PSA: 90s cartoon ads turned us into snack monsters

I think the food commercials in 90s cartoons were straight up toxic. Every break in 'Animaniacs' pushed candy or cereal like it was a meal. Sitcoms like 'Full House' showed the Tanner family eating giant burgers with no veggies. This made junk food seem like a normal part of life. Kids like me ended up begging for those sugary treats. Now I realize how those shows messed with our idea of good food. We should really discuss this more in the community.

3 comments

3 Comments

kevin_hernandez8318d ago

My buddy's mom told me he had a total meltdown at the grocery store over some neon green cereal he saw on a commercial. He was screaming for it, saying the cartoon told him it would make him run super fast. She gave in just to get out of there, and he ate one bowl before hating it. That box sat in their pantry for months as a sad, expensive lesson.

the_paul1mo ago

Man, looking back it was like a master class in making kids want garbage. They'd show that cartoon cereal turning milk into rainbow lava or whatever, and we were just supposed to eat normal oatmeal? How were we supposed to fight that? And the baby food thing, like did they really need to make pureed peas look like the key to all wisdom? Makes you wonder who sits in a room and plans this stuff, right?

caleb6101mo ago

Right, and don't forget how shows like Rugrats made baby food look like some amazing gourmet treat. It wasn't just ads, it was the whole vibe. Parents felt that pressure too, like buying the right snack was part of being a good mom or dad.