Dinosaur of the Month: Dino Nuggets
Growing up, I always had a fresh home-cooked meal ready for me. My mom, through her decades of experience in the kitchen, could whip up sandwiches, curries, and even fried rice in a matter of minutes. My dad, on the other hand, would throw a few hotdogs and chicken legs on the grill and we’d have fresh barbecue at our convenience. Hence, frozen dinner meals weren’t really a part of my childhood. In fact, I grew up begging my mom to let me eat Kid Cuisine for dinner, blissfully unaware of the privilege of having freshly cooked food at the table. The only exception we ever made in my household for frozen food was an exception that I hold near and dear to my heart: Dino Nuggets.
Chicken nuggets are every child’s fantasy. When I was in elementary school, I vividly remember my idea of heaven being a place where I could eat unlimited chicken nuggets. These breaded pieces of processed chicken are tasty, versatile, and convenient. Pair them with ketchup for a quick and easy lunch. Dip them in honey mustard for a refreshing take on an old classic. Or, toss them in hot sauce for a quick fix to satisfy your boneless wings cravings. These are all assets that any old chicken nugget possesses. But imagine all of these perks with the additional benefit of dinosaur shape. Does it really get any better than that?
As you’re reading this article, you’re probably wondering if Dino Nuggets even count as a type of dinosaur. Typically, dinosaur meat is not involved in the production of Dino Nuggets. Dino Nuggets also don’t contain any artificial or natural flavorings meant to mimic the taste of dinosaur. The invention of Dino Nuggets doesn’t even overlap with the existence of living dinosaurs on this Earth. These are all reasonable arguments to make. However, by narrowing the definition of dinosaur, we’re not only invalidating underrepresented groups of dinosaurs (such as flying and underwater dinosaurs), but we’re also neglecting the importance of phenotypic similarities. The Dino Nugget may smell like chicken and taste like chicken, but it looks like a dinosaur. When kids go to the grocery store with their parents, you’ll seldom ever hear them asking for Tyson Chicken Nuggets; they’ll almost always be begging for Dino Nuggets. The children of today are the adults of tomorrow. Listen to them, hear them out, and make an attempt to understand them. Standing in solidarity with the American youth, I’m declaring March’s Dinosaur of the Month to be the Dino Nugget.
“you’re probably wondering if Dino Nuggets even count as a type of dinosaur. Typically, dinosaur meat is not involved in the production of Dino Nuggets.”
On the contrary, living birds — including chicken — *are* dinosaurs, in the same way that humans are primates. So dino nuggets are in fact made out of dinosaur meat.