# The Lipton Instant Mashed Potatoes with Knorr Beef Gravy Mix Kit and its purchasers **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 27, 2002, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lipton-instant-mashed-potatoes-with-knorr-beef-gravy-mix-kit-and-its-purchasers/139154 "2002-11-27T17:49:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lipton-instant-mashed-potatoes-with-knorr-beef-gravy-mix-kit-and-its-purchasers/139154/21 "2002-11-27T19:06:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bad News Baboon \* > no, what takes the cake is a ‘breakfast kit’. > > It has a mini box of cereal. > a mini milk thing. disposable bowl and spoon. > > I know it is targeted to kids, but come on parents! > > put cereal in a rubbermaid bowl. put milk in rubbermaid container. > Instruct child: put the milk in the bowl of cereal. > > how hard can it be to do? I’ve seen nearly as bad - peanut butter and jelly processed into thin, wrapped slices rather like American cheese. You’re supposed to peel off the plastic and stick it between bread slices. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lipton-instant-mashed-potatoes-with-knorr-beef-gravy-mix-kit-and-its-purchasers/139154/22 "2002-11-27T19:11:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by This Year’s Model \* > \*\*The lady that won the largest lottery prize in Colorado (about 10 years ago) bought the ticket on a whim while visiting the store to buy a can of frosting! That set me off no end. I was baking cakes and making frosting from scratch when I was 8. She’s couldn’t be bothered to make her own, and WHAM! she’s $20 million richer. As you see, that still sets me off. \*\* Hmmm…those cake-mixes are pretty damn good, especially the ones with pudding in 'em. (Mmmmm…pudding.) IMO, the mix is pretty hard to beat. And it’s not like a cake from scratch is going to be _healthier_.😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mikahw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Mikahw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikahw)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lipton-instant-mashed-potatoes-with-knorr-beef-gravy-mix-kit-and-its-purchasers/139154/23 "2002-11-27T19:30:50Z")
What? People are actually buying potatoes and stock from a store instead of growing their own potatoes and slaughtering their own cows? I’m outraged! :mad: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lipton-instant-mashed-potatoes-with-knorr-beef-gravy-mix-kit-and-its-purchasers/139154/24 "2002-11-27T19:35:10Z")
By the way, next to mashed potatoes: gravy is just about damn near the easiest thing to make. So that’s no excuse. I pray to the lord Jesus Christ that my kids never have to experience instant mashed potatoes. ---
**Author:** ![Azure\_Eternity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f05b48/32.png) [@Azure\_Eternity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azure_Eternity)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lipton-instant-mashed-potatoes-with-knorr-beef-gravy-mix-kit-and-its-purchasers/139154/25 "2002-11-27T19:48:53Z")
I’m really confused by the vitriol. Homemade mashed potatoes are good, but so is instant. It’s not a huge deal. Oh, and **jarbabyj** , you can’t watch your kids all the time. One day they’ll be out with their friends and someone will say, “Hey, do you want to try some… _instant mashed potatoes_? All the cool kids are doing it.” This really goes out to _all_ parents: Make sure to have a talk with yours kids about the dangers of instant mashed potatoes and the ways to say no. ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lipton-instant-mashed-potatoes-with-knorr-beef-gravy-mix-kit-and-its-purchasers/139154/26 "2002-11-27T19:52:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose \* > \*\*Bernse, where do you live, that they don’t sell instant gravy in little packages? Or “home-cooked” gravy in both jars and cans? It’s usually by the spaghetti sauce and tomato paste, at the grocery store, by all the packets of instant taco sauce, instant fajita sauce, instant spaghetti sauce, instant marinade, ad infinitum. \*\* Of course they do. I was under your impression from your OP that you were ranting about them being “instant” products or something (as I couldn’t imagine it being a big deal that a company combine them, a’la cheese and crackers for lunches or even pancake mix). It never really occured to me when I wrote it that people could have issues with combining fast preperation foods. Guess I learn something new everyday. ---
**Author:** ![Ceejaytee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ceejaytee/32/2956_2.png) [@Ceejaytee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ceejaytee)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lipton-instant-mashed-potatoes-with-knorr-beef-gravy-mix-kit-and-its-purchasers/139154/27 "2002-11-27T20:05:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DeniseV \* > \*\*I’ve seen nearly as bad - peanut butter and jelly processed into thin, wrapped slices rather like American cheese. You’re supposed to peel off the plastic and stick it between bread slices. \*\* I’m going to pretend I didn’t see this. I’m going to tell myself, over and over again, that you made it up. It isn’t working. Ewwwww. And instant mashed potatoes are icky and should only be eaten when camping. Mashed potatoes are food from the gods, especially with fried crispy onions sprinkled on top. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lipton-instant-mashed-potatoes-with-knorr-beef-gravy-mix-kit-and-its-purchasers/139154/28 "2002-11-27T20:16:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Azure Eternity \* > **I’m really confused by the vitriol. Homemade mashed potatoes are good, but so is instant. It’s not a huge deal.** No, they’re really, really not. I’ve never understood instant mashed potatoes - food doesn’t really get easier than mashed potatoes. And the instant stuff is inedible. My mother decided to try it once when we were little. She apologized aftewards. It was vaguely like the parents who convince their children not to smoke by making them go through an entire pack of cigarettes one after the other after the other. Kraft “cheez” products have never been part of my universe. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lipton-instant-mashed-potatoes-with-knorr-beef-gravy-mix-kit-and-its-purchasers/139154/29 "2002-11-27T20:22:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jarbabyj \* > \*\*By the way, next to mashed potatoes: gravy is just about damn near the easiest thing to make. \*\* I wish I could figure out how to do it. My every attempt ends up tasting like flour (or corn starch when I’ve tried that). Especially sausage gravy. I’m a pretty good cook, but I just can’t get the gravy thing. Sadly, I love it. ---
**Author:** ![CRorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CRorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CRorex)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lipton-instant-mashed-potatoes-with-knorr-beef-gravy-mix-kit-and-its-purchasers/139154/30 "2002-11-27T20:34:36Z")
Gravy comes in a CAN!? Jesus christ. No wait, I take that back. Jesus FUCKING christ. I still have arguements with my mom about her use of cake mixes 😕 Hell, I finally had to give up MAKING my own eggroll wrappers because I don’t have enough room in my kitchen to make them. And pasta… no room for fresh handmade pasta ☹ * * * Libertarian: Sausage Gravy is about as hard to make as running a dishwasher 🙂 Take 1lb of pork sausage (Jimmy Dean Spicy for preference) Cook in a 10-12 inch pan until well done. Add 2-3 TBS of flower, enough that all of the grease is absorbed. Cook for 1-2 min over medium heat, until the flour is cooked. Add milk, stirring constantly. Add salt and pepper to taste. If it’s too thick add more milk. If it’s too thin, bring it to a boil then turn it down and wait 5 min. ---
**Author:** ![CRorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CRorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CRorex)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lipton-instant-mashed-potatoes-with-knorr-beef-gravy-mix-kit-and-its-purchasers/139154/31 "2002-11-27T20:35:12Z")
Gravy comes in a CAN!? Jesus christ. No wait, I take that back. Jesus FUCKING christ. I still have arguements with my mom about her use of cake mixes 😕 Hell, I finally had to give up MAKING my own eggroll wrappers because I don’t have enough room in my kitchen to make them. And pasta… no room for fresh handmade pasta ☹ * * * Libertarian: Sausage Gravy is about as hard to make as running a dishwasher 🙂 Take 1lb of pork sausage (Jimmy Dean Spicy for preference) Cook in a 10-12 inch pan until well done. Add 2-3 TBS of flower, enough that all of the grease is absorbed. Cook for 1-2 min over medium heat, until the flour is cooked. Add milk, stirring constantly. Add salt and pepper to taste. If it’s too thick add more milk. If it’s too thin, bring it to a boil then turn it down and wait 5 min. I think what you’re not doing is cooking the flour. You REALLY need to let the flour cook for a couple of min. ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lipton-instant-mashed-potatoes-with-knorr-beef-gravy-mix-kit-and-its-purchasers/139154/32 "2002-11-27T21:07:22Z")
Lib, you need to cook the flour in the grease for a bit before you add any non-grease liquid, otherwise, yeah, it will taste floury. If it tastes floury try cooking it longer. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lipton-instant-mashed-potatoes-with-knorr-beef-gravy-mix-kit-and-its-purchasers/139154/33 "2002-11-27T21:17:26Z")
Humm. Ya know, I’m a pretty decent cook. I make my own recipes. I know the correct way to make a rue for white sauce. I can make big, fluffy calzones that would make the Baby Jesus weep with joy they’re so tasty. Yes - I make the dough myself. I can bake. Homemade pies, with the flakiest pastry ever. Baklava. Cookies. Flan. Trifle (without ground beef). All this aside. I still like instant mashed potatoes. They’re yummy. And Pillsbury cookies? GOOOOOD. Why bother liking the bowl, when you can just chop a hunk off and eat it? Instant gravy sounds a little dodgy, but I could probably eat it in a pinch too. Guess what - cooking gourmet food for 1 just isn’t that much fun. Kit - good. Besides - its not like anyone invited you over for dinner and served it to you, is it? ---
**Author:** ![reprise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@reprise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/reprise)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lipton-instant-mashed-potatoes-with-knorr-beef-gravy-mix-kit-and-its-purchasers/139154/34 "2002-11-27T21:32:30Z")
You can buy pre-wrapped cheese and Vegemite slices here. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lipton-instant-mashed-potatoes-with-knorr-beef-gravy-mix-kit-and-its-purchasers/139154/35 "2002-11-27T21:42:10Z")
I strongly prefer instant mashed potatoes to homemade mashed potatoes. Have ever since I was around eight years old. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lipton-instant-mashed-potatoes-with-knorr-beef-gravy-mix-kit-and-its-purchasers/139154/36 "2002-11-27T23:04:39Z")
Heh. 😃 \<\< _Ladder Match between Serious Foodies and Convenience Food Kings_ \>\> For lunch today I had leftover pot roast and gravy, said pot roast (bottom round) having been cooked Monday in the oven with a package of instant spaghetti sauce and some water (works great, and it makes a nice change from Instant Onion Soup Mix Pot Roast), and some Heinz Fat-Free Slow-Roasted Beef Gravy from a jar. I don’t have issues with convenience foods as such, just with this IMO particularly idiotic packaging of two stunningly simple food items together in a kit for the menu-challenged. IMO if someone can’t figure out how to do instant-mashed-potatoes-and-gravy without needing all the resources of a multi-national corporation to walk him through it, he oughtn’t to be allowed within fifty yards of a microwave, let alone a real stove. The concept of the “restaurant” was tailor-made for people like this. And fifty head-first dunkings in a cafeteria soup pot full of Wodge for Bad News Baboon, for reminding me about the Breakfast Of Idiots Cereal Kit, which I have been trying to _IGNORE_ for lo these many moons… ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2002, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lipton-instant-mashed-potatoes-with-knorr-beef-gravy-mix-kit-and-its-purchasers/139154/37 "2002-11-28T00:13:56Z")
I like instant gravy because a lot of times it does not include anything even close to a meat product, thus I can eat it. I see nothing against convenience food. Other than sleeping I often spend only a half hour or so at home per day. Anything that saves time is often worth the money for me when its 9pm and I’m tired and hungry. ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2002, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lipton-instant-mashed-potatoes-with-knorr-beef-gravy-mix-kit-and-its-purchasers/139154/38 "2002-11-28T01:04:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jarbabyj \* > \*\*By the way, next to mashed potatoes: gravy is just about damn near the easiest thing to make. So that’s no excuse. > > I pray to the lord Jesus Christ that my kids never have to experience instant mashed potatoes. \*\* You are now officially a “good parent”. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2002, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lipton-instant-mashed-potatoes-with-knorr-beef-gravy-mix-kit-and-its-purchasers/139154/39 "2002-11-28T01:22:31Z")
Sure are a lot of food snobs in here. God forbid some of us like something you don’t. Look, I need my food preparation as simple as possible. I’m very tired when I get home, and to me it’s easier to just heat something up. It tastes good, it’s not much work, so leave me alone and lemme eat it. Thanks. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Medea\_s\_Child](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Medea\_s\_Child](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Medea_s_Child)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2002, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lipton-instant-mashed-potatoes-with-knorr-beef-gravy-mix-kit-and-its-purchasers/139154/40 "2002-11-28T01:25:31Z")
mmm…instant cookies. I took a toaster oven to college with me because you can actually cook in them. I’d make fresh hot muffins for breakfast. Its was wonderful. However, dorm rooms are not the best places to try to mix up a batch of cookies, especialy when the little packages of hunks o’ dough fit perfectly in a beer fridge. When friends came over I could tear off bits, drop them in the oven, and have fresh cookies while we chatted. No mixing, no having to store flour, sugar and all the rest. Just cookies. Good times, good times. On the instant potato stuff, if you don’t connect them to actual mashed potatos, but think of them as thier own food, they have their moments. (except this one brand my family got at Sam’s once, they tasted just like real mashies. Swear to the Creator, it was unreal.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lipton-instant-mashed-potatoes-with-knorr-beef-gravy-mix-kit-and-its-purchasers/139154.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-lipton-instant-mashed-potatoes-with-knorr-beef-gravy-mix-kit-and-its-purchasers/139154.md?page=3)