There seems to be no compromise with this one: you either love SPAM, or you don't. And
whether you're a fan of it or not, you might want to stick around for 10 Things You Didn't
Know About SPAM!
It's Produced Like... A Lot
If you're not a fan of SPAM, it must be hard to imagine why some people eat it. Heck, even
people who do eat it sometimes wonder why. But despite its seemingly wide unpopularity,
SPAM is still being produced a lot. Like at a ridiculously high rate. Around 44,000 cans
are produced every hour, which rounds up around 33,000 pounds of the canned meat. Since its
first introduction in 1937, over 8 billion cans have been sold worldwide. That's a whole
lot of something that's not even loved by half of the population. It's also sold in
over 40 countries, so I guess we're not the only ones to consider when talking about its
popularity. Another fun little fact is that just over 12.8 cans of SPAM are eaten every
second. Every second. That adds up to a whopping 800 cans a minute, 1 million a day,
and 400 million per year. So, before going around and claiming that "no one likes this
stuff," think about all of the numbers just listed. Think about all the people who are
gobbling down SPAM on a daily basis for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. That's gotta set the record
straight! It's not going to change how it tastes, but it sure does highlight its popularity.
Gordon Ramsay Hates SPAM (Like REALLY Hates It)
It should come as no surprise that one of the greatest and, let's be honest, crudest
chefs on television would have a strong opinion on SPAM. I mean, it is a weirdly colored
ham after all. But despite having done some recipes with the alleged "pork" over the years,
Gordon Ramsay has expressed his loathing and passionate hatred for SPAM on multiple occasions.
On one episode of the former British show Hotel GB, Ramsay revealed what lead him to the kitchen.
The answer? SPAM. He was tired of eating so much SPAM and junk all the time that he decided
to become a chef to stop eating all of these "so-called" meals in a can. He also said that
he used to eat SPAM every Friday night. Right out of the can. He said it was like eating
a brick. Can we really blame him for wanting to stop this madness? And to think that canned
meat was a big part of his decision that led him to being one of the most successful chefs
ever. Of course, eating it straight out of a can might not be the fanciest or most gourmet way
to eat SPAM, but then again, is there really a way to make this preserved meat look fancy?
Perhaps. But if there was a way back then, the world might have never known the wonderful
and colorful chef that is Gordon Ramsay.
It Can Save Entire Nations
It's a bird, it's a plane, no! It's a can of SPAM! Whether it's because you forgot to
go grocery shopping or because you're too impatient to wait for your meat to defrost,
a good old can of SPAM is always ready - probably sitting in the dark corner of your pantry,
collecting dust. But, hey, it's still there - ready to swoop in to save the day like Superman!
Back in the day, after World War II, SPAM came to the rescue of many starving people,
like the people of Hawaii for instance. The U.S. government had placed restrictions on
Hawaii's deep-sea fishing industry, which meant islanders were no longer allowed to
fish, resulting in the loss of one of the most important sources of protein they had.
Cue SPAM. Without this gem of a can, the economy probably would've collapsed and left the people
of Hawaii starving. Countries like Japan and South Korea have also been saved from starvation
by the almighty SPAM and have since kept the product as part of their daily eating habits.
Even today, Hawaii is still grateful for this canned gift and it has become the largest
market for SPAM worldwide! Just in Hawaii alone, around 7 million cans are consumed
every year and SPAM has sort of became the unofficial national dish! You can literally
find the stuff everywhere. From sushi restaurants to McDonald's, SPAM has truly become a staple
of Hawaiin cuisine.
What It Actually Stands For
Turns out, the mystery of SPAM doesn't only reside in what it's made of, but also in what
the name actually stands for. You might have heard some different guesses as to what the
initials stand for like: "Specially Processed American Meat," "Something Posing As Meat,"
or even, the most ridiculous of all, "Slimy Processed Anemic Mucus," which all sound, somewhat
accurate, to an extent, but funny enough, no one actually knows the real answer. According
to Hormel, the company which produces SPAM, the brother of one of the executives came
up with the name during a contest in which he won $100 as a reward. Apparently, the name
derived from "spiced ham." Despite this "revelation," there is still a ton of speculation surrounding
the significance of the name. Probably because it's more fun making up your own creations
than settling on some boringly obvious answer that has to do with actual ham. There's even
a joke on the company's website in which it states that the real answer is only known
by a very small circle of former Hormel Foods executives. And probably Nostradamus. Maybe,
some things are better left unknown.
There Was A SPAM Mascot
Like every good sports team or restaurant chain, SPAM also had its very own mascot,
cheering on their brand! Only this particular mascot wasn't cheering for their team to score
or for kids to eat more Happy Meals, but rather for the American Troops during World War II.
Slammin' Spammy was a "gun-toting, bomb-hurling, angry-faced pig" that was introduced by Hormel
during the War to help support the Armed Forces during tough times, and he was literally everywhere.
You could see him on clothing and on bombers. What a nice way to show your support! He
was also a symbol of how SPAM helped feed the soldiers and became one of their main
food sources. Talk about a multiusage treat. Over 150 million pounds of SPAM was used in
the war effort, and Slammin' Spammy became the face of the brand. Look at that determination!
To celebrate its 75th anniversary, SPAM came out with a brand new mascot, Sir Can-A-Lot,
"a loveable character here to rescue the world from routine meals.” Definitely a more harmless
and innocent looking mascot, that's for sure.
Email or SPAM?
We've already somewhat cleared the air on why SPAM was named SPAM, but, have you ever
wondered why your junk mail is also called spam? Well, there's a funny little story behind
that one, and it's way less murky than the original one. Once upon a time, the canned
meat made an appearance in a notorious Monty Python sketch, and it turned SPAM into not
only a pop culture icon but also into the term referencing your unwanted mail. This
all happened due to a very distinct moment in the skit when a group of Vikings loudly
chants 'SPAM, SPAM, SPAM...' in an increasing crescendo, which drowns out the other conversations
happening - just like when your inbox floods with junk emails and drowns out the normal
course of the Internet. Basically, the annoyance brought on by the excessive use of the word
SPAM reminded people of the repetitive, useless emails they would get over and over. It could
also be because people were getting sick and tired of seeing SPAM in every single meal
and connected it with the other type of spam. Either way, SPAM is now forever associated
with those annoying chain emails that you can't seem to escape from and the countless
cruises to the Bahamas you've won over the years. Ah, SPAM, always the butt of the joke,
aren't you?
A Radio Star
Not only is SPAM in your grocery store, on your TV and, sometimes, the star of some very
disturbing childhood nightmares, but it was also once found in one of the most unexpected
places ever: in your car! Or rather on the radio inside your car, but it's all relative. The
Hormel Girls were an all-girl band of 60 members, dressed in military-style, hired after World
War II to promote Hormel's products to a peacetime audience and create jobs for women Veterans.
They would travel around the country, singing and performing while advertising SPAM - a
dream job, basically - promoting SPAM for a living. The band eventually got their own
radio show, Music With The Hormel Girls, which became quite successful. It would air
on Sunday nights, and they played popular tunes, read poems, and sang songs. While they
didn't sing about SPAM, they did push the product to the masses and helped sales skyrocket.
They basically sold America on SPAM with their charm and enchanting voices. The Hormel Girls
are now considered an early symbol of the independent woman and a true Minnesota treasure.
Just like SPAM, sort of.
There's A SPAM Museum
You've heard of the MET, the Louvres, and even the Big Mac Museum - well now get ready
to live a whole new experience with the SPAM Museum! Yep, it's a thing! If you happen to
be passing by downtown Austin, Minnesota, why not pay a little visit to this amazing
place that sounds like it's right out of a whacky TV Show. Not only is it free, but you
can visit over 9 galleries filled with interactive games, displays, with plenty of picture opportunities.
For free. You don't pay a cent. The website mentions this museum to be a trip for the
history books... and for the cookbooks as well!. You can find everything from historical
information on how the brand started and how SPAM came to be, to new and fun recipes to
try at home. There are even exhibits where you can pack and seal your own can of SPAM!
You can either fly solo and be your own tour guide or, if you want the full experience,
you can tag along with one of their "SPAMbassadors", who will show you the secrets and wonders
of the museum. This just proves that really anything is possible these days, anything.
Even a Museum for canned meat. What a great time to be alive!
You Shouldn't Eat SPAM Every Day
It's common knowledge that SPAM isn't exactly seen as the healthiest of foods. So it's kind
of a given that it shouldn't be part of your daily diet. But, what you might not know is
why exactly that is. Yes, there's some protein and vitamins, but there are also some much
more concerning components that make this concoction so unique. Despite having only 6 ingredients,
which doesn't sound so scary after all, the amount of salt and fat is rather questionable and,
let's be honest, quite scary. Did you know that in one single can of SPAM, lurks a whopping
96 grams of fat? In one can. And that's not all! With over 4 grams of sodium, it's more
than twice the daily recommended sodium intake. Ouch, that's a lot of bags of chips you got
to say goodbye to if you want your precious slice of SPAM in the morning. But, if SPAM
is your jam, just remember this: a can of SPAM a day will not keep the doctor away!
SPAM On The Rocks, With A Twist, Please
Who doesn't enjoy a nice, refreshing cocktail with friends during a night out on the town?
And who doesn't also enjoy a little snack to make things even better? Well, if that
tiny olive in your Martini isn't enough to satiate you, you might want to try - or not
- the Spam Mai-Tai cocktail. Yes, there actually was someone brilliant enough to invent a SPAM
cocktail. This is definitely a very interesting spin on SPAM, to say the least. To celebrate
the first SPAM Restaurant Month (again, an actual thing), the Duck's Inn came up with
a new and original way to serve SPAM in a can. Because yes, it's actually served in
a SPAM can. Don't worry; there's not going to be big chunks of soggy meat randomly floating
around in your glass; it's actually an infused drink rather than a mixed drink. By cooking
SPAM with lard and mixing it with two different types of rum and letting it sit overnight,
the famous Mai Thai becomes a saltier and meatier version of its usual tropical self.
They then add some pineapple juice and lime juice to take away a bit of the strong pork
flavor. Oh, how yummy sounding. Now, while this isn't your traditional go-to drink for
your Friday night out, it's still... interesting to know it exists, right?
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