When I was a kid, water came out of the tap, or from a 1/2 gallon bottle delivered by the water man. Soft drinks (or soda, depending on what part of the country you live in) came in 2 liter bottles. The only time we had canned soft drinks was when it came from a vending machine. Now, I do buy cans these days, because I can’t drink a 2-liter before it would go flat.
But these days, everything comes in individual servings:
- Soft drinks in 12, 16, or 20 oz.
- Chips
- Cheese (individually wrapped)
- Popcorn (not just microwaveable bags, but single servings)
- Bottled Water
- Juice boxes
There are scores of others as well. The 100 calorie packs seem to be becoming popular lately.
Do you want to know how to make your own 100 calorie pack? Read the side of the label and figure out what a 100 calorie serving is, then put it in a ziploc bag.
While the individual servings can be convenient at certain times, like traveling or even in school lunches, they are become quite prevalent throughout our society as the “norm” around many households. My wife and I have been guilty of this as well. Are your kids thirsty? Get them a juice box out of the fridge. Hungry? A snack size bag of crackers will hit the spot.
It is very easy to let these “convenience” purchases become the norm, if you are not careful. You can start buying bottled water to take with you when you leave the house, and the next thing you know you are drinking bottled water when you are sitting on the couch. But these “individual” sized food or beverage items are usually much more costly than the normal size you would buy and keep in your house. Avoiding letting them become part of your daily habits can save you quite a bit.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Ashley @ Wide Open Wallet 08.05.08 at 10:49 am
excellent points. We also buy cans of soda because we rarely drink it and a 2 liter will be flat long before we drink it all… but other than that I can’t think of any single serving size things we buy.
RC 08.06.08 at 6:54 am
Ashley-
Same thing here, I drink coke, my wife drinks diet coke, and neither of us drink enough to finish a 2-liter before it would go flat.