Nearly a year ago, Smuckers introduced Uncrustables – a readymade PB&J sandwich with the crusts removed. Now, Sara Lee has introduced a bread without crust. It costs about 75 cents more per loaf than Bread Classic, and their market research shows that people are willing to pay for this.
I want to come out and say that I really do enjoy bread crust. While there is something to be said for the chewy goodness of the non-crust area, the crust is there to provide something very necessary to a good bread: balance. Without the crust, offering slightly hard and slightly chewy textures, bread becomes totally soft. It loses all sense of challenge. Bread goes from a complex mixture of sensations to just one basic, generic taste. Has the position of bread in our society diminished so much that we’re willing to forgo a “good” bread, and parts of a good bread, just so we can simplify things?
The other issue, similar to my problem with Uncrustables, is that this provides a time-saving device that seems rather silly to me. Making a PB&J sandwich and removing the crusts would take no more than 10 minutes, on a bad day. Taking a few slices of bread and removing crusts takes a minute or two. At worst. But apparently, 2 minutes are worth 75 cents to some people.
It’s disappointing. Bread crust is good. Let’s ensure that our children, and our children’s children, know what a good loaf of bread is all about. I’m Paul, I’m pro-crust, and I’m not ashamed to admit it.
Posted in Food and Beverage
Terri February 19, 2007, 1:55 am
I have a 5 year old that will not eat bread with the crust. Where can I find this crustless bread? I have looked in every grocery store around my house.
you June 5, 2007, 10:54 pm
i only eat bread heels. that’s how pro-crust i am.
jedipocky August 11, 2007, 3:41 pm
i only eat the crusts of bread. strange eh? the white part is not worth my calories, tiem and stomach space.
bread crust rules… yumm. the brownness of it and the texture..thats the whole point of me eating bread!
send your crusts to me!
keiva December 13, 2007, 3:28 pm
i’m a mother of 3 and none of my kids like crust on there bread i hate cuting the edges of all there sandwiches i already have lots to do with my day i would be diffently buy that crustless bread …..as would all other mothers i think it’s a great idea an they could just market it for kids…..