aLightningbug

Wishing all fathers a happy day! And everybody else too.

Comfort and hugs to those who find this day painful …

I’m behind in finishing some of my posts and ran a bunch of errands today.

I’m pretty sure I inadvertently mortified a young child and her father. I felt terrible. I went to a health food store where I wanted to purchase a high-protein meal-substitute powder. I found one that looked good – lots of natural stuff, protein, fiber, some greens, and antioxidants. At checkout I didn’t see any other customers and started talking with the man behind the counter saying, “I skip meals sometimes, and that’s not good.”

I’ve been using some of the Atkins meal replacement bars and shakes for times that I don’t manage lunch or breakfast. Then recently, two different friends posted that they were not grossed out, but oddly compelled, to try a new meal replacement product called Soylent. Yep, that’s right, Soylent. At least it isn’t green.

Containing all the chemical components the body needs, it’s sweetened with Sucralose but is otherwise unflavored. Reading an article in the New Yorker, Soylent type meal replacements seem to be somewhat the rage with college students who have crazy busy schedules and limited budgets. These people are not unlike me in that respect. So I began to feel compelled to try Soylent myself. And I might have ordered some, but the smallest quantity costs $85. For now, that’s a bit more than I want to spend on something I’ve never tasted.

So I figure, there are lots of products like Soylent already in the market. They just lack the memorable and grody name. They are the diet meal replacements and fitness muscle building products that line the shelves of health food stores, pharmacies, and mega marts. I wanted to try one that had all the protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, but lacking Sucralose and maybe containing some other healthy stuff. I settled on trying one called Vega One though there were more cost effective options I may try next.

I brought the tub of vanilla Vega One to the counter. The sales girl who touted its benefits was pleased with my choice. As the gentleman behind the counter nodded in agreement that skipping meals was not good, I went on to explain how several folks had posted online about a new product called Soylent. Indeed he knew the infamous movie Soylent Green and said he even read the original book by Harry Harrison Make Room! Make Room!

I commented that at least Soylent wasn’t made of people in Make Room! Make Room! And that the name made it memorable. He countered with the fact that the name sounded fairly disgusting. I agreed, but started to argue that there was some benefit to being memorable when he seemed to give a let’s-finish-up vibe. I figured I was too chatty and took my receipt. When I turned around there was a small girl, probably about four years old standing behind me clutching her Dad. Oops. Probably best not to mention eating people in front of adorable four-year olds. Thinking I could explain that Soylent was made by people not of people I decided it was best not to call more attention to it. I grabbed my all-vegetarian tub of vanilla Vega One and ducked out.

My family will not be eating powdered meal replacement shakes for Father’s Day dinner. I may stick to veggies myself.