What’s up with food companies putting half-a-serving amounts on their products’ nutritional panels? Tuna fish cans, back in the day when they held 6 ounces, claimed to contain 2.5 servings. Does that mean I can make 2.5 servings of tuna fish salad? Does it mean I can make 2.5 tuna fish sandwiches? Who gets the half sandwich? Is the can designed to feed two adults and a small child?
My favorite buffalo chicken bites box claims to contain 3.5 servings per package. I consider it to have two servings max, one serving if you’re a teenager.
I bought a pre-made salad today that claims to contain 4.5 servings. It’s just pieces of lettuce with a sprinkle of cheese, bacon bits, and faux grilled chicken. I want to ask them, “Are you sure it’s four and a half servings? Are you sure it’s not two servings, or maybe even one serving?” How come putting lettuce in a small container makes a single 290 calorie serving, while putting the same lettuce in a larger container makes makes several 130 calorie servings? Are food companies playing games with us?
You bet they are.
1 comment:
The first item I can remember shrinking in size is a pound of bacon shrinking to 12 ounces in around 1960 or earlier. Since then they have gone wild. Smaller cans of Campbell's soup, smaller cans of everything, same size cereal boxes but thinner. Half gallon ice cream? Only one brand left. When will a dozen eggs drop to ten? And these clever marketing gurus think we don't notice. Really!?
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