Organic Toaster Pastries

My kids like toaster pastries largely for the same reasons I almost never buy them: they're ultrasweet, smeared (and sometimes filled) with sugary frosting, and although they don't remotely resemble anything like an actual "pastry," they're weirdly addictive. Most trips to the grocery store include a pass through the seemingly ever-expanding toaster-pastry aisle and a briefly, occasionally heated dialogue that always begins, "Mom, can we get . . ." and ends with "You're so mean." (Their words, not mine.) Last week, however, things turned out a bit differently at the Super Wal-Mart where we shop for groceries.

Rolling my eyes at the close of the weekly "mean" invective, something caught in my peripheral vision. Three modest little red boxes in a sea of splashy blue and yellow. I stepped closer to investigate. "Nature's Path Organic Frosted Toaster Pastries," I read off one box, which was well placed in terms of shelf space, at eye level. Ha-ha, I thought a bit cynically. They wanted toaster pastries? Fine! Let them eat toaster pastries. Organic, zero-trans-fat, whole-grain, real-fruit toaster pastries! Sure, they'd probably taste much like the box they came packaged in, but whatever. At least they had some protein and a bit of fiber, not to mention a good dose of iron. I perused the flavor options, selected one, put it into the cart, and rounded the corner, feeling a little self-righteous, I confess, about the organic food now nestled in my cart.

"Hey, who wants a Pop-Tart?" I said deceptively misapplying the brand name the following morning. I wasn't trying to deceive, really, I just knew I wasn't going to sell a teenage boy on "organic toaster pastry." "Cool, what flavor?" I checked the box. "Cherry . . . Pomegranate." "Uh, Cherry Pomegranate? Is this Pop-Tart brand?" Yes, he actually asked. "No, I'm trying a new brand. Sounded like an interesting flavor." And then, before he could probe any further, I slit the package open and chucked the organic toaster pastry twins into the toaster oven. My daughter eyed me speculatively. "Can I see the box?" "Nope," I answered, shoving it back on top of the fridge. "Well, are they frosted?" I peered into the toaster oven. "Yup." That seemed to satisfy her.

After a few seconds, the delicious smell typical to toaster pastries began to waft out of the toaster oven. The knob popped up and they were done. I used a wooden spoon to ease them out and onto plates, where I finally got a good look at these organic babies. I must say, they were pretty fine. Somewhat plumper than the usual toaster pastry, they were covered in an even layer of pink frosting. Hmmm. I set them down in front of the kids. Waited for chewing to commence, then asked, "So?" "S'good," my son pronounced. "Very good," seconded my daughter, "tastes like real fruit!" "Can I have another?" my son asked. And the next day, and the next day. The box was quickly gone, a testament to the fact that it was flavor, not a fluke, that drove their enthusiasm. I'm inspired now to explore a whole new array of organic food, even if it does require a little bit of initial subterfuge.

I paid approximately $2.25 (US) for an 11-ounce (312 g) package containing 6 tarts. And not only does the box bear the "USDA Organic" badge, but turned to reveal its bottom, there is a quote from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: "One must ask children and birds how cherries and strawberries taste." Indeed!