When “DO NOT EAT” becomes just “EAT,” life is good.

Online shopping continues to rise in popularity and home deliveries are at an all-time high. But with all the rumbling and tussling that goes with shipping, it’s important to choose the right packing material. Styrofoam used to be the go-to stuff, but is wasteful and harmful to people and the planet. Bubble wrap is great stuff for obvious reasons, but recently has been getting harder and harder to pop.

And then there’s the packing chosen by a company that Twitter user Kotaro (@mhusgd4ksm) placed an order with that went a whole other route with this dilemma. Realizing that you’re never going to find the perfect packing, you might as well go with something that’ll put a smile on someone’s face.

▼ “A package sent to my company had this inside. Nice!”

Rather than chemical foam or bags of air, this package was secure with packets of tasty popcorn! Unfortunately, since Kotaro receives a lot of packages at his job, he forgot which shipper used this particular packing.

The package reads “edible packing” and has a Japanese equivalent warning of “DON’T EAT” but with the “N’T” crossed out.

However, even though it’s just popcorn, that doesn’t mean we can let our guard down. The package also contains some warnings about the contents:

  • This does have an expiration date. Be careful.
  • Although checked thoroughly, there is a small chance unpopped kernels are mixed in the bag. They can be very hard and hurt you teeth and gums, so please be careful.
  • Avoid exposure to direct sunlight. After opening, the taste begins to diminish rapidly so eat quickly.

Of course this should all be common sense to anyone with even a casual interest in popcorn, but it’s good to know they’re looking out for us. Others online where also touched by the gesture, though some would prefer a different ingredient altogether.

“I want that! It’s stylish.”
“I wonder if this will catch on. Other packing materials are wasteful.”
“Good sense of humor, and interesting!”
“I think this technique has other possible applications too..”
“If that came with a DVD, it would be too perfect.”
“They deserve the Nobel Prize.”
“I don’t think I would eat that.”
“Marshmallow would be better.”

It would seem that marshmallow has too much give to be an effective packing material; it would all just squish up and leave empty space. Popcorn on the other hand is firmer and could withstand more jostling if need be. Plus I would wager that popcorn is more universally enjoyed than marshmallow.

Still, there probably does exist an even better treat that could protect both your package from damage and your stomach from the munchies. Steamed broccoli might work well and is healthy, but probably not cost effective. Peanuts run too high of an allergy risk, and fried chicken would just turn out gross.

We haven’t found it yet, but the answer is out there, and it’s delicious.

Source: Twitter/@mhusgd4ksm, My Game News Flash
Top image: Pakutaso