Sayonara, chopsticks: It’s sushi in a tube

Orange sherbet Push-Up pops have been a hit with kids for decades. More recently, yogurt in a tube, called Go-GURT, has become a hit in lunch boxes and playgrounds.

But is the world ready for push-up sushi? Lucas Furst and Evan Kaye firmly believe so, and now they've developed and marketed Sushi Poppers, essentially eight pieces of sushi flash-frozen and slid into a tube to satisfy the discerning tastes of epicureans on the go. The tube comes with a stick filled with soy sauce, so the eater can pour it on the sushi and then use the stick to push the pieces out from the tube.

Kaye, co-founder of Popper Foods LLC, tells luxury goods blog pursuitist.com that “everyone has been astounded” by the new-to-the-market concept. The pair said thousands of hours of research was put into the product, which mimics the fun child snack products and now can reach the foodie crowds. Folks can keep Sushi Poppers in their freezer, and after thawing out at room temperature for a couple of hours, will be able to enjoy what the duo say is uniformly perfect sushi.

“People are busy every single day of their lives,” Furst told AOL News. “They don’t have time to stop for lunch, let alone a healthy meal. So we want to bring healthy, nutritious meals to everyone.”

While the pair say Sushi Poppers will soon be in your grocery store’s frozen food section, they’re also marketing the poppers as a vending machine item and to sports parks, ski resorts and movie theaters. They’ve also placed the poppers in two school cafeterias, with plans to add more.

TODAY

Sushi Poppers come in flavors like chicken teryaki and spicy salmon.

Although they may not replace the Push-Up in kids’ hearts, Kaye says children have a more discerning palate than they used to.

“Sushi has become tremendously popular amongst all ages,” he told pursuitist.com. “We have cooked fish, cooked meat and vegetarian varieties, all of which are recommended for school settings.

“Sushi Popper rolls are a healthy alternative to other choices in school cafeterias and are fun to eat.”

TODAY’s Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb may need a little more convincing. On Thursday’s show, Kotb showed how to handle a Sushi Popper. Gifford tried her hand at it as well, but as the nori seaweed rolls and inside-out rolls (rice on the outside) emerged from the top, she admitted, “This is kind of gross.”

But her initial horror turned into intrigue as she pushed the sushi pieces up out of the tube. “They just keep coming — what a novel idea!” she said.

Both Kotb and Gifford balked at actively trying the product, but brought on a willing TODAY staffer to give the sushi a whirl. Chewing, he nodded his head and said, “It’s OK.”

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And “OK” is a start in the brave new world of push-up sushi.

Sushi Poppers, which come in varieties ranging from salmon and spicy tuna to chicken teriyaki and vegetarian rolls, are available for $29.95 for a six pack.