Animal Crackers - How Do You Eat Them?
When I was in college (nevermind my entier early childhood) I used to adore animal crackers. Not the ones that come from Barnum's (they always turned to mush too quickly in my mouth), but the ones from Stouffer's that were really crunchy and feature elephants and camels. I haven't really eaten them in years, and I started craving them the other day. I couldn't find the ones that I remembered until I went to Target, and I now I am the proud owner of ones of the largest bags of animal crackers that I have ever seen (so in love!).
So, while I was happily munching away (I really need to learn to limit myself, I am alsomot 1/3 through already, and I only bought is yesterday), I got to thinking about how people eat them. People tend to eat things like Easter bunnies or gummy bears ina specific way, like head first or tail first. So, how do you eat animal crackers? Do you prefer the frosted ones that you can lick the icing from first? Or the softer, Barnum's-style ones that melt in your mouth?
I prefer the Stouffer's, and I tend to eat them in animal preference order, leaving the camels and elephants to the end (saving the best for last, of course). And usually eat the apendages first, and then put the rest in my mouth and suck on them until they turn to mush....ahhh, memories!
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.
Start Talking!
Need a question answered? Have advice to share? Start a Talk topic now!
Sign up to get your questions answered and share advice.
21 Comments:
I buy Stauffer's in the big barrel for my dogs. After the pet food scare I figured these would be safer than any dog snack.
Personally I never liked animal crackers.
JerzeeTomato at 1:01PM on 03/09/09
I love the Barnum's ones...I find that the barrel kind don't have enough of that slighly lemony flavor I love, and I eat twice as much just trying to get the flavor in my mouth. The Barnum's, on the other hand, are tasty and lemony, and the nostalgic box with the little string makes me feel like I'm with my Mom in Woolworth's again, looking at the fishtanks while she shopped for patterns.
Oh, and I always eat them head first -- it's more humane. :o)
juliebugsmama at 1:16PM on 03/09/09
@Jerzee: Thanks for correcting me, too! Stauffer's, not Stouffer's! :) Although they are good, too.
Traveller at 1:27PM on 03/09/09
I always eat them head first, so that they can't see me eat them, then their feet, so they can't run away. hahahaha!!!! :)
aungeinphx at 2:21PM on 03/09/09
I eat the Stouffer's choco-nilla mix a lot. While I don't have a head-tail-appendage preference for eating them, I do prefer them dipped into applesauce.
cdp1223 at 2:59PM on 03/09/09
Never, unless they're the frosted- and -sprinkled variety. Animal crackers taste like cardboard; I've never understood why people like them.
Embackus at 4:05PM on 03/09/09
Heads first, then their little feet/legs.
Thanks a lot. Now I'm craving animal crackers! Haven't had them in years.
Guess I'm picking up an extra item at the store after work.
soozm32 at 4:10PM on 03/09/09
Stauffer's animal crackers are great. The iced ones were a little sweet, so I usually stuck to original or chocolate...though I did get a sweet iced animal cracker craving once in a while (I was a weird kid, I know). And while I do remember liking the Barnum ones, I haven't seen them (or eaten them) in so long that I forget what they taste like. Nature's Path also makes vanilla ones that are delicious. The animal shapes never looked like the actual animal to me, so I never discriminated between lions vs. bears or whatever, and I never bit off just the head or legs because I generally preferred bigger bites than what just a little piece of the cracker offered (1-2 bites for the whole cracker, depending on my mood). But on the rare occasions I got iced crackers, I ate the pink ones first. For some reason, I convinced myself the white ones weren't as sweet and tasted better, and therefore should save them for last (even though they actually taste the same).
I also just went to the Stauffer's site out of curiosity, and it looks like they make a "Breakfast Cookie" version now...with oats, almonds, cranberries, and pomegranate. Must...find...
cycorider at 4:35PM on 03/09/09
Always head first
tienh5 at 6:30PM on 03/09/09
I eat the appendages first also. I like any plain animal cracker.
Fun Fact:
Did you know the Barnum animal cracker box has a string on it so you can hang it on your xmas tree as a decoration when done eating them?
ChefJeffSD at 6:33PM on 03/09/09
Mmmm, yum, I love animal crackers. The pink iced ones are definitely my favorite, but I like the plain ones too as long as I have something to dip them in. It makes no difference to me which animal gets eaten first (or which body part), but I definitely need peanut butter, or frosting, or pudding, ice cream, something like that. I know they aren't actually really good, well-made, high-quality cookies....but for some reason - probably more nostalgic than anything else - I still like 'em.
kimberlymac at 6:34PM on 03/09/09
@ChefJeffSD- Dang, and here I've been carrying around my Barnum's box as a purse, thinking I was a genius at accessorizing during these thin economic times!
Thanks for bursting my bubble...
:)
soozm32 at 6:51PM on 03/09/09
@soozm32: If you are looking for another idea, I use mine for necklaces!
Traveller at 7:27PM on 03/09/09
i'm another head first... then tails if they have them... then feet and finally body.
Alm25 at 8:10PM on 03/09/09
@kimberlymac...dipped in peanut butter?! YOU ARE A GENIUS! Why have I not thought of that?!
cycorider at 10:16PM on 03/09/09
I make a small bowl of chocolate frosting (powdered sugar, cocoa powder, margarine) and dip away!
meem21 at 10:46AM on 03/10/09
Feet first, but now I realize that's not very humane. I'll switch to head first from here on out!
And I LURVE the frosted ones. Extra sugar, extra fat, extra awesome.
TheCheapChick at 12:05PM on 03/10/09
@Traveller: We may never have to throw those boxes away again!
I know what can replace the fuzzy dice in my El Camino lowrider now!
soozm32 at 12:19PM on 03/10/09
@soozm32: Perfect! But why stop there? I bet that they would make great little birdfeeders for scouts to make! :) Cover them in peanut butter and crushed animal crackers!
Traveller at 1:23PM on 03/10/09
Buy the handful with coffee!
thehostess at 2:34PM on 03/11/09
Love the Stauffers plain animal crackers. No special eating order or parts. I recently found them in the dollar store, quite a bargain. Hard to limit only eating a few, have to put them in a ziplock bag for lunch or snack and leave the rest of the bag at home.
Not a fan of the chocolate ones though, would prefer the Nabisco chocolate honey grams instead.
Maryland Crab
Maryland Crab at 3:59PM on 03/11/09