Topic: Kraft Mac Cheese

A Black Friday promotion involving a 65-inch television-sized box filled with 65 boxes of Kraft Mac & Cheese for $19.37 caused consumer outrage. Shoppers reported that carts were emptied and supply vanished within seconds of the online launch. Critics labeled the event a clever but frustrating marketing stunt that left many fans disappointed.

A retrospective on General Mills' attempt to remove artificial dyes from Trix cereal reveals that consumers rejected the "boring" natural colors, forcing the company to revert to synthetic dyes. The discussion covers how brands like Kraft and Mars use different ingredients in Europe versus the U.S. due to regulation and consumer perception. The hosts recall historical marketing tactics, such as putting towels or toys inside product packaging.

Kraft created a grilled cheese-scented incense, which the hosts criticize as a "cheap" chemical scent. They suggest a pivot to "Mac and Cheese candles" as a superior home fragrance product.

Fox News' "The Five" features a segment on the Kraft Flavors Club, which allows fans to test new macaroni and cheese varieties like Buffalo and Pizza. The hosts criticize the segment as "outrage television" mixed with cheap native advertising, noting Greg Gutfeld's apparent disdain for the ad.

Kraft Heinz is increasing production shifts at packaged food plants to meet a spike in demand for macaroni and cheese. The hosts note that International Mac and Cheese Day coincides with Bastille Day, July 14, 2022. A classic George Carlin monologue is played to illustrate the American obsession with fast food and processed cheese products.

The hosts review the listener-submitted artwork for the previous episode, "Harp at Home," created by Capitalist Agenda. The art features a "troubling" smiley-face macaroni and cheese character, referencing the recent Kraft brand name change. They also discuss other submissions involving "Hookers on Ice" and January 6th themes.

The hosts highlight "shrinkflation" in Kraft Mac and Cheese products, noting that the cheese powder packet has been reduced from 1.3 ounces to 0.8 ounces. They recall their long-standing theme that the "slaves of Gitmo Nation" would eventually be forced to subsist on cheap, processed foods.

Kraft has released a limited-edition pink, candy-flavored macaroni and cheese for Valentine's Day. In listener news, a producer reported that their three-year-old daughter has begun shouting "China asshole," a popular show meme, in public. The hosts discuss the "corruption" of children through show catchphrases and the potential for future insect-based food products.

The hosts mock the poor audio and video quality of "at-home" broadcasts by celebrities like Ryan Seacrest and Kelly Ripa, suggesting it is a form of "virtue signaling." They discuss the 27% spike in Kraft Macaroni & Cheese sales as people turn to comfort foods. This trend is compared to "depression food" memes from the 2008 financial crisis.

A listener's note clarifies the role of phthalates as plasticizers used to make polymers softer, rather than making them "shiny" as previously suggested. The discussion centers on the safety of phthalates in Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, with the hosts debating whether the trace amounts found in cheese powder pose a significant health risk to consumers.

A study by the Environmental Health Strategy Center, reported by the New York Times, found high levels of phthalates in 29 out of 30 tested cheese products, with the highest concentrations in powdered macaroni and cheese. Phthalates are industrial plasticizers used in products like floor tiles and conveyor belts, and they are known endocrine disruptors. Kraft has defended its products, stating the levels are well below established safety thresholds.

A "Mudflat Update" mocks claims that maps must be redrawn due to melting ice in Greenland, with John C. Dvorak reporting that the mudflats outside his window remain unchanged. The hosts then deconstruct a Kraft Macaroni & Cheese commercial featuring Star Wars figurines, labeling it a "room of lies." They argue the ad uses cognitive dissonance to link the value of collectibles with processed food.

A discussion on "depression food" explores the history of macaroni and cheese as a staple during economic downturns. The hosts analyze a new Kraft advertisement that emphasizes the product's protein content, interpreting it as a sign that mac and cheese is being marketed as a primary meal rather than a side dish due to current economic conditions.

A personal experiment with Kraft instant macaroni and cheese resulted in a "chemical taste" and a residue that was difficult to clean from the bowl. The preparation involved microwaving "plastified" elbow noodles and stirring in a silver-foil packet of cheese mix. Local workers reportedly warned against consuming the product, comparing its consistency to paint.

The upcoming "National Mac and Cheese Day" is noted as another likely PR-driven event. The hosts express their exhaustion with the "mac and cheese vibe" in marketing and restaurants. They plan to investigate the origins of the Ice Bucket Challenge and other similar PR stunts that have taken over the cultural conversation.

The career trajectory of Ted Williams, known as the "man with the golden voice," serves as a case study for the media's cycle of exploitation and abandonment. After being discovered as a homeless man and appearing on the Dr. Phil show for rehabilitation, Williams eventually finds stable work performing voiceovers for Kraft Mac and Cheese commercials.

Food bloggers Lisa Leake and Vani Hari (Food Babe) launched a petition on Change.org to force Kraft to remove artificial dyes Yellow No. 5 and Yellow No. 6 from American macaroni and cheese. The segment notes that the UK version of the product does not contain these dyes. Additionally, a clip from the 700 Club features Pat Robertson and Condoleezza Rice discussing the cultural significance of the dish.