the muffin people have really good PR
 

I mean really what is a muffin if not a mini-cake? If you look at the nutritional content of a Starbucks or Dunkin' Donuts muffin, for instance, you'd probably be better off baking yourself a cake and having a nice big slice. They're pretty bad for you.

Yet, for some reason, my perception is that people think muffins are healthy. In line at Dunkin' Donuts this morning I heard a mom tell her son that he had to get something healthy. His choice? The blueberry muffin (not "reduced fat," mind you.. the "full fat" one).

So my question is as follows: Who is responsible for this brilliant marketing on behalf of muffins?

Aren't muffins just an excuse for people to eat cake in the mornings?

"It's got purple stuff in it. Purple's a fruit."

I don't know who came up with the idea, but I'm trying to be kind when I say that this was probably a mom who ended up running out of ideas to feed her child or got bored with breakfast. It doesn't take much work to choose different options.

1.She could put cut fruit on skewers. It's more fun for kids to eat. Alternately, she could have made a small fruit salad.
2. She also could have made a hard-boiled egg. This is a great way to get some protein in the breakfast.
3. Yogurt and granola is another good idea

The Starbuck/Dunkin Donuts concept is part of the reason that we have so much obesity in our country. Sad to see in the kids.

Muffins and bagels have doubled in size over the past few years much more than the weight of the average US citizen.

MisterNice

This is so true.

Most of the cakes I've ever seen were just "cake", with frosting. My guess is that since muffins don't usually have frosting, they have less sugar. And muffins often carry extra ingredients that could be healthy - such as fruit, nuts, or bran.

So maybe the original muffin plan was a way for moms to get some fruit, nuts, or fiber into their kids. Without the frosting.

Do you know the muffin man?

Wow - I just looked at the Dunkin and Au Bon Pain "nutritional info" sites...

I knew that muffins weren't that healthy for you, but I didn't know that were THAT bad...might as well just have two donuts instead as the "lower calorie" option. :eek:

That lives in Drury Lane? Yeah, nice guy...