs, it freezes just
fine.

I can't stand to see how many things come in these tiny disposable
packages for 'convenience', when instead all they are doing is creating
huge masses of extra garbage. Not only after the faact, but think of
how much more it costs Philadelphia (or other manufacturers) to make
all thse packages, in materials, in energy, and in plain old money. It
increases pollution, waste, and cost to the consumer in the long run.

Not much of a 'savings', in my opinion.

Jude said:

Doesn't it bother you to think that you will contribute 50 small sized
packages to your landfill, instead of 6 cardboard boxes (recyclable)
and 6 small pieces of foil wrap?

A little.

Quoted message said:

Have you ever considered
wrapping what you have left and tossing it into a ziploc in the
freezer?

No. We always just forget it's there once the original use is met.

Quoted message said:

[snip]
Not much of a 'savings', in my opinion.

Not any savings at all, as I said all along. -aem

aem said:

Jude said:

Doesn't it bother you to think that you will contribute 50 small sized
packages to your landfill, instead of 6 cardboard boxes (recyclable)
and 6 small pieces of foil wrap?

A little.

Quoted message said:

Have you ever considered
wrapping what you have left and tossing it into a ziploc in the
freezer?

No. We always just forget it's there once the original use is met.

Well, there you go. Problem solved. As soon as you've used it the first
time, put it in the freezer.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

[snip]
Not much of a 'savings', in my opinion.

Not any savings at all, as I said all along. -

And actually, a pretty high cost to my planet, my children's planet, my
childrens' childrens' planet.........

Jude said:

And actually, a pretty high cost to my planet, my children's planet, my
childrens' childrens' planet.........

Oh horseshit. Get a sense of scale, why don't you? If this were the
biggest threat to your children's planet you'd be in great shape.
-aem

aem said:

Jude said:

And actually, a pretty high cost to my planet, my children's planet, my
childrens' childrens' planet.........

Oh horseshit. Get a sense of scale, why don't you? If this were the
biggest threat to your children's planet you'd be in great shape.

Ah. So you're one of those people who try to fool themselves into
thinking that each tiny action does not add up.

If every single person who bought those stupid 1-oz packets gave them
up, how many cubic yards of landfill space would be spared? Each
individual action contributes to the greater whole. Scale? Stop using
those tiny packets. Encourage your friends to as well. Everything
that's worthwhile starts off small.

I consider excessive packaging, a great example of how fat-cat
Americans waste out energy and resources on stupid excessive lazy
easy-way-out solutions. We're a huge infulence on other cultures that
are currently less wasteful than we are. how's that for scale?

aem said:

I was in the neighborhood and needed paper goods so I stopped at the
restaurant supply store yesterday.

<snip>

I used to not mind doing things like that when I lived in Indy where
there was a decent recycling program. Our recycling program here
stinks, big time. The only plastics they take are #1 and 2 bottles
ONLY, and no aluminum foil...
-L.

Jude said:

aem said:

Jude said:

And actually, a pretty high cost to my planet, my children's planet, my
childrens' childrens' planet.........

Oh horseshit. Get a sense of scale, why don't you? If this were the
biggest threat to your children's planet you'd be in great shape.

Ah. So you're one of those people who try to fool themselves into
thinking that each tiny action does not add up.

And you sound like one of those people ready to pump out self
righteousness over the faintest hint that your approach may be superior
to someone else's. How many cubic feet of trash do you put out to be
picked up each week? I bet I put out less. How many gallons of
gasoline do you burn each week? I bet I burn less. I've been
recycling aluminum, glass, and newsprint for at least twenty-five
years, how about you? -aem

aem said:

And you sound like one of those people ready to pump out self
righteousness over the faintest hint that your approach may be superior
to someone else's. How many cubic feet of trash do you put out to be
picked up each week? I bet I put out less. How many gallons of
gasoline do you burn each week? I bet I burn less. I've been
recycling aluminum, glass, and newsprint for at least twenty-five
years, how about you?

Well, when I was in high school, I took on the fun job of taking all
our recyclables to the dump since there was no curbside pickup. I
campaigned for a local politician whose platform included a stronger
recycling program. I started a recycyling program at schools in 2
different geographical reasons and each year I put together a unit on
environmental needs, recycling, and waste and find a way to tie it into
curriculum.

Not to mention that every puchase I make, I try to buy fair-trade if
widely available and I consider the amount of packaging, refusing to
buy items that are overpackaged.

We put out 1 13-gallon bag of trash from out household of 3 each week,
and we fill our blue bin about halfway full, which is about 30 gallons
of recyclables. I buy as much as I can in bulk, filling my own
re-usable containers. I carry tupperware in my purse when I eat out to
avoid using styrofoam boxes for leftovers. My job is less than 10
minutes from my home, and we live behind a large shopping area, so we
walk to the store most times except for big weekly grocery runs; I gas
up (20 gallon tank) about every 10 - 12 days. So I think I do pretty
good. Sounds ilke you've gotten complacent with what you do. But it
also sounds like you could do more pretty easily.

aem and Jude volleyed:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

recycling aluminum, glass, and newsprint for at least twenty-five
years, how about you?

Well, when I was in high school, I took on the fun job of taking all
our recyclables to the dump since there was no curbside pickup.

http://www.sho.com/site/ptbs/prevepisodes.do?episodeid=s2/r

Bob

Bob Terwilliger said:

aem and Jude volleyed:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

recycling aluminum, glass, and newsprint for at least twenty-five
years, how about you?

Well, when I was in high school, I took on the fun job of taking all
our recyclables to the dump since there was no curbside pickup.

http://www.sho.com/site/ptbs/prevepisodes.do?episodeid=s2/r

Bob

So, your goal is to prove me wrong by providing a link to a
comedian/illusionist's website? Uh huh.

Bob Terwilliger said:

aem and Jude volleyed:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

recycling aluminum, glass, and newsprint for at least twenty-five
years, how about you?

Well, when I was in high school, I took on the fun job of taking all
our recyclables to the dump since there was no curbside pickup.

http://www.sho.com/site/ptbs/prevepisodes.do?episodeid=s2/r

Bob

Probably depends on how old she is and where she lived. I know I never
had the recycling option until I moved to Indy in 1989. Prior to that
I lived in Iowa and Illinois. I know my Mom was recycling at the dump
as early as 1987, in Illinois

-L.