Kraft’s new Salad Frosting can help parents con kids into eating veggies

Just like Mary Poppins’ spoonful of sugar, Kraft’s new Salad Frosting should make the veggies go down easier.

It’s a universal truth — well, maybe more like stereotype — that kids hate eating vegetables. So, in an effort to help parents get their kids to eat healthy, Kraft has a great idea: Lie to kids.

And so, the company has introduced — er, rebranded — its salad dressing: Salad Frosting.

OK, so it’s really just ranch in a pretty package. But it’s “a sure fire way to get your kids to eat some greens,” Kraft writes for its #LieLikeAParent campaign.

“Innocent lies parents tell their kids help alleviate the pressures of everyday parenting, and if it gets kids to eat their greens, so be it,” Kraft’s head of marketing Sergio Eleuterio said in a press release. ““Simple innocent lies are not only part of parenthood, but a true tactic used by parents everywhere. Kraft Salad ‘Frosting’ is one lie you won’t feel bad telling your kids.”

Although, CNN points out that 2 tablespoons Kraft’s “frosting” comes with 110 calories, 11 grams of fat, and 290 milligrams of sodium. Betty Crocker vanilla frosting? That’s got 140 calories, 5 grams of fat, and 70 milligrams of sodium. Not really a major difference.

And don’t forget that this ruse only works if the child has never tasted ranch dressing and wouldn’t figure it out within the first bite. But, hey, at least they’re trying.

Remember Heinz tried repackaging ketchup for kids back in 2000. Yeah, that didn’t go so well.

Kraft is so in on this deception thing that it wants to hear parents’ best lies to their kids, asking parents to tweet using the #LieLikeAParent and #Contest hashtags. The company will pick 1,500 winners based on likes and originality and will get a free sample of Salad Frosting.

Some entries have already come in.

The best lie I told my kids is when the ice cream truck plays music, it means he's out of ice cream #LieLikeAParent #Contest

— It's me! (@luvdabeach33) June 10, 2019

i tell my 3 year old something is spicy if i don’t want to share it. ?? #LieLikeAParent

— Jennifer Garza (@jnnfrgrza) June 10, 2019

My kids were nagging me to buy them a treat at the pool, so I told them there was only broccoli ice cream available. Problem solved. #LieLikeAParent #ad

— Mommy Owl (@Lhlodder) June 10, 2019

7-year-old: I don't want asparagus.

Me: It's not asparagus. It's green licorice.

She took another bite.#LieLikeAParent #Ad

— James Breakwell, Exploding Unicorn (@XplodingUnicorn) June 10, 2019

The best lie I told my kids is that eating broccoli is what gives unicorns their sparkle power and you too can have the same sparkle power by eating it too! #LieLikeAParent #Contest

— april (@ashcraft_april) June 10, 2019

Of course, not everyone is on board with these “lies” to kids.

Shame on you, @KraftHeinzCo. Seriously? #Lielikeaparent? Relationships are built on trust, and no, "innocent lies" are not a part of parenthood. No lies are innocent.

— B G (@bguezzie) June 10, 2019