Is it healthy?
Yesterday I saw a commercial for Cheerios that you may be familiar with. It’s the one where the cereal company makes the attention-grabbing health claim that “Cheerios lowers cholesterol.”
Having worked in the ad industry, I’ve spent my fair share of time turning not-quite-true health claims into sales. Here’s how it goes:
1. There’s a product that needs to be sold. An ad agency is hired for millions of dollars.
2. There’s a minor health benefit or possible correlation to a health fad, and lots of legal issues about what can and can’t be said about the product. Lots of gray areas here, giving ad folks room to create a “health halo” around a not-so-healthy product.
3. The consumer mistakenly believes they are spending their hard-earned money on quality, healthy food.
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May 8th, 2013 | family, food marketing, Is it healthy? | 7 Comments »
When I used to work in advertising we had a saying, “You can have it fast, cheap or good. Pick 2.” This reader-requested series is about choosing fast and good when it comes to packaged food. Real(ish) food that is ready in minutes. It’s for those times that cooking is not an option. (Of course I’d like to think that everyone has leftovers and a stocked pantry…and that cooking really IS always an option with advance preparation and a little kitchen know-how…but alas, I understand. Sometimes we just need fast. And goodness knows, the food industry is here to fill that gap.
I have an on-again/off-again relationship with Trader Joe’s. They do have a lot of inexpensive, healthy options. But just because it’s sold by Trader Joe’s doesn’t mean it’s good for you. Read labels and make no assumptions, that’s all I can say.
However this series is about what we CAN turn to when cooking isn’t an option, so let’s focus there. In this week prior to Thanksgiving many of us are traveling, preparing for guests and going a teensy, weensy bit out of our minds.
First:
Make sure to grab your free pre-holiday gift. That should take the edge off.
Next:
This Vegetable Panang Curry ain’t half bad for a quick meal. Let’s take a closer look.
Trader Joe’s True Thai
While I’m not normally a fan of anything that says “Microwave in can”, I understand the value of convenience. The front of this package actually doesn’t make any health claims so we’re gonna have to turn it over and take a looksee for ourselves!
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November 20th, 2012 | Is it healthy?, vegan | No Comments »
When I used to work in advertising we had a saying, “You can have it fast, cheap or good. Pick 2.” This reader-requested series is about choosing fast and good when it comes to packaged food. Real(ish) food that is ready in minutes. It’s for those times that cooking is not an option. (Of course I’d like to think that everyone has leftovers and a stocked pantry…and that cooking really IS always an option with advance preparation and a little kitchen know-how…but alas, I understand. Sometimes we just need fast. And goodness knows, the food industry is here to fill that gap.
Typical advice when shopping for real food is to avoid the center aisles of the grocery store. Stick to the perimeter where you find fresh produce, meat and fish. Well, now and then mama’s got to take a jaunt into the center aisles, right? It’s mostly junk but there are a few decent options, thank goodness:
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November 14th, 2012 | Is it healthy? | No Comments »
When I used to work in advertising we had a saying, “You can have it fast, cheap or good. Pick 2.” This reader-requested series is about choosing fast and good when it comes to packaged food. Real(ish) food that is ready in minutes. It’s for those times that cooking is not an option. (Of course I’d like to think that everyone has leftovers and a stocked pantry…and that cooking really IS always an option with advance preparation and a little kitchen know-how…but alas, I understand. Sometimes we just need fast. And goodness knows, the food industry is here to fill that gap.
The freezer section is chock full of fast meal ideas. I was pretty sure I was going to get in trouble for opening and closing all the doors and standing there taking pictures for you guys! The security cameras must have been curious about why I was putting back boxes of fish sticks, chicken stir frys and soy cheese pizza. But the truth is, it’s damn hard to find real food in the freezer section. Even at Whole Foods. In the end, only one brand stood out:
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November 9th, 2012 | Is it healthy? | 3 Comments »
This is a series dedicated to giving the middle finger to the food industry – more specifically to the food marketing industry. Because I used to work in advertising, selling “food” products that I wouldn’t touch with a 10 foot pole. And neither should you. Here’s why.
I remember when Chobani hit the blog scene. It felt like every healthy food blogger was suddenly raving about the free samples they’d received in the mail and using yogurt in their baking and cooking umpteen ways. Well, gotta hand it to the marketing folks at Chobani. They got the word out, big time! So let’s talk about it.
Chobani Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt is delicious, no doubt. And it’s been receiving attention for having more protein and less sugar than regular yogurt. Chobani in particular has been appealing to the health-conscious consumer and we see this reflected in the packaging. “Only Natural Ingredients” is scrawled across the top (but we know by now that means nothing, right? The word “Natural” has yet to be regulated by the USDA.) Chobani also reminds us that this product is non-fat (some varieties are low-fat). And as a sponsor of the Olympic team, it’s gotta be good for us, right?
Well, it appears to be healthy! But is it?
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June 25th, 2012 | dairy, groceries, Is it healthy? | 11 Comments »
This is a series dedicated to giving the middle finger to the food industry – more specifically to the food marketing industry. Because I used to work in advertising, selling “food” products that I wouldn’t touch with a 10 foot pole. And neither should you. Here’s why.
For those avoiding meat or even just looking for an easy meal, the freezer section is full of stuff like this:
Morningstar Hickory BBQ Riblets
According to the package, these riblets are made with “natural” ingredients. As an unregulated term, “natural” means absolutely nothing – did you know that? So we’ll just skip it. Next, we get a calorie count and claims of being an excellent source of protein and a cholesterol free food. The mere fact that these claims prominently exist on the package shows that the marketer is looking to persuade buyers who consider themselves “healthy eaters.”
Well, it appears to be healthy! But is it?
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June 18th, 2012 | groceries, Is it healthy?, vegetarian | 3 Comments »
This is a series dedicated to giving the middle finger to the food industry – more specifically to the food marketing industry. Because I used to work in advertising, selling “food” products that I wouldn’t touch with a 10 foot pole. And neither should you. Here’s why.
Everyone is looking for a healthy breakfast or snack on the go, right? How about this:
Kellogg’s Special K Bars
90 Calories per bar! That’s the first thing we see. And that’s good marketing for those counting calories. (Too bad that never seems to keep the weight off for good, huh?) But Kellogg knows its audience: women. Women who want to be thin. So they throw out a few more diet buzz-words, like “Good source of FIBER” and “2g FAT per serving.”
Ok, ok. I get it. I’m looking to lose weight, this is the perfect snack! Right?
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June 13th, 2012 | groceries, Is it healthy? | 6 Comments »
This is a series dedicated to giving the middle finger to the food industry – more specifically to the food marketing industry. Because I used to work in advertising, selling “food” products that I wouldn’t touch with a 10 foot pole. And neither should you. Here’s why.
At the grocery store there is a whole aisle of juice. Here’s one that caught my eye:
Ocean Spray Cran-Pomegranate Juice
See that “No High Fructose Corn Syrup” callout? That’s a good thing, because lots of juices contain HFCS. It’s an even better thing for Ocean Spray because they know that their target market – women, moms – are tuned into that message of avoiding HFCS. What else does Ocean Spray want us to know? That this juice has 100% of our recommended daily Vitamin C. Fair enough. (FYI, the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C for women is 75 mg – which you can easily get from an orange, a red pepper, a small serving of brussels sprouts or even white potatoes.)
But what Ocean Spray really wants us to know is that their fruit juice is straight from the bog – fresh, homegrown! Don’t you see that quaint scene on the label? Don’t you just want to trust a brand like that?
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June 4th, 2012 | beverage, groceries, Is it healthy? | 10 Comments »
This is a series dedicated to giving the middle finger to the food industry – more specifically to the food marketing industry. Because I used to work in advertising, selling “food” products that I wouldn’t touch with a 10 foot pole. And neither should you. Here’s why.
Today we are taking a stroll down the snack aisle:
Reduced Fat Wheat Thins
Taking a look at the package we see that the folks at Nabisco are obviously looking out for our health. Aren’t they? They’ve named this snack Wheat Thins after all, not Candy Fats! Wheat sounds healthy. So does “thin”. Their marketing strategy is hitting the nail on the head with women like us already! Next, we see that this is the Reduced Fat version AND that they are using 100% whole grains. Again, they appeal to us by using the buzzwords that attract women who care about health.
It appears to be healthy. But is it?
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May 29th, 2012 | groceries, Is it healthy? | 14 Comments »
