Del Monte recently announced two new pickles to its line up:

Zingers Hot & Spicy Dill Babies
Zingers Hot & Sweet Chips

Notice that the product image is actually the "Gedney" brand, not Del Monte. This is because I wrote to the people handling the marketing for these new pickles, and asked them for a product image. They refused saying the company is trying to leverage their pickles as a healthy alternative to junk food, and didn't think it would be appropriate for this blog.

But I happened to know that ALL Del Monte pickles are made by Gedney, and that Gedney simply licenses the Del Monte label. So, here's sticking it to ya!

Supposedly these pickles are really hot. One blogger had this to say...

I bought some Gedney Zingers pickles last night...those things are HOT. Holy shit. They need to have a warning label. I like spicy and I love pickles, but DANG.

Del Monte is associating its two new Zingers pickles as something for the football season, reminding us that pickles are great for snacking and great as garnishments on hamburgers and hotdogs.

So what about this effort by Del Monte (er, Gedney) trying to push pickles as a healthy alternative? Well, when the marketing people wrote back to me, they had this to say...

Pickles have no fat and are low in both calories and carbohydrates - making them a very healthy food. Lately our key messages have been focused on the healthy benefits of pickles - encouraging parents to incorporate pickles into their children's after-school snacking.

Yeah. Exactly what football fans want to hear.

But for all you moms, the company has made available a pickle poster that you're supposed to hang on your refrigerator, reminding kids to reach for a pickle.