Sales of Spam rise as consumers trim spending

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Source: MSNBC

MILWAUKEE - Love it, hate it or laugh at it — at least it's inexpensive.

Sales of Spam — that much maligned meat — are rising as consumers are turning more to lunch meats and other lower-cost foods to extend their already stretched food budgets.

What was once cheeky, silly and the subject of a Monty Python musical, Spam is now back on the table as people turn to the once-snubbed canned meat as costs rise, analysts say.

The price of Spam is up too, with the average 12-ounce can costing about $2.62. That's an increase of 17 cents, or nearly 7 percent, from the same time last year. But it's not stopping sales, as the pork meat in a can seems like a good alternative to consumers.

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24861341 /

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Cans of Spam line the shelves at a store in Berlin, Vermont. Sales of Spam are rising as consumers turning more to lunch meats and other lower-cost foods as a way of stretching they're already stretched food budgets.

[shain from kane]

1. " ... the pork meat in a can ..." Are you sure? It's all mystery meat to me.

[Kutjara]

2. Actually, I did a double take at the word...

..."meat." I always thought Spam was some sort of edible petroleum product. Like spackle, only greasier. Guess I'll have to use something else to grout my bathtub from now on.

[saigon68]

38. Its not CHEAP anymore

Its actually not too bad fried with eggs.

But eggs are around $2.00 a dozen---they aren't cheap either.

[LostinVA]

58. More like $4 a dozen for us

My wife can only eat organic eggs. The hormones/chemicals/whatever in regular eggs make her sick.

It's actually pretty scary when you think about it, because they can't be good for anyone.

[saigon68]

63. I have 3 on Sunday morning after church

They were last year 65 Cents a dozen here (Wisconsin.)

Food is on an inflationary ride. there are no cans of food for less than a dollar around here--- soup is over $1.00 a can

I used to love eggs, and still do, but I know they aren't good to eat every day

[LostinVA]

66. The Shop Rite here has a "Can Can" sale twice a year

We stocked up then. Store brand stuff was three for a dollar and name brand stuff was under a dollar. We have a full cabinet of beans/potatoes/soup now.

Our landlord keeps a couple hens, behind our house, for eggs. If they kept more, we'd buy eggs off them.

[saigon68]

70. Stock up but be careful

Some of the bargain brands are warehouse left overs, maybe 2 or 3 years old

But I have a feeling food will be too expensive to can and store in the near future, and the "Bank" that some companies have will disappear

[llmart]

85. The older I get.......

the more I think some of this "don't eat this, don't eat that" advice is crapola as Archie Bunker used to say. I'm almost 60 and we ate eggs for breakfast - maybe not every day but my husband and I stopped eating them much when the cholesterol scare of eating eggs started. I think a couple scrambled organic, free range eggs and a glass or orange juice is probably much better for you than what Americans substituted for it. Breakfast now is some fancy Starbucks coffee drink loaded with sugar and whipped cream and a bagel the size of a dinner plate slathered with cream cheese.

I don't know. Maybe we should go back to some common sense, like everything in moderation.

[zanne]

72. I eat Spam Spread all the time...

But then I never was too picky.

[saigon68]

75. There's something called Underwood Deviled Ham

Its good too although very very pricey

[zanne]

76. Deviled Ham is excellent with tomato soup. nt

[katty]

81. yeah,,what IS in spam? scary

[kestrel91316]

3. Hey, since it's pork and not beef, you can't get BSA from it.

Sounds tempting...........

Don't the Hawaiians make a type of sushi out of it? Musubi?

[mainer]

17. yum. Musubi.

Also, fried spam and eggs are delish.

[kestrel91316]

27. I'm pretty sure the 99c Store across the street has Spam for

99c a can. NOT any stinkin' $2.62, lol.

[JVS]

80. Is it in the little cans or is it generic?

Or god forbid close to expiration date.

[kestrel91316]

92. I was wrong. It's not Spam, but the first cousin to it:

Treet. It's pork and chicken, with just ham FLAVOR. 12 oz cans, 99c each, Best If Used By 4-10.

[katty]

82. shelf life? perpetual?

[kestrel91316]

93. Best if used by 4-10. Not bad for 99c......12 oz of primarily chicken,

with some pork and mystery ingredients....

I bet I can make some good hash with it and potatoes, topped with a fried egg and catsup.

[KamaAina]

46. Indeed. This is our major concern.

If you mainland types start scarfing up all the Spam, there won't be enough left over for all the stores here, including drug stores, to run specials on it. We'll end up paying full price for our musubi!

edit: here

[creeker]

99. I eat it while understanding that "all pork" is everything from the ground up

just as "all Beef" is. And that encompasses some pretty gross stuff.
It's all technically edible,and will keep you alive in a survival situation

[Sequoia]

4. Spammity Spam!

Hey old timers, remember when you had to open it with a key?! A good way to cook Spam...maple flavor...is to broil it in the oven or fry it up with sliced potatoes. Camping food!

[kimmerspixelated]

14. Yeppir! I sure do!

Back in the late sixties, my Granny used to fry it up, and also remember the vienna sausages? Or, cocktail franks? To think we put that crap in our bodies!! I'm totally afraid to read the ingredients!

[Sequoia]

24. My SO

used to tell me I liked "poor people food". Fried Spam w/ potatoes, pinto beans over sliced cornbread, and applesauce. Now what's not tasty about that!!?

[kestrel91316]

29. Re this Spam thing, I was telling my assistant today that i still love,

but NEVER eat anymore, vienna sausages. True childhood comfort food and picnic food.........

I also love those little cans of devilled ham. But avoiding that sort of thing for 25 years is probably why my lipid profile is so good.

[kimmerspixelated]

50. I'm with ya, Kestrel,

It DID taste good!

[Joe Bacon]

37. Holy Monty Python, Batman!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZ6N5m8FpVg

[SpiralHawk]

5. "Tough. Pull yourself up by your own meat-facsimile product." - Commander AWOL & McSame

[bow-tie]

6. It's good fried

I couldn't eat it out of the can though. When I used to tour alot on my bike all I needed was a can of spam a couple of potatoes and a sterno stove.

[davidinalameda]

7. I like Spam

always have

fry it really crispy and melt cheese on it!

YUM!

[no_hypocrisy]

8. spam, spam, spam, spam, lovely spam! wonderful spam!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anwy2MPT5RE

[davidinalameda]

12. I was waiting for someone to post this

I sing this every time I buy a can

[dysfunctional press]

83. i'll have the spam spam spam spam eggs rat and spam...with a side of spam.

do you have anything with not so much spam in it...?

[dflprincess]

9. I don't like Spam!

However, if you ever get the opportunity to visit the Spam Museum in Austin, MN, go! It's a hoot and they play the Monty Python Spam skits.

[KamaAina]

64. Well, there's Spam, egg. sausage and Spam.

That's not got much Spam in it.

http://http.cs.berkeley.edu/~ddgarcia/spam.html#MontyPy...

[VermeerLives]

54. Spam and cheese - yum!

My mom used to grind spam and velveeta cheese together, mix with some chopped onion, spread the mix on homemade bread/buns, and stick it under the broiler. Served with chips and pickles, It was one of our favorite Sunday evening meals.

[kestrel91316]

94. Sounds like she used the same "cookbook" MY mom did.

We got the Tuna Biscuit Bake, and Creamed Dried Beef on Toast, and "salad" was sometimes a canned pear half on a leaf of iceberg lettuce topped with grated cheddar cheese. Or maybe one of three hundred variations on jello salad.

[tridim]

10. Dog food is even cheaper.

And about the same quality.

[shanti]

15. bet it tastes good

fried up too!

[LanternWaste]

41. I'll limit my cuisine to the human foods

I'll limit my cuisine to the human foods and take your word for it that dog food tastes the same...

[anitar1]

11. Spam was a friend to the Brits when they were slowly

starving during during WW11.

[dipsydoodle]

16. I still like frying it with eggs for breakfast

It's sweeter than sausages.

[Thothmes]

28. It was also a friend to the Soviet Union

We shipped them untold thosands of tons of spam. Read a memoir by a Soviet solder. Talked about one of the few simple pleasures while serving in the Soviet army. He said that at the end of the day, around a fire, some bread, "American canned meat" (Spam) a little Vodka sometimes life seemed pretty good.

[LanternWaste]

42. In the book, "Utopia in Power"

In the book, "Utopia in Power" I'd read that there was a post-war saying in the Soviet Union that went something like, "The Americans bought victory with Spam and the price was paid in Soviet blood".

Very true to an extent...

[Thothmes]

55. A true statement

But we sent considerably more than spam. But the butchers bill was paid for by peoples of the Soviet Union.

[2Design]

13. i like spam with potato sticks n/t

[mnhtnbb]

18. I used to make fried eggs (over easy) with Spam for hubby #1 on student budget in early 70's

[monmouth]

19. My late dad's favorite breakfast. My brother and I used to bend over laughing. Little did we know.

[Submariner]

20. I love Spam Schezuan

Campbell's chunky vegetable soup, unsalted peanuts, Chinese schezuan spices, and of course, SPAM.

Pick the veggies out of the can of soup and place in a pot. Add peanuts, spices, and SPAM. Cook till hot.

Camped out in the Alaskan bush country on a salmon research project, and starving for something novel to eat, a Chinese biologist with us made the most delicious Spam schezuan out of the basics I just mentioned, and it was absolutely delicious. Yum.

[pattmarty]

21. Is there a futures market on Spam? Watch in the next month, the price will increase 60%.

[SammyWinstonJack]

74. ...

Oh and....

EAT THE RICH!

I'll bet those GREEDY TAX CUT LOVING A$$HOLE$ aren't eating spam because they can't afford real meat/food, are they?

[grasswire]

22. ingredients

Chopped pork shoulder meat with ham meat added.
Salt (for binding, flavour, and firmness)
Water (to help in mixing)
Sugar (for flavour)
Sodium Nitrite (for colour and as a preservative)


That's it. Not any creepier than most processed meats.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

25. It's "Spam Lite" and some of the other variants that are creepy...

...because I don't think I could ever feel good about eating "machine separated chicken."



But I do have a can of Spam "regular" in the cupboard as we speak, and the article only makes me want to go fry it up with some eggs.

[MilesColtrane]

98. Mmmm....Chicken McMeat Slurry!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meat_slurry

I didn't know that the widow of the San Ysidro murderer sued McDonald's, claiming that their Chicken McNuggets turned him into a homicidal maniac.

[heliarc]

32. Not as creepy as the little packet of "Ham"

"chopped, chunked, and formed"

That you find in MRE's... I'm not in the military, but I had a couple MRE's when I was volunteering in the disaster area after Hurricane Andrew. The 82nd Airborne gave them away to us after the portable mess had been set up. I think they gave them to us to gross us out. I'm sure they are much better than they once were... but I will always remember "chopped, chunked and formed"

That's what any sausage is really, so it's not that gross, but they sure knew how to make it unappealing.

[PlanetBev]

23. I have a confession to make

I've never eaten Spam before. My parents, who were raised in Orthodox Jewish homes, would never bring it into the house. I should ask my dad if he ever ate it while serving in WWII. I've never tried it as an adult because it just seems too much like mystery meat, plus all the cholesterol.

Two things I swear I'm going to try before I die, frying up Spam and eggs and dropping acid (not necessarily in that order).

[Bonescrat]

86. Ooooo try both at the same time!!!

Although acid may ruin your apetite...

If you can stomach it you'll burn off all the calories during the 12 hours of trip.

[nachoproblem]

26. It's nice to know that in an age of organics and macrobiotics

people can finally turn back to a product made of 100% ass, thanks to our shitty ecnomy.

[kestrel91316]

30. I just had to post this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spam_musubi

[BadgerKid]

31. Seems kind of pricey??? n/t

[soothsayer]

39. i think so, too

[catnhatnh]

33. This is a totally mistaken piece of crap...

$2.62 for 12oz = $3.48 per lb-well in excess of many fresh meats...My bet is Spam sales ARE up, but only as a protein hedge bet...This week I can buy boneless breast of chicken at $1.79 per lb-the thing I can't do with my fresh chicken breast is stick it in my pantry for a year in case of real disruptions...

[LostinVA]

59. I was thinking the same thing

[XemaSab]

62. That was my thought exactly

The last several times I've gone to the grocery store, I've spent about 10 extra bucks on rice, beans, jello, masa, bullion cubes, and other Y2-BirdFlu food.

(Hey, don't laugh... most of the survivalist sites I've read said that people need "treats," and jello is a good treat.)

[HuffleClaw]

34. "Now with more snouts!" n/t

[ret5hd]

35. Maybe somebody could create a "Spam Index" as an economic indicator...

I bet it would be more accurate than the other "leading indicators".

[JackCo]

36. I can only eat fried crispy

Rarely eat it all except when hubby gets a craving. My family was fairly poor when I was growing up so we had spam and viennas both. Pawpaw always hunted so even deer, squirrel, rabbit, and frog legs were on the menu.

Now the thought of eating those really creeps me out and I would rather not eat them again. However if times come to it I know I can.

[CRK7376]

40. Spam is good eating....

not good for you, but still pretty good to eat. Fried, served in Ramen Noodle soup,Jumbayla on a budget...used it for years camping with the Boy Scouts. I like the Tabasco flavored version, and Spam lite is ok....Not a weekly or even monthly consumable, but my kids and I have no trouble eating Spam....Wife thinks we're all crazy and she's usually right.....Don't like cold spam and ABSOLUTELY HATE VIENNA SAUSAGES....

[bdamomma]

43. Spam good to use for ham salad.

nothing found anything wrong eating Spam, hey it's food isn't it?

[bikebloke]

44. Can Keys

In Miami, people discovered that the can keys could open parking meters. People were nicking the keys off cans in the stores to rob the parking meters. So if you bought some Spam, you'd get your key from the cashier.

[CraftyGal]

45. When I was growing up we used to eat spam one or twice a week.

My kids loved it and it was a change from hot dogs and sausages. My middle child would only eat hot dogs or sausages, so this was a nice alternative. I would usually fry it and cook ups some eggs, they would eat it up and ask for more.

Crafty

[TrogL]

47. Oh Goody!!!

So does that mean we can have Spam, Spam, bacon, eggs and Spam for supper?

[Igel]

53. I used to love it.

Given a choice between my mother's roast beef and fried Spam, the Spam would have won every time ... not that I ever dared say it. My ma was a good cook, as long as it didn't involve beef and any part of the oven. (Her "well-done" steaks had a crust of carbon on them--"charred" doesn't do it justice, the stuff would flake off or crunch as you tried to cut into it.)

Couldn't stand the deviled ham in cans, but Vienna sausages were sort of nice when I was 7 or 8, I think.

[dragonlady]

48. Another good way to cook Spam

Dip slices in egg, roll in cracker crumbs, then fry. That, along with fried plain, sliced in a sandwich, and cubed in pasta salad, was one of our major variations for Spam in my childhood.

[ronnie624]

69. It's also very tasty cubed and pan fried with potatoes.

For a number of years I've been limiting my saturated fat intake, so I rarely eat any sort of meat other than fish these days, but on occasion I can't resist.

[KillCapitalism]

49. Yuck...

I think I'll stick to cans of beans & ramen noodles for cheap meals.

[SomeGuyInEagan]

51. SPAM = "SPoiled hAM"

Or so we used to say.

My wife's mom once made a SPAM pizza when my wife was a child. Ackkk!

I used to work with a guy whose wife competed in the "Great American SPAM Championship" (seriously , it exists; see http://www.spam.com/eatspam/contest_rules.aspx ). She did not win, but did place, thereby winning a bunch of free product and was inspired to keep inventing recipes. That poor, poor man ... how he suffered.

[Thothmes]

97. "Something Posing As Meat"

[conspirator]

52. Spam will destroy your health in the long term n/t

[Wcross]

57. Life in general will destroy your health in the long term.

Nobody gets out alive. Might as well enjoy that can of Spam while you can!

[conspirator]

77. Yeah. Enjoy your spam, coke and supersized burgers. Make sure you have health insurance though n/t

[Wcross]

84. I only drink water or coffee. Hate fast food........

I enjoy spam as a breakfast meat with some eggs & a bagel. I am not worried at all about some spam once a week for breakfast. I don't care HOW healthy you eat, eventually you will die. My great aunt ate eggs for breakfast EVERY morning for 90 years. She also enjoyed Spam and ate it often.

[conspirator]

87. No problem with eggs. I eat THREE eggs a day.

Eggs are probably the most important source of amino acids in human nutrition.
The way to eat eggs is you scrap one yolk for each 2 eggs you eat, because yolks contain a lot of fat.
So basically I eat 3 whites and 2 yolks a day.

[Wcross]

89. Eggs are a GREAT source of Lecithin too. n/t

[Thothmes]

96. So will old age

[Wcross]

56. Try the low sodium Spam, I can't tell a difference. n/t

[wordpix]

60. you can get a pound of organic brown rice for that price---i'll take the rice over the spam any day

[flvegan]

61. $3/pound nutrition. Spam's not close to ideal, or good for that matter.

[LostinVA]

67. Seriously

I know it's not vegan, but I can get free-range chicken for not much more at Trader Joe's.

[flvegan]

68. Any form of veg*ism aside

For quality protein, I can buy a number of products that would make a tin of Spam look simply irresponsible for that money. I could pay $1/lb for the bodybuilder special drink mix. I could buy a pound of Boca Burger for less than $3.

If I'm smart, I could watch for a sale on boneless, skinless chicken breast and stock up when it hits $1.99/lb. While I'd not have it, that's quality way, way beyond Spam.

[joeybee12]

65. Only tastes good wearing a Viking hat n/t

[ckramer]

71. I've got spams every day

in my email. Roughly a few hundreds per day.

Yummy!

[Steerpike]

73. I ate a Spam sandwich yesterday.

Cooked, on low, in a cast iron pan with no oil. Slapped it on top of some white WonderBread, slathered with Best Foods Mayonaise. Topped it all off with a whole tomato sliced. Big Dill pickles on the side and Welch's Grape juice cut with Pur Filtered Water. I feel ten pounds heavier on just one pounds worth of food.

[Thothmes]

95. Bet it tasted good.

[Xenocrates]

78. Yuck! At least go with Turkey SPAM (nt)

[JVS]

79. Ok, as a tight-fisted bastard I'd like to point out that spam is not cheap. Unless maybe generic.

Spam generally sells for somewhere between $2.29 and $2.79 per 12 oz can. Sometimes as high as $2.99 in my experience. This means that per pound it costs a minimum of $3.05. per lb. I can buy ground beef or ground turkey for this much. I can even find ham at this price. What spam is useful for is having a can laying around in the cupboard for when you find yourself out of meat but don't want to go to the supermarket.

[ikojo]

88. I've never had spam...what do you do with

it? Fry it or can it be eaten out of the can?

[FVZA_Colonel]

90. Honestly, Spam is just not that bad.

Not my first choice certainly, but I actually kind of like it.

[NutmegYankee]

91. Thats funny. I bought some yesterday for a completely different reason.

I used to eat it back in my scouting days on campouts, so I bought some to fry up with my eggs like sausage. Nostalgia.