After-school snacks are getting a lot smarter. After all, when's the last time a cookie taught your kid the capital of Texas, names of the presidents or a bit of Espanol? Better still, it's the brainchild of a mom and dad right here in Troy.
"Think education on an animal cracker," as Dick Held puts it. He's a branding guru and half of the new Dick & Jane Baking Company. Yes: His wife, a veteran elementary and ESL teacher, is really named Jane (they have four kids, ranging in age from 15 to 23). They're a real-life version of those books that taught kids to read in the '50s – only this duo offers a tasty yet healthy take on history and language.
Dick & Jane's whole-grain, nut-free snacks are engraved with illustrations and little lessons.
In the "State & Capitals" edition, for instance, each cookie shows one of the 50 states, both in words and shapes, with a small star marking the chief city. A "Presidents" series covers all 44 leaders, from Washington to Obama, and "English & Spanish" translates 10 numbers and 50 vocab words.
An entire "library" is in the works, with plans to tackle math, science and more. Not to mention, Dick & Jane are forming a foundation to raise $1 billion for education. Go, Dick & Jane, go!
Geared at grades K-8, these treats sell for about $3.49 a box at southeast Michigan Meijer locations and on Amazon.com.
