Chicago's Other Senator: Now With More Plumpynuts

By Laura Oppenheimer in Food on Dec 14, 2007 10:30PM

Sen. Dick Durbin sent out an email appeal today urging people to celebrate "A Plumpynut Holiday." Our senior sentator wants his constituents to spend $20 this holiday season on Plumpynuts, a "sweetened mixture of peanuts, essential vitamins, minerals and milk served in foil pouches [that] has become a high-nutrient, high-energy weapon in fighting malnutrition."

Plumpynuts really are a great way to spend $20. Durbin tells us that the nutritional pouches were developed by researchers in 1999, and that they are classified as a "Ready-to-Use Foods," meaning no preparation needed. In case you need a reason to donate, know this: five million children under five years of age die each year due to malnutrition-related illnesses. Plumpynuts are particularly valuable because they're so simple: They don't need to be distributed by a doctor, nothing needs to be mixed with water, and they're incredibly effective. You can make a donation at the Doctors Without Borders website.

You'd be hard-pressed to find a worthier cause. But..."plumpynut" is a hilarious word. And getting an e-mail from Durbin urging us to have a "Have a Plumpynut Christmas. A Plumpynut Kwanzaa. A Plumpynut Hannukah. And a great Plumpynut New Year" was just the sort of giggle-inducing email we were looking for on a Friday afternoon that refuses to move along any faster.

And the giggling only encouraged those of us in the Chicagoist office to try out some plumpynut one-liners. Please, add your own in the comments. [Ed note: I will donate $20 to Plumpynuts in your name if you come up with the best zinger.]

Are those plumpynuts, or are you just happy to see me?

Plumpynut: For when no other nut will do.