# My Poptarts (TM) are making me crazy! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 28, 2003, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poptarts-tm-are-making-me-crazy/151418 "2003-01-28T04:58:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poptarts-tm-are-making-me-crazy/151418/1 "2003-01-28T04:58:16Z")
OK, I decide to have a nice Poptart ™ today. I look on the box and it says they are already cooked. “To enjoy warm, heat in toaster on lowest setting or microwave for 3 seconds”. I open the box, ready to pop them into the microwave, but the inner wrapper reads “Poptarts ™ toaster pastries- Do Not Microwave”. I check the box again-“Heat for 3 seconds in microwave”, check the inner package “Do not Microwave”, “Microwave”/“Do not Microwave” “Microwave/Do not Microwave” AAAAAAAAAAAARGHHHHHHH!!! Guess I’ll have to use my toaster:D ---
**Author:** ![robinc308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@robinc308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robinc308)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poptarts-tm-are-making-me-crazy/151418/2 "2003-01-28T05:02:10Z")
It’s an intelligence test. They’re watching to see what you do. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poptarts-tm-are-making-me-crazy/151418/3 "2003-01-28T05:18:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by psychobunny \* > “To enjoy warm, heat in toaster on lowest setting or microwave for 3 seconds”. Obviously, you’re supposed to put the toaster in the microwave. Let me know how that works out for you. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poptarts-tm-are-making-me-crazy/151418/4 "2003-01-28T05:26:46Z")
Just don’t microwave the foil-looking plastic wrapper. Don’t ask why I know this is a bad idea. ---
**Author:** ![consolid8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@consolid8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/consolid8)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poptarts-tm-are-making-me-crazy/151418/5 "2003-01-28T05:32:58Z")
No No No Robot Arm. Read closely. Put the toaster ON the microwave for three seconds. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2003, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poptarts-tm-are-making-me-crazy/151418/6 "2003-01-28T05:58:44Z")
They only mean for you not to microwave them still in the foil packet. Doing this: 1) will not heat them at all, since the foil reflects the microwaves away, 2) could cause arcing leading to a fire, and 3) could damage the microwave through reflected radiation getting back into the magnetron. ---
**Author:** ![SC\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@SC\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SC_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poptarts-tm-are-making-me-crazy/151418/7 "2003-01-30T02:20:24Z")
Isn’t there usually a toll-free consumer line to the manufacturer listed on such products these days? Someone should call and ask! ---
**Author:** ![Cosmopolitan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/94ad74/32.png) [@Cosmopolitan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cosmopolitan)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poptarts-tm-are-making-me-crazy/151418/8 "2003-01-30T02:32:06Z")
Originally posted by **Robot Arm** : > [@](#): > > Obviously, you’re supposed to put the toaster in the microwave. Let me know how that works out for you. I’m not sure why I found this as funny as I did, but either way, it made me spit water all over my monitor. Good thing for you, **Robot Arm** , that it wasn’t soda. Or Pop-Tart, even. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Trucido](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@Trucido](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trucido)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poptarts-tm-are-making-me-crazy/151418/9 "2003-01-30T02:37:58Z")
Pop Tarts can and will catch fire in the microwave, in a matter of seconds. I know this, and have scars and a ruined microwave to prove it. I would reccomend, based strictly on personal experience, that you just wait for the toaster. ---
**Author:** ![Kricket](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f14d63/32.png) [@Kricket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kricket)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poptarts-tm-are-making-me-crazy/151418/10 "2003-01-30T03:16:38Z")
As I sat down at my computer desk with my large glass of milk and toasty warm Poptart I came upon this thread and had to open it. In my haste to toast my tart I did not read said instructions and can only pray that I toasted them correctly. Oh, and there are now little tart crumbs on my monitor and in my keyboard from giggling. Which will get me in much trouble with hubby since he complains about my eating my late night tarts over the keyboard anyway. The real question is how many of you eat them raw or toasted? Hubby and I have had many spats over the fact that he is a barbarian who eats the poor little tarts right out of the package. ---
**Author:** ![little\_bit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@little\_bit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/little_bit)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poptarts-tm-are-making-me-crazy/151418/11 "2003-01-30T05:18:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kricket \* > \*\*…he is a barbarian who eats the poor little tarts right out of the package. \*\* How do you live with him? It’s inhumane!!!:eek: ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poptarts-tm-are-making-me-crazy/151418/12 "2003-01-30T06:58:05Z")
Trucido, thanks to your post I won’t even EAT a Pop Tart anywhere near the microwave. Yikes! I eat them both ways. I also keep them in the refrigerator. They’re like cookies to me. My husband thinks I’m insane. I’ve never understood why they _have_ to be heated, though I like them that way in the winter. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poptarts-tm-are-making-me-crazy/151418/13 "2003-01-30T13:14:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kricket \* > \*\* hubby complains about my eating my late night tarts. \*\* :eek: Oh wait, it’s **Kricket** , carry on as normal ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poptarts-tm-are-making-me-crazy/151418/14 "2003-01-30T13:23:00Z")
Toasted, and buttered. Otherwise they stick to the roof of my mouth, and if I wanted THAT to happen I’d eat peanut butter. ---
**Author:** ![welby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@welby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/welby)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poptarts-tm-are-making-me-crazy/151418/15 "2003-01-30T14:31:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kricket \* > \*\*Hubby and I have had many spats over the fact that he is a barbarian who eats the poor little tarts right out of the package. \*\* Sounds like he’s a merciful soul. You apparently prefer to torture your pop-tarts before consuming them, **Mistress TorqueKricket**. Brute. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poptarts-tm-are-making-me-crazy/151418/16 "2003-01-30T14:41:23Z")
I’m trying to think of what else is worth doing for 3 seconds and I come up with nary a thing. 3 seconds? 3 freakin’ seconds? Are you sure that’s not a typo? You could burp on a pop tart and get it warmer than microwaving it for 3 dedgum seconds. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poptarts-tm-are-making-me-crazy/151418/17 "2003-01-30T14:52:03Z")
Hey, some fruity pop tarts are extra flammable when cooked too long. the fruit breaks down into alcohol if around too long…and adding heat can ignite the fruit. My friend’s house had to burn down to learn of this phenominon. Her sister was severely burned. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poptarts-tm-are-making-me-crazy/151418/18 "2003-01-30T14:57:25Z")
> **[InfoWorld - Technology insight for the enterprise](https://www.infoworld.com/wire/0,2231,16832,00.html)** > > Business technology, IT news, product reviews and enterprise IT strategies. -this is not the exact case, but there are more out there. Yep , 3 secs in the microwave is probably the setting recommended by Kellogs Attorneys! ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poptarts-tm-are-making-me-crazy/151418/19 "2003-01-30T14:58:21Z")
People actually put PopTarts in their _mouth_? Willingly? Personally, I never developed a taste for glue surrounding a microgram of jelly, hot or cold. ---
**Author:** ![lauramarlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a5b964/32.png) [@lauramarlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lauramarlane)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poptarts-tm-are-making-me-crazy/151418/20 "2003-01-30T14:59:27Z")
Jeez! I never thought of pop-tarts as the secret threat lurking in my cupboard! Now I’m really glad my kids prefer to eat them raw. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poptarts-tm-are-making-me-crazy/151418.md?page=2)