Dear products developers at Dannon,
I am writing to express my confusion over the most recent product of yours to hit my supermarket’s shelves. “Crushable Yogurt,” you call it, because it’s consumed by crushing the container and slurping out the sugary contents.
Huh?
What’s wrong with teaching our children to eat with utensils? This product is marketed towards kids who have long mastered eating with a spoon, yet it encourages them to abandon the tool altogether. What genius on your team thought of this?
Sippable yogurt was bad enough, but at least clean to eat. The squeezable kind were messy, but still somewhat sensible on the go. These, however, are disastrous. Did you have children test them out before distributing them? Did it dawn on you that without spoons, children would resort to using their fingers to dig every last bit out?
Unless you intended for this to double as yogurt facial, I’d say this was a big failure on your part. I let my children convince me once to buy this asinine item, but I won’t make that mistake again. Or, if I do, they’ll be sent in school lunches where I don’t have to deal with clean up. But, I have a feeling they’ll be wisely banned from the approved school lunch list in record speed.
If you’re looking for innovative yogurt ideas, how about including a plastic spoon in the packaging? Or managing to sneak some spinach or broccoli in? Or lowering the sugar content and artificial coloring? Other than that, please stick to good, old fashioned yogurt. Some things are fine just the way they are.
Sincerely yours,
Scary Mommy
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{ 64 comments… read them below or add one }
these have always scared me and I pretended that I hear Hayden when he asks for them when we are in the store. No Thank You!
PS My post today is totally dedicated to you. :)
I can’t believe I let them talk me into it– I’m usually good at resisting. This was what I got for being weak!
Agree! And how about taking out the high fructose corn syrup. That crap is in everything. Makes me nuts.
.-= Jennifer´s last blog ..Playing in the rain, Wordless Wednesday =-.
My daughter begged for these – ate two and never touched the rest. I think she could feel my complete and utter annoyance with the mess this “healthy” snack was creating for me.
Never. Again.
.-= Futureblackmail´s last blog ..NO RESPECT =-.
Any food that creates a mustache should be outlawed…unless it’s chocolate.
.-= Lynn from For Love or Funny´s last blog ..Is that blood? =-.
My thoughts exactly.
I dunno… I think milk should be okay too… the benefits outweigh the mess lol
Your pic of Lily…
that’s how Hannah looks after eating yogurt WITH a spoon.
.-= Shannon´s last blog ..Can You Dig It? =-.
Grrrr…. you should see my youngest attempt to eat that. It leaves me with so much to clean up.
.-= OHmommy´s last blog ..Watching my mother cry memories =-.
I am soooo happy I saw this post before grocery shopping! Someone told me about these and I was going to check them out. I guess I will just pass right by them!
.-= Rebecca´s last blog ..WORDLESS WEDNESDAY =-.
I had never even heard of this, but you’re right – it seems sooooo stupid.
Bravo! Does anyone think about anything but money, anymore?!
Just like Lindy, my daughter begs for them too. I refuse. It is just too much. I can’t deal with it. No.
.-= Keyona´s last blog ..Because All I Do Is Worry =-.
Oh my Gawd. This is a terrific review. What were they thinking?! That idea is incredibly stupid. Unless maybe they were trying to capitalize on today’s angry children? Just kidding.
.-= Mrs4444´s last blog ..What’s That Smell?! =-.
I despise said yogurt.
.-= sassy stephanie´s last blog ..(soon to be) saved by the bell =-.
Hell the Mini-Kamp doesn’t need the package to be “Crushable” to do that. Dannon is stooooopid.
.-= DCUrbanDad´s last blog ..Question of the week: What is the craziest thing you have done for your little one? =-.
I thought we were past this EXTREME phase by now. Everything’s video games and controllers that. Kids don’t want the mess cuz it will get all over their joysticks and whatnot. Take THAT, test marketing!
.-= Sprite’s Keeper´s last blog ..Honk If You Love Me =-.
ummm, there is an approved school lunch list?? hahaha :)
There are blacklisted items that you are not allowed to send!
I think individual yogurt sales must be done so the company has brought in a young guy right out of marketing school to think of a new way to sell their product. Instead of improving or new development, he comes up with a crazy idea of crushing containers to get food, barbaric yes, but kids will love it (trust him, he’s taken a 4 year marketing program). Big bosses love it because they don’t have to put extra money into the product (old yogurt containers could be crushed, but no one thought of it before), just a new label. Yeah for the new wiz kid in the company. He’s quickly promoted up the line before the company realizes what a stinking failure the product is. Wiz kid is let go with big severance and references. And we’re left with messy kids.
Oh, I’ve been down this road before (I use to be in advertising and have had to help execute insane marketing plans on the unsuspecting public). Great letter!
.-= Carrie Anne´s last blog ..Here a blog, there a blog =-.
I think you are a genius!
someone at Dannon is running out of ideas…
please tell me you sent that in? I am forever trying to tell them to STOP putting dyes in their yogurt. I mean seriously. I never thought of what you just wrote about though….messy yeah
.-= dawn´s last blog ..pineapple-bacon crackers =-.
I totally did. And they promise to get back in touch within 3 days, so we’ll see what they have to say!
I despair of our future with inventions like this. It’s almost as bad as glow-in-the-dark pop tarts. And actually, Go Gurt offends me too. We are creating a society of non-stop eaters, which is why we are all so fat and getting fatter. We need to learn to slow down and sit down for meals that require utensils.
No kidding.
Now, maybe, *maybe* if these containers were made of some sort of decomposing material that you crushed to lesson waste I could get on board. Maybe.
I can see my son loving this disaster. He really enjoys drinkable yogurt with a straw. We call them “smoothies”. Perhaps they thought it would increase their on the go snack appeal?
.-= Bruce Teague´s last blog ..Jonas’ Journey | How It All Began =-.
Remember the days when everything was simply what it was? Now, it seems, everything needs to be gimmicked all up just to sell more. (I sound like an old granny…)
Like those fruit squishim things. My kids BEG for those every time. Um – no. I just bought apples, oranges, strawberries – you know, real fruit. If you want squisshy fruit, lets get some applesause, or motts fruit containers — but not something you need to squish out of the tube, get it all over you and waste most of it anyhow.
I hear ya – drop the “creative” packaging and please start focusing on the contents.
.-= Michelle´s last blog ..I was not there. =-.
I love you. Can I say that with out being creepy? Linked thru Buried with Children, and I’m lovin’ it already. I could have written this post myself. Except you did, and did it wonderfully. Such a horrible idea – crush cups. More like explode-all-over-the-place cups. ARG! I agree – much better idea to incl a spoon (like those new little Haagen Daas/Ben&Jerry’s they have out), or to cut out the sugar. It would be super easy to sneak in some carrots or beets or something. ANd I told my kids the same thing – enjoy it now, cuz it’ll be the LAST time. Except now, NOW they try to make crush cups out of regular yogurts. Thanks, people. Thanks for adding one more mess to my day!
Loved the post. I’ll be subscribing shortly. :D
.-= All My Monkeys´s last blog ..Ouch! =-.
–>I agree 100%! My son eats yogurt everyday and the last thing I want to do is teach him to do it without a spoon. The drinkable ones gross me out so I don’t buy them.
http://www.WebSavyMom.com
.-= WebSavyMom´s last blog ..Flashback Friday – Join the Party! =-.
–>I agree 100%. My son eats yogurt every day and the last thing I want him to start doing is eat it without a spoon. The drinkable ones gross me out so I don’t buy them.
.-= WebSavyMom´s last blog ..Flashback Friday – Join the Party! =-.
Indeed – I’m all over the veggies being sneaking into the food!
.-= T Rex Mom´s last blog ..Cooking in My Kitchen… =-.
Yikes… this product frightens me. Silas loves yogurt, but thankfully only seems interested in the standard yoplait whips or custard style. *whew*
.-= Jasie VanGesen´s last blog ..Conundrum! =-.
Ahhh, the joys of stupid marketing products….
.-= Mrs Soup´s last blog ..You Capture – Peace =-.
Not even going to attempt it. Of course I’m too mean to let them get kid yogurt anyway other than yobaby. I cringe just thinking about neon colored yogurt!
.-= Cranky Sarah´s last blog ..Collections =-.
yeah… the crushable cups just make me angry.
Dannon: Putting the “no” in innovation since 1919.
I hated these things from the second I saw the awful commercial with those idiotic twin monkeys. Perhaps instead of including a spoon they should include a full-body smock with wet wipes?
These yogurt guys are obviously in league with the paper towel manufacturers.
.-= lceel´s last blog ..The business end of things =-.
I agree wholeheartedly. Liquids and semi-solids should always be eaten with utentsils. End of story.
.-= Kate Coveny Hood´s last blog .."I Never Thought I’d Like Sunglasses" or "Shooting Practice Begins Tomorrow" =-.
What do you mean this review is unsponsored?? You mean they didn’t PAY you for this???
May I add that it is virtually impossible to “crush” all of the yogurt out of said cup…my kids always ask for a spoon or waste 40% of the product. Should we send them a proposal??
.-= Mama Kat´s last blog ..Writer’s Workshop: Things I Have Learned From My Toddler =-.
I agree wholeheartedly! Whatever happened to the simple, easy things?
I was in the store the other day and wanted something flavorful but without all the sugar. I couldn’t find anything. It was either water or 30bajillion grams of sugar. Remember when we used to just put a squeeze of lemon in our water? Or when lemonade was tart and delicious, not so chock-full of sugar you couldn’t taste the bitterness?
.-= Grizzly Kitteh´s last blog ..Can’t talk now. =-.
I completely agree! I got suckered into buying these once…I knew they were stupid just from seeing the commercial with “Zach N’ Cody” haha. But I figured they could give em a try….not sure who came up with that idea but it’s a horrible idea. I mean are we that lazy? Anything that markets to kids, I’ll be glad to see the “discontinued item” sticker on those.
.-= Rachel´s last blog ..That’s a bummer… =-.
I completely agree with you! I would have never in a million years bought these – but my preschool daughter saw a friend eat one, and she described them so perfectly to my husband that he – the pushover ;-) – went and bought some! Totally uncool messy sugary stuff.
.-= Dina´s last blog ..Back to School Blog Bash with 3 Boys & a Dog =-.
Oh, forgot to mention in my rant – then, as soon as I declared that we are not buying these any more, my daughter got strep throat and heart-breakingly pleaded for this yogurt. Since she did not have much of an appetite for anything else, I had to go and buy some more! Then her sister started wanting them, too… I am happy to say that now the novelty has worn off and there are no more (almost) teary-eyed requests for the crushies at my house.
.-= Dina´s last blog ..Back to School Blog Bash with 3 Boys & a Dog =-.
It’s like a push pop without the push or the pop…fail.
A-FREAKING-MEN!!!!!
.-= DiPaola Momma´s last blog ..Fit Pitchin’ Friday… I say we boycott! =-.
Do you remember when it used to only be the Heath Nuts (read carob munching hippies) that ate yogurt? It was supposed to be a natural, healthy thing.. How did it all of the sudden become Cotton-candy-flavored-blue-dye-#5-crush-it-in-your-face frat boy food? All I could think of when I caught the first adverts was Biff the Frat Boy crushing a can of Bud on his forehead and um yeah that’s not what I’d like to teach my kids to behave like.
.-= DiPaola Momma´s last blog ..Fit Pitchin’ Friday… I say we boycott! =-.
Yeah, totally didn’t get the marketing genius behind this either.
.-= Suzy Voices´s last blog ..Rescue Mission =-.
I just bought 5 packages of these at the store today. I bought 4 last week. 3 the week before that.
And actually, the crush cups don’t have high fructose corn syrup or any artificial dyes or flavors in it, which is why I buy it. I mean, I’d *love* for the kids to eat my completely healthy homemade yogurt, but they won’t no matter plain, fruit, whatever.
I don’t love the spoonless marketing, but eh, I’ll sacrifice that to get the kids to eat a yogurt w/a good amount of protein and w/o the HFCS and artificial dyes. The sugar content isn’t great (14 g) but I’ve compared and it’s actually lower than some of the adult yogurt cups.
.-= Heather, Queen of Shake Shake´s last blog ..The Chaos of Complexity, The Clarity of Simplicity =-.
Also, Danimals didn’t bribe me to post that comment, however, if they’d like to throw money at me or a year’s supply of Crush cups, I wouldn’t say no.
I just read ingredients very carefully now that I’ve figured out my son has a sensitivity to red dye #40 and yellow dyes. Those dyes are in EVERYTHING (even down to children’s motrin) and it’s frustrating. I’m happy to have found a yogurt w/o it.
.-= Heather, Queen of Shake Shake´s last blog ..The Chaos of Complexity, The Clarity of Simplicity =-.
Really?! Hmmmm. That is impressive. I did notice the sugar wasn’t as bad as some of the others, but my kids will eat the natural stuff too, so I’d prefer that. The fact that they insist on digging out the last 25% of the container is what gets me the most. Especially when they go touching my new sofa with those fingers.
And, for a year of free yogurt, I might back down on my stance. Might.
AARGH… I have bought those crush cups for my kids non-stop since they came out. Not because I love them, mind you. It seems like every pack of 4 gets at least one cup broken and leaking by the time we get home. But, it is the only yogurt I can find with no red dye or artificial sweeteners. I know, a bit of a foodie freak. But any possible claim that my kids may chill out a little if I eliminate red dye, I’m totally on that bandwagon.
.-= Texan Mama´s last blog ..If I Knew You Were Coming… =-.
Every time I go to the market with Kaish in tow he wants some new kind of yougurt. And the kid NEVER eats it. It just sits in my fridge for freaking ever. And then I throw it out and wonder why I wasted $2.99 on it.
PS I need a trainer too. I know, I know, you talked about it 3 posts ago and I am just telling you now.
.-= Life with Kaishon´s last blog ..Crisis Averted! =-.
I just bought these to silence the begging. And my little guy decided to scoop it out with his hand. Just like you said! What a stupid packaging invention! They are to be eaten with spoons from now on until there is no more. Which will be soon. And they will never be bought again by me.
.-= Renee´s last blog ..The Dr. Oz Show =-.
I know right? WTF? Really?
We bought them once and to me it seems like a wateful marketing ploy. Dannon is my favorite yogurt too – come on Dannon, just stick to what you do best yogurt.
It was worth it for you to buy them for that wonderful yogurt nose & smile :))
.-= Jamaise´s last blog ..Pond’s Wet Cleansing Towelettes Review & Giveaway =-.
Get this!!! Did you know that the U.S and Canada are the Only major countries where food dye (chemical) is NOT banned. Thats sickening!
Really, can’t we find a natural color or none! I am not so shallow of a consumer, mom or person that I will go, uhm theres no color to that yogurt….Well i’m not buying that ugly stuff! And please Dannon and others…do us a favor…if you do take the coloring out…don’t charge us additional when we know you are coming out on top by not having to put cost in coloring!
I’ve never heard of crushable yogurt before, but now I’m interested.
I mean, maybe this is a food revolution, started by Dannon. Soon all foods will offer a utensil free option. Just imagine – crushable plates, so whatever you’re having for dinner can go directly in the mouth.
The inevitable conclusion is crushable lunchbags, where you put all food in unwrapped so your child can simply raise the bag to their mouths and chow down.
Wait, is that a trough?
Maybe pigs have beaten us to the punch.
Worst. Invention. Ever. I hate these things with passion and the commercial makes me want to gouge my eyeballs out. My son just HAD to have some and oh my God what a frickin’ mess!!
Loved your post!
.-= Nina´s last blog ..I’d Have A Dozen Kids…….If It Weren’t For Teething!! =-.
I don’t get the whole slurping thing either. My kids tried them and after the first spill (my kids are messaphobes), the rest were sent to school to give to the children that are not very nice to my children…and whose parents really irk me anyway.
Yeah… My son saw a commercial for those and I flat out told him that I would never buy them. Cute pic, though!
I have heard that yogurt is good for your skin, though. But probably whatever was good in a Dannon kid’s yogurt is erased by the purple dye…
.-= IASoupMama´s last blog ..Hello World! Remember Me? =-.
I hate them. And I usually don’t “hate” anything. But crush cups? Hate ‘em.
I happened on this site actually looking for coupons for Dannon Crushables. I am the mother of 4. My oldest son if very picky and won’t eat sandwiches, which makes packing his lunch difficult at times. He does love yogurt, especially Trix brand – but it is full of dyes -so, I am not such a fan. I saw these in the store and read their ingredients and was thrilled that it contained nothing incriminating, to top it off, he loves them. They’re “cool” and fun to him.
Ladies, don’t be offended, but, lighten up! Is being a kid and getting messy such a bad thing? I believe they go hand in hand – as it should be.
I hate these things. I am a teacher at an elementary and this “yogurt” is considered a “lunch”. The kids get this and some fruit as well as their choice of veggies. Does anyone have some “nutrition” facts on this junk? I personally want to get it banned from our school.