# Rainbow colored bread in the 90s? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [January 25, 2017, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rainbow-colored-bread-in-the-90s/778185 "2017-01-25T21:36:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Brodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Brodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brodi)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2017, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rainbow-colored-bread-in-the-90s/778185/1 "2017-01-25T21:36:43Z")
And no, its nor LGBTQ bread.šŸ˜› In the late 1990s I was babysat by one of my momā€™s coworkers who ran a daycare from her home (my mom worked at a school and the woman was like a library aid or something, donā€™t remember). She would take me, the other kids, and her son to the grocery store from time to time. One thing I distinctly remember seeing was a loaf of ā€œrainbowā€ bread. Each piece was a different color of the rainbow and it was some national brand, like Mrs. Bairds or Wonderbread. Anyone remember this? ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2017, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rainbow-colored-bread-in-the-90s/778185/2 "2017-01-26T03:02:30Z")
I remember a bread with a brand name of Rainbo, but Iā€™m pretty sure it was just plain olā€™ white bread. I donā€™t ever remember seeing an actual rainbow-colored loaf of bread. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2017, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rainbow-colored-bread-in-the-90s/778185/3 "2017-01-26T03:10:44Z")
We were living in Aptos at that time and a local grocery store had their version. A scratch made loaf made of several pieces, [each a different color.](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/24/f4/c4/24f4c4bae3013a6e975ded4608f31c80.jpg) Hereā€™s a [picture of the slices](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/14/f9/62/14f9622559433a28d21c378a2fcaaf36.jpg) as the OP described. Never saw that in the wild. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2017, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rainbow-colored-bread-in-the-90s/778185/4 "2017-01-26T03:14:31Z")
I donā€™t remember rainbow-colored bread, but I do remember blue and pink margarine, in addition to purple and green ketchup. All of these products were dismal failures, sales-wise. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2017, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rainbow-colored-bread-in-the-90s/778185/5 "2017-01-26T07:54:54Z")
**Running Coach** which bakery? We were up the hill in Boulder Creek then. Just curious. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2017, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rainbow-colored-bread-in-the-90s/778185/6 "2017-01-26T12:52:12Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > I donā€™t remember rainbow-colored bread, but I do remember blue and pink margarine, in addition to purple and green ketchup. All of these products were dismal failures, sales-wise. I canā€™t say Iā€™m surprised. People are often weirded out by food that differs significantly in color from what they think it should be. I used to belong to a ā€œsupper clubā€, in which each member cooked a meal for all the members of the club on a rotating basis. My lot fell on an April Foolā€™s day, so I decided to make things strange by using food coloring to make the mashed potatoes purple and the dinner rolls blue. People wouldnā€™t touch them. I emphasize that all I changed was the coloring ā€“ the dishes were otherwise unaltered, and tasted the same. But people donā€™t like their mashed potatoes to be purple, and the blue dinner rolls looked as if they were made out of play-dough (which, come to think of it, they almost were). Iā€™m surprised that they were ever able to successfully market blue corn chips. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2017, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rainbow-colored-bread-in-the-90s/778185/7 "2017-01-26T13:22:48Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > **Running Coach** which bakery? We were up the hill in Boulder Creek then. Just curious. Deluxe Foods in Aptos. In the Deer Park Shopping Center. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2017, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rainbow-colored-bread-in-the-90s/778185/8 "2017-01-26T13:39:50Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I canā€™t say Iā€™m surprised. People are often weirded out by food that differs significantly in color from what they think it should be. > > I used to belong to a ā€œsupper clubā€, in which each member cooked a meal for all the members of the club on a rotating basis. My lot fell on an April Foolā€™s day, so I decided to make things strange by using food coloring to make the mashed potatoes purple and the dinner rolls blue. > > People wouldnā€™t touch them. > > I emphasize that all I changed was the coloring ā€“ the dishes were otherwise unaltered, and tasted the same. But people donā€™t like their mashed potatoes to be purple, and the blue dinner rolls looked as if they were made out of play-dough (which, come to think of it, they almost were). > > Iā€™m surprised that they were ever able to successfully market blue corn chips. Iā€™ve found that people (including myself) react differently according to the source of the colour (assuming they know the source). Mashed potatoes dyed purple with food colouring would put me off. Purple mash made from [blue potatoes](https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Congo) positively excites me. Itā€™s a ā€˜naturalā€™ vs ā€˜artificialā€™ thing - not entirely rational, but itā€™s a strong force. ---
**Author:** ![Brodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Brodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brodi)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2017, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rainbow-colored-bread-in-the-90s/778185/9 "2017-01-26T20:05:53Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Iā€™ve found that people (including myself) react differently according to the source of the colour (assuming they know the source). Mashed potatoes dyed purple with food colouring would put me off. Purple mash made from [blue potatoes](https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Congo) positively excites me. > Itā€™s a ā€˜naturalā€™ vs ā€˜artificialā€™ thing - not entirely rational, but itā€™s a strong force. I wonder if our inner cave person is going ā€œITS MOLDY! ITS MOLDY!ā€. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2017, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rainbow-colored-bread-in-the-90s/778185/10 "2017-01-26T20:15:21Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Iā€™ve found that people (including myself) react differently according to the source of the colour (assuming they know the source). Mashed potatoes dyed purple with food colouring would put me off. Purple mash made from [blue potatoes](https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Congo) positively excites me. > Itā€™s a ā€˜naturalā€™ vs ā€˜artificialā€™ thing - not entirely rational, but itā€™s a strong force. I can eat green food, I can eat red food, as long as itā€™s supposed to be that color. Blue and purple, no can do. I guess there arenā€™t enough naturally blue foods for me to ever find it acceptable. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2017, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rainbow-colored-bread-in-the-90s/778185/11 "2017-01-26T20:21:46Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > I can eat green food, I can eat red food, as long as itā€™s supposed to be that color. Blue and purple, no can do. I guess there arenā€™t enough naturally blue foods for me to ever find it acceptable. _looks at username_ ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2017, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rainbow-colored-bread-in-the-90s/778185/12 "2017-01-26T20:41:13Z")
Hey, everyone knows the _best_ foods are brown. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2017, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rainbow-colored-bread-in-the-90s/778185/13 "2017-01-26T21:15:27Z")
They donā€™t seem to be having any trouble selling [rainbow bagels](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/04/11/the-most-controversial-bagel-in-brooklyn/?utm_term=.1e69ca8caeb5)in Brooklyn. I used to get my lox sandwich on a green (food-colored) bagel every year on St. Patrickā€™s Day, but they stopped selling them. I guess not everyone likes green bagels ā€“ some people I showed my sandwich to were really disgusted. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2017, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rainbow-colored-bread-in-the-90s/778185/14 "2017-01-26T22:21:30Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I canā€™t say Iā€™m surprised. People are often weirded out by food that differs significantly in color from what they think it should be. > > I used to belong to a ā€œsupper clubā€, in which each member cooked a meal for all the members of the club on a rotating basis. My lot fell on an April Foolā€™s day, so I decided to make things strange by using food coloring to make the mashed potatoes purple and the dinner rolls blue. > > People wouldnā€™t touch them. > > I emphasize that all I changed was the coloring ā€“ the dishes were otherwise unaltered, and tasted the same. But people donā€™t like their mashed potatoes to be purple, and the blue dinner rolls looked as if they were made out of play-dough (which, come to think of it, they almost were). > > Iā€™m surprised that they were ever able to successfully market blue corn chips. The multi-colored products were designed with children in mind. Apparently, they found the products even more revolting than their parents did, and of course soup kitchen and homeless shelters didnā€™t want them. I heard that a lot of them were purchased in bulk by pig farmers, which makes sense. Blue chips, blueberries, blue potatoes, etc. are appealing because that is the foodā€™s natural color. Green ketchup is still marketed, and is basically pureed relish. Purple ketchup wouldnā€™t be all that unappealing either; however, ketchup is a food I have personally never liked, and I can detect it in microscopic amounts. šŸ˜• Iā€™m the same way with coffee. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2017, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rainbow-colored-bread-in-the-90s/778185/15 "2017-01-26T22:22:53Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > They donā€™t seem to be having any trouble selling [rainbow bagels](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/04/11/the-most-controversial-bagel-in-brooklyn/?utm_term=.1e69ca8caeb5)in Brooklyn. > > I used to get my lox sandwich on a green (food-colored) bagel every year on St. Patrickā€™s Day, but they stopped selling them. I guess not everyone likes green bagels ā€“ some people I showed my sandwich to were really disgusted. Remember the black buns that were test-marketed at some Burger Kings a few years ago? The freaky thing about them is that it turned peopleā€™s stools a strange shade of green - something I experienced myself when I ate too many black jelly beans, which I love. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rainbow-colored-bread-in-the-90s/778185/16 "2017-01-27T01:19:49Z")
> [@Brodi](#): > > And no, its nor LGBTQ bread.šŸ˜› Back in the '80s, there was a gay-owned bakery in NYC that made all sorts of rainbow-colored baked goods for Pride Day. ---
**Author:** ![drewski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@drewski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewski)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2021, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rainbow-colored-bread-in-the-90s/778185/17 "2021-03-05T05:16:16Z")
Yes. It was Wonderbread. I donā€™t know why they discontinued that product