Original photo by JOSHUA COLEMAN
When McDonald’s tried to add bubble gum-flavored broccoli to Happy Meals, kids weren’t lovin’ it. In 2014, the fast-food giant’s then-CEO, Donald Thompson, revealed the bizarre experiment at an event hosted by a venture capitalist firm. Under pressure to make Happy Meals healthier, the company reflected on how toothpaste and amoxicillin producers had used artificial bubblegum flavoring to make their goods more palatable to children. McDonald’s decided to try a similar tactic with the divisive cruciferous veggie.
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It's a factAfter lying about their ages to join the World War I effort, the Illinoisians became acquainted at a Connecticut camp that trained them to serve in the Red Cross Ambulance Corps. The war ended before either Kroc or Disney had a chance to use their skills, however.
Mickey D’s food scientists did successfully make broccoli taste like bubble gum, likely by employing a combination of strawberry, banana, and cherry flavors. However, a focus group of kids was confused by the final product, which they enjoyed about as little as standard broccoli (we’re guessing it wasn’t pink). The item was never added to the McDonald’s menu. Parents who want to impress their kids with a taste bud switcheroo will have to settle on cotton candy grapes.
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A piece of gum turns “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” character ______ into a giant blueberry.
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A piece of gum turns “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” character Violet Beauregarde into a giant blueberry.
Swallowed gum does not stay in your stomach for seven years.
The old wives’ tale about gum in the gut has alarmed children for generations. It might have originated from the scientific truth that gum’s base — like corn and seeds — cannot be digested, although our bodies are able to break down sweeteners and oil derivatives present in gum. An accidentally gulped piece of Dubble Bubble won’t stick to the stomach wall or intestinal tract: Gum drifts through your digestive system within a few days.
Jenna is a writer whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Hollywood Reporter, and New York Magazine.
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