Published: August 08, 2009 05:53 pm      

VASICEK: Deep thoughts about Jell-O

Simple treats tell a lot about the way we live.

In the Chicago area, we generally referred to carbonated soft drinks as “soda.” We might say “soda-pop” or “pop.” But we would never call an orange soda-pop a “coke,” as one might in central Indiana. “Coke” might refer to an off brand of cola, but it meant some kind of cola – usually “The Real Thing,” Coke itself. A Pepsi meant a Pepsi, an RC an RC, etc.

Yet across the nation, if you need to blow your nose, you might ask for a “Kleenex.” It doesn’t matter if it is a “Puff’s” brand tissue or a “Scott’s” — it’s still a Kleenex.

The term Jell-O is like that. By Jell-O, I do not only mean the gelatin dessert manufactured for decades by General Foods (now merged with Kraft) – a product originating in 1897; I mean gelatin dessert in general.

Like the book, “All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten,” Jell-O tells us much about the change in American values. In a nutshell, modern Americans “Jell-O habits” reveal much about where they stand in reference to our modern culture (Jell-O haters excepted).

First, our use of Jell-O might demonstrate how we value domestic skills and planning. It takes time and attention to make Jell-O. I might make Jell-O today in preparation for tomorrow’s meal. Unfortunately, meal time is viewed as unimportant in many homes today – certainly not worth planning.

In the past, stay-at-home moms were under-appreciated experts in home economics. In today’s world, a woman is considered unproductive and “unfulfilled” if she is not earning money. Hence we view home economics, including meal planning, as grunt work and merely a necessary evil – not an art. Other working moms (and/or dads) are limited by sheer exhaustion, but still value the importance of solid meals.

Because we do not value domestic skills, many families thrive on fast foods. Some think “corn” rounds out a meal as a veggie (it really is a grain; although technically a vegetable like wheat, rice, or oats are technically vegetables, nutritionally corn is a carb). When we talk about a balanced meal, we mean a green (or non-starchy) vegetable, a protein, and a carbohydrate. Today’s children often drink soda-pop before they have met their daily quota of milk, and healthy foods (like green beans) are sabotaged with grease.

According to CNN, “a whopping 70 percent of American kids aren’t getting enough vitamin D, and such youngsters tend to have higher blood pressure and lower levels of good cholesterol than their peers, according to two new studies published this week in the journal ‘Pediatrics.’ Low vitamin D levels also may increase a child’s risk of developing heart disease later in life, experts say.”

We do not give attention to what we do not value. You don’t have to be a “health nut” to serve balanced meals.

Second, Jell-O was the dessert of the middle class. Gelatin desserts can be quite inexpensive. Even if we become creative, adding canned fruit, cream cheese, or cottage cheese, gelatin desserts give us a lot of bang for our buck.

Although many Americans embrace middle-class values, others are out to impress. A gelatin dessert pleases most people but impresses few.

Third, Jell-O connects us to the past. Sadly, many Americans have no sense of past. Being reared in broken homes and with frequent moves, many Americans are completely disconnected from the ways of their forefathers.

I remember going to my grandmother’s house on many Sunday afternoons. Around Christmas time, my grandmother would make her two-toned Jell-O dessert. She would pour strawberry Jell-O into the bottom of bowl, let it set, and then pour (cooled) green lime Jell-O on top. Red and green for Christmas!

Jell-O united the immigrant cultures with long-standing American ways. My grandparents migrated from Poland (my mother’s side) and Slovakia (my dad’s). Marylu’s forefathers came from Sicily (Italy). Because of this unity, most of us connected to our forefathers are also connected to Jell-O, no matter what our ethnic origin.

If I know about your Jell-O habits, I might know something about you.

• Ed Vasicek is pastor of Highland Park Church and a weekly contributor to the Kokomo Tribune.