Kool-Aid

Kool-Aid

“Kool-Aid, Kool-Aid tastes great, wish I had some…Ummmm can’t wait!” I was thinking about Kool-Aid lately. Have not bought it for years and wondered if they still make it. Yep! I saw it on the shelves in the grocery store the other day. Just looked it up online and there is a Kool-Aid website.

When I was little, my mom would never buy it because she said it was not good for you. But I remember having it at a friend’s house and just loved it. Who wouldn’t? It’s flavored sugar water?

Well, I’m not sure why, but when my kids were little, I often had a pitcher in the refrigerator. No more mom around to tell me it was not good for you. I was the mom...young, healthy, and I loved the stuff!

Of course I made it for my kids, but I’m thinking I did my share of drinking it. I vaguely remember it being 10 packs for $1. Now that was pretty cheap in the ‘70’s. Sugar was low-priced too. Kool-Aid certainly was much less expensive than buying soda. My favorite flavors were Orange and Red Raspberry (I think that is the flavor). I remember the Fruit Punch flavor was pretty awful.

I have a memory of making a whole gallon of it in an orange and white insulated jug, filling it with ice and taking it to drink for a day trip to Galveston. That was probably 1971 when my oldest son Bow was small. So yes! I gave it to him when he was very young. Good grief…I don’t remember, but I hope I did not put in a baby bottle! My son Owen loved to drink Kool-Aid all the way through high school. I’m not sure when I stopped making it, probably when he went off to college.

Seriously, we did not drink it every day, but I always had packs ready to mix up when we wanted it.

Do kids really get to drink Kool-Aid now a days? My grandkids sure do not! It’s watered down apple juice all the way! A splash of 100% fruit juice mixed with water and ice. Just a hint of flavor! What fun is that???

And for crying out loud, do not give kids soda!!! They have no idea what soda is! The other day my 5-year old grandson had some Pepsi and shared it with his sister. (Yes Bow, he must have snuck it in between the flavored water.) He told his sister she would not like it because it is “spicy”. That’s the first time I had ever heard Pepsi described as spicy!

I was playing Tea Party with my twin grandkids last year. I asked her for some Pepsi Cola instead of Tea. She had not a clue what what I was asking for. She came back with a cup and said..."Here's your Popsi Cula!" It was so cute. She's for sure a splash of fruit juice with water drinker!

Ok, food police…kids are suposedly not long drinking Kool-Aid, sodas, etc. Why do we have so many overweight kiddos? Ohhh….That’s right, the schools took away recess so kids could spend more time in the classroom! Recess….How fun was that in the 50’s and 60’s when I was growing up. Thank goodness they still had recess when my kids were little. Best part of the day when you were free to run around the playground. But that’s another story for another time.

Yes! Found the orange and white gallon jug in the garage. It’s still usable after 39 years! Ok, it’s probably oozing BPA’s!!! I just might need it again someday to make some yummy Kool-Aid! Here’s a picture of the ancient gallon jug, not sure why I’m saving it. It's probably the thing my kids are going to fight over when I'm gone!

Here’s a picture of Bow in Galveston that day when we enjoyed the gallon jug filled with Kool-Aid! He looks like he is saying "My tummy is so full of that yummy Kook-Aid!"

“Kool-Aid, Kool-Aid tastes great, wish I had some…Ummmm can’t wait!”…Bet you are wanting an ice cold glass right this minute!!!

February 2012 update!
Ok, what does this stuff do to your stomach if you use it to clean your dishwasher??? Ugggg....