Paula Deen Working on a Line of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Television show host and butter queen Paula Deen is set to launch a line of fresh fruits and vegetables. She told the Richmond Times Dispatch that she's "working with farmers and other food producers," hoping to have them in stores this year.

We're guessing it's going to be similar to the Disney-branded fruits and vegetables? So, things like lettuce, celery, and apples, but with Paula Deen's smiling face on it? Maybe there will be recipes attached so that you, too, can make deep-fried celery stalks.

Joking aside, anything that makes people eat more vegetables is ostensibly a good thing — we recently posted about how simply running commercials for broccoli on television boosted sales in Canada by 8%. And if having Paula Deen's face on some packaging will make people eat more salad, that really can't be so bad. Perhaps this is an attempt to deflect criticism that her food is unhealthy — the perception is that all of her dishes are deep-fried and butter-laden — and a contribution to the obesity epidemic.

Paula Deen described the line as "a dream solution for young mothers" because of the freshness and taste of the foods, which seems a little odd — it remains to be seen how exactly Deen's vegetables are going to be more fresh or tastier than regular produce.

This is in addition to her restaurants, furniture line, matresses, cookbooks, magazine, and a line of sauces and boxed mixes. Paula Deen is a busy woman!

· Paula Deen will chat with Richmond audience Friday [Richmond Times-Dispatch via Serious Eats]
· All Paula Deen Coverage on Eater [-E-]