How about a little break from the heavy news? With schools out, it’s likely you have made your fair share of lunches lately-and there is a good chance you’ve made a can or two of the “spaghetti you can eat with a spoon!”
Next time, the simple kiddo lunch can double as a little Homeschool History 101, too. There is a Wisconsin connection.
It was 55 years ago when SpaghettiO’s hit the shelves. On May 16, 1965, we had a new favorite called SpaghettiOs and it was marketed as the “neat round spaghetti you can eat with a spoon.” It was created by a University of Wisconsin grad.
Waukesha County native Donald Goerke is considered the daddy-o of SpaghettiOs. Born in 1926, Goerke helped the Waukesha High School basketball team win the 1944 state championship before earning an MBA at the University of Wisconsin in 1951. After beginning his career in marketing at the Valentin Blatz Brewing Company, he devoted 35 years to the Campbell Soup Company until his 1990 retirement.
Donald Goerke put his skills to work when he was asked to develop an easy-to-eat meal for children. He opted for a round pasta that could stand up to canning and reheating, and that kids could eat with a spoon without making a mess, much to the delight of parents.
The jingle that accompanied television ads ended with the hummable, “Uh-oh, SpaghettiOs.” The product permeated pop culture, with Goerke appearing on Today and What’s My Line? and autographing cans at company-sponsored events.
CLICK TO WATCH THE BLAST FROM THE PAST…UH OH!
Overall, he helped to introduce more than 100 products — including Chunky, a ready-to-eat soup.
