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JELL-O
How gelatin and artificial flavoring became the ‘official state snack’ BY JEREMY PUGH
U
It slid its way into the tight budgets of America as easily TA H I S FA M O U S LY K N O W N F O R I T S per as it slides down your throat. On grocery bills and in capita consumption of Jell-O—so much so that stomachs, there is indeed “always room.” two decades ago, in 2001, the Utah State Legislature voted to name Jell-O its official state snack. It stands to reason, then, that Utah’s moms, with their But apart from Utahns’ hearty consumption of Jell-O, large families to feed, would find even more common the roots of the connection are shrouded. Jell-O is among cause with the bringer of color to the family dinner. the most well-known consumer products in the United I grew up amid large LDS families where there was a States, and it was one of the first to blaze the trail of modstrong emphasis on buying in bulk, cooking in bulk and ern target marketing and branding in the early portion of possessing larders the size of Carlsbad Caverns. the 20th century. Jell-O marketers When you’re feeding 10 hungry squished Jell-O onto dinner tables mouths, Jell-O becomes a must-have HOW DID JELL-O via (1) a catchy slogan (“There’s alfoodstuff to fend off sweet-toothed AND UTAH BECOME mutiny. At the Willis compound ways room for Jell-O”); (2) a fleet of snappily dressed salesmen; and (3) (family of 10), there were always ice SUCH A GREAT a slew of free cookbooks and recipe cube trays of red (is that a flavor?) placements in bless-this-house pub- PUNCHLINE—A STATE Jell-O in the fridge during the sumlications like Ladies’ Home Journal. JOKE UP THERE WITH mer. Hungry? Have a cube of Jell-O. It But how did Jell-O and Utah wasn’t luxury, but it sure tasted good FRY SAUCE AND become such a great punchline—a after an afternoon of running through state joke up there with fry sauce the sprinklers. MULTIPLE WIVES? and multiple wives? And thus, hunger for something Theory: The main appeal of Jell-O lies in its famous lively amid dull—albeit fortifying—meals placed Jell-O 1964 slogan, one of the most honest slogans in the history firmly on the table at the ward picnic. And Utah moms of huckstering. Jell-O is light, goes down effortlessly and and grandmoms, culinary Chuck Yeagers, have pushed has a pleasant (but not sinfully pleasant) taste. It is not Jell-O’s limitations past the sound barrier. Jell-O with healthy; neither is it unhealthy. It just is. And it’s cheap. mandarin oranges (yummy), carrots (erm) and whipped Let’s face it, for the better part of the 20th century, everytopping, even today, pay living testament to a time when one was broke (and now we’re back). a little bright, jiggling a dollop of gelatin and Red Dye No. 3 was cause for delight. Utah’s jiggling version of The modest, fruity kick of Jell-O brought a dash of Proust’s Madeleine. color and life to tabletops laden with drab, gray meals.
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