Bottom Of The Barrel

Is it a problem or just Fluff?

Here is the great state of Massachusetts, our legislation is working on a so called junk food bill that would limit the amount of "junk" food available to students in our public school system. This sounds like a good idea however it maybe getting out of hand.

Senator Jarrett Barrios was recently outraged that his son was served a fluffernutter sandwich for lunch at the King Open School in Cambridge stating that "A Fluff sandwich as the main course of a nutritious lunch just doesn't fly in 2006". Now I would have to agree with Senator Barrios on one thing, a Fluff and Peanut Butter sandwich is probably not the healthiest lunch but is it really that bad? I mean I used to eat them everyday in high school and I'm not obese [before anyone comments - yes I could lose a few pounds, I'll admit it].

As most local's know, Marshmellow Fluff was invented and is still today manufactured here in Massachusetts - Lynn to be exact. The original recipe was invented in 1917 by Archibald Query, a Sommerville man, who had been making it in his kitchen and selling it door-to-door, but wartime shortages had forced him to close down. In 1920, H. Allen Durkee and Fred L. Mower purchased the recipe from Mr. Query and they began producing "Toot Sweet Marshmallow Fluff" [but Toot Sweet didn't stay on the label very long] and selling their product door-to-door. 85 years later, Durkee-Mower continues to grow and be shipped all over the world.

In response to this recent statements by Senator Barrios, State Representative Kathi-Anne Reinstein is working on a bill to make the Fluffernutter the state's official sandwich. This would put the fluffernutter in good company with Boston cream pie [State Dessert], Chocolate chip cookie [State Cookie], Corn muffin [State Muffin], Cranberry juice [State Beverage] and Navy Bean [State Bean - used in Boston baked beans]. Now I fully support Representative Reinstein's bill, will it effect our junk food bill? Probably not, but A for effort Representative Reinstein.

As for a tax payer in the state of Massachusetts here is how I stand on the fluffernutter issue:

1. Make it the state sandwich, it is definitely a local favorite and represents our state well.
2. Keep it out of the junk food bill and in our schools as an option, kids love them.
3. Parents please parent. If you do not want your children eating these yummy sandwiches, then don't allow it or better yet pack them a nutritious lunch. [That would resolve the whole issue without spending my tax dollars on new laws that in the end have no real effect on the problem it is trying to solve.]

posted by TheWino @ 9:18 AM