Packaging can make or break a product. Some things are tricky to unpack, and we just have to deal with it.
Door number 14 has the scoop.
December 14, 2025
I majored in chemistry, not archeology, but every few weeks I open a new container of protein powder and begin an expedition to locate the Lost Scoop of the Breakfast Smoothie. The journey of discovery begins by unsealing the cannister whose contents have remained untouched since it was packed last month in the Valley of Processed Food.
Unlike my archeological cohorts in the field, my dig site is delivered to my door by a guy with a smile on his blue vest. I’m grateful for not having to labor under the hot desert sun and the proximity of indoor facilities. I’ve also never had to outrun a rolling boulder or keep company with a duplicitous capuchin monkey. Overall, my experience is unremarkable, but I find that adventure is in the heart of the beholder.
Rather than a pick and a soft-bristled brush, the tool of my trade is a salad fork. Its tines are shorter than the dinner variety which helps in the confines of the plastic tub. One would expect that a spoon would be a more effective tool for digging. The first discovery I made as a kitchen archeologist is that a spoon is effective at launching the fine powder all over the counter when the scoop encounters resistance from its densely settled surroundings. The best way to avoid that booby trap is to use a fork, into which the scoop may slot. A gentle wiggling motion while simultaneously lifting results in a clean extraction. Breakfast is but a few blender pulses away.
Whatever your day holds, I hope you see the adventure that lies just beneath the surface. A sable fedora and a bullwhip aren’t required to set off on an adventure. Adventure is a state of mind. For me today it’s heading to the grocery store on a snowy Sunday morning to stock up on snacks for the football game. I need to get the honey mustard pretzel braids before the enemy spies find them and escape through the sliding doors just as they close. And, of course, I’ll safely stow the pretzels in my reusable shopping bag.
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