My can of chili turned into a rock after I forgot to add water

Last Tuesday I was dead tired after work and cracked open a can of chili to heat up for dinner. I dumped it straight into a bowl and microwaved it for 2 minutes like I always do. Instead of getting that nice soupy chili, I ended up with this dried out brick that stuck to the bowl like cement. Turns out I grabbed the can of chili concentrate by mistake, the kind you're supposed to mix with a whole can of water before heating. I tried scraping it out with a fork and eating it anyway, but it was like chewing on gravel mixed with beans. Ended up just tossing the whole thing and opening a can of tomato soup instead. Has anyone else made that mistake with condensed stuff where you forgot the water part?

2 comments

2 Comments

ninab951mo ago

hard disagree honestly. sounds like user error not a design flaw. if you cant read the giant letters on the can that say CONCENTRATE then that's on you. plus calling it a "rock" is dramatic, bet it was still edible just needed a fork and a glass of water. manufacturers put those instructions there for a reason, not everyone eats chili straight from the can like an animal. next time maybe read the label before you dump stuff in a bowl.

the_phoenix1mo ago

Tbh @ninab95 I get where you're coming from but I gotta push back a little. Calling it a "rock" might be dramatic sure, but if a product turns into a literal brick when you don't follow the directions exactly, that's still kinda a design issue. Like yeah read the label, but some people grab things quick at the store and don't notice the tiny font. Plus not everyone has the time or patience to rehydrate chili with hot water, that's an extra step most people don't expect for something labeled as chili. I've bought concentrate stuff before and it's always clearer in the branding like "add milk" or "add water" right on the front, so if this can buried it in small print that's on them a bit.