There's a box of Twinkies in that grocery store. Not just any box of Twinkies, the last box of Twinkies that anyone will enjoy in the whole universe. Believe it or not, Twinkies have an expiration date. Some day very soon, Life's little Twinkie gauge is gonna go... empty. - Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) in the 2009 film "Zombieland."
A boatload of tragedies are happening in our country right now. Let's talk about something else. Something fun but - like a number of fun things that make us feel better momentarily - a little bit bad for us. Of course, I'm talking about Twinkies.
A while back Hostess Brands was kaput! But now they are back with a vengeance. And their most famous snack cake is leading the way. Which Hostess product do you like the best? CupCakes, Ho Hos, Ding Dongs or Twinkies? If you're like most Americans, it's Twinkies, hands down. Following are a few fun facts about the little blond cakes and how they helped shape our country (and some of us:)
- Hostess was founded in 1919 but its first true hit was the Twinkie, first baked in 1930.
- Twinkies, at two-for-a-nickel, were immensely popular during the Great Depression.
- Originally the creme filling was banana flavored but during World War II, when bananas were rationed, they were swapped for vanilla.
 |
| "Twinkie, you haven't changed a bit. What's your secret?" |
- In 1999, President Bill Clinton selected Twinkies as one of the keepsakes in the millennium time capsule.
- Twinkies have always been teased about having an undetermined shelf life. In fact, I shared this New Yorker cartoon with you a while back. But, in reality, the current new shelf life is about 65 days.
- And recently Twinkies again became uberfamous staring in Zombieland as Woody Harrelson's favorite snack.
But here is my confession, while I once loved the Hostess CupCake, I've never tried a Twinkie. Thank goodness for second chances.
***
