So I pick up some 10 cal pack of Jello because the munchie monster has been in full force lately. I don't know what it is, but Jello kind of p*^ses me off.
No. 1 it has absolutely no nutrional value whatsoever. Once I really commited to calorie counting, I'm a lot more conscience about what I put in my body because I eat so much less now I feel like I want everything to count as much as possible. You know the concept, food is fuel. Even though I have my daily skinny cow dessert, at least there is some calcium and protien in there. Maybe I'm more irritated with myself that I can't find a better low cal snack item or just ignore my muchie monster all together.
My No. 2 issue is that they are on this advertising kick of saying they have no WW points. Well how is that possible? If I ate 10 of these dumb things that's 100 cals and 100 cals certainly count for something. Now I didn't have 10 but I had 2 and I counted each of the 20 cals I consumed. So if someone doing WW had 2 are they getting 20 cals for free. Obviously this is pretty trival and we're not that ignorant, but I kind of find that kind of advertising dishonest.
I don't really know where I'm going with this post. Maybe a better post would have been what can I do for PMS munchies, but I think I'd rather take my PMS frustrations out on big bad Jello instead.
Personally, I am not a fan of sugar free jello. While I don't mind the after taste of most diet foods, I really just don't like it without whip cream which kinda makes it not so diet anymore. To me, it is basically a liquid and they don't fill me up very well. Plus they are very expensive for what you are getting. I don't do WW, so I can't comment on the points thing. Now, if we were talking about pudding....that may be another story.
I have no use for jello unless it has vodka in it.
WW points are ABOUT 50 calories = one point. then they factor in Fat and Fiber. So if you eat one, at 10 calories, it isn't more than a stick of gum. Eating one is 0 points. 10 calories is irrelivant in the scheme of things... it's when you eat half a dozen 10 calorie things and don't count for them, they can add up. if you eat 10 of them, then they would be about 2 points.
I like the jello. It helps fill me up when I'm really craving something. Buying the individual snack packs is more expensive than simply buying the gelatin in a box and making it yourself though. I make my own in the fridge just because it's cheaper. Though I don't have it EVERY day. It's fun. Especially when you just want a cool treat. Lime is my favorite on hot days. You can even mix fruit in with it! I love cutting up a banana and dropping it into strawberry or lime gelatin, or mandarin oranges. YUM! My mom always used to give us that when we were kids.
Plus if you put fruit in, it gives it some nutritional value. Considering the boxes have like 4 servings, a quarter of a banana only adds about 25 calories to the 10 calorie serving.
I feel deprived just looking at Jell-o. To me, it epitomizes dieting. This was what peoples' mothers ate, back in the day, when they were "dieting." Cottage cheese, jell-o, plain white breadsticks, pink Sweet n' Lo in their coffee.
Also, I've probably been traumatized by the sight of Jell-o salads with the most terrible unidentifiable canned fruit suspended in the middle, partially dyed by the color the stuff it's immersed in.
And my other objection is this: "Jell-o? What? Do you think I'm seven years old? I don't care how much Bill Cosby promoted it. Adults just don't eat this stuff. Unless they make shots from it."
Jello is all I got to eat after giving birth by c-section, twice, for 2 to 3 days each time. To me, it's hospital food at best; at worst, it's not really "food" at all. And like saef says, I remember my grandmother eating similar stuff because she was "dieting."
I simply loathe Jello. I have nothing good to say about it.
I love sugar free jello. It's kitschy, it's "trailer park," it's "childish," it's entirely without practical value, it's entirely fun (like Kool-Aid packets).
My mom rarely made any kind of dessert, so jello was a big deal. My first "cooking" experiences were with jello. When I was about 8, I was fascinated with my mom's "Jello cookbook," and I still remember some of those recipes. One of my favorites then and still is "whipped" jello. When you take a handmixer (or standmixer) to jello (after it's gelled), it will whip into a light, airy foam/mousse.
A couple years ago, I found a copy of that same vintage cookbook in a thrift store. I bought it and it started a "kitshcy cookbook" collection that includes cookbooks based on jello (several), Campbell's soup (several), ground beef, Kikoman products...
I have collected hundreds of jello recipes. Some provide only entertainment value (I'm not making chicken liver pate or tuna mousse any time soon), but some I really love.
My aunt used to hide fruits and vegetables to get her kids to eat them, and she made this apricot jello that was amazing. It was just apricot jello made with a small jar of apricot baby food. It tasted so good, and had an indescribably decadent mouth-feel. Sort of like apricot-flavored creme-brulee without the milkiness.
Plain jello isn't very exciting to me. Even with all the jello cookbooks, I don't make it every week - or even every month. I usually don't make it plain, I use it as an ingredient in a more complicated dessert. You can make an awesome no-cook cheesecake with jello. Just whipping jello with marscapone cheese makes a wonderful cheesecake flavored mousse.
Another jello concoction I've loved since childhood is using a fork to mash the jello into flakes and adding just a half cup or so of skim milk (and fresh or frozen berries if you have them).
I would probably only eat jello if I added some low-fat /low-sugar Cool Whip on top. Then I think I could enjoy it. Do any of you remember adding milk to jello when you were a kid? Strange combination but we ate it and enjoyed it!
Don't like jello...doesn't feel like real food to me.
As a side note - I started researching sugar substitutes and their connection with obesity. Interesting stuff. I don't "do" sugar subs anymore. I've lost these same 80+ pounds before, don't want to do it again (again).
Last edited by mortonpixie; 04-26-2010 at 05:30 PM.
I rarely eat Jello. I can't remember the last time I had it. I do remember back in the '80s (??) they made a sparkling white grape flavor that was really good. Black cherry was also good if I remember correctly. I don't think it would even enter my mind to eat it, but now you all have me thinking of it....LOL.
I buy mine already made...a brand called Winky available at Wal-mart Supercenters carries it. I buy fat free cool whip and then and only then can I eat Jello! Husband loves it solo and packs it in his lunch everyday. I also buy it for my girls when they have passed their "2 treats" rule and still want something. LOL I would love diff recipes to make it more tasty...
How do you feel about Jello?
has been in full force lately. I don't know what it is, but Jello kind of p*^ses me off. 
It's fun. Especially when you just want a cool treat. Lime is my favorite on hot days. You can even mix fruit in with it! I love cutting up a banana and dropping it into strawberry or lime gelatin, or mandarin oranges. YUM! My mom always used to give us that when we were kids. 
