Why can’t food just be food?
“The best marketing doesn't feel like marketing.” - Tom Fishburne, Founder & CEO, Marketoonist
Grocery shopping is one of those necessary tasks that we as adults have to complete. Our bodies need food, so we find ways to acquire food. Even those who claim to be top tier take out connoisseurs, have spent some time going through grocery stores making some sort of purchase. We spend a good amount of time going up and down the aisles focusing on the products that we came in for and the products that we are used to, that we might not notice all the various ways marketing plays a role in our food choices.
We usually make purchasing decisions when we see certain packaging. Of course we are familiar with the cartoon characters on cereal boxes or the brand logos that incorporate pictures, but I’m also referring to the words that are strategically placed on packages or even the brand names themselves. The more we start to really pay attention to what’s on the label, the more privy we become to what we are told to think about regarding food. According to some studies, “using specific colors in food labeling like red and yellow is said to have a psychological impact on people’s desire for food. However, a food product focusing on organic might feature more ‘earthy’ colors compared to bright colors which might suggest they have artificial colors.”
Maybe this sounds familiar to some, after all colors can be associated with different moods and symbolic meanings. But what we should start taking note of are the negative descriptions of foods that we see on products such as toxic, sinful, garbage, junk, etc. The product will advertise how they are not these things, but these descriptions of any food are unnecessary. I wrote about the power of words recently and the same logic applies here. Why do we feel the need to describe food as garbage and junk? Because it’s processed and/or packaged? Remember that different foods are meant to provide different things and not all foods are meant to be consumed with nutrients and specific nutrition in mind.
Let’s take a look at what I mean:
*I want to make a disclaimer that this is shockingly not an attack on the nutrition, benefits, or taste of these products. Many of these products are delicious and can be enjoyed but we need to start paying attention to the marketing and what is being implied. If you enjoy these products, by all means, please continue to enjoy them.*
The first product I want to discuss is Lesser Evil Popcorn. My question is, what makes other popcorn more evil? If you’re rolling your eyes at this question, maybe we should start rolling our eyes at brands using a Buddha logo and referring to themselves as “less evil” seems a bit morally superior. What is it exactly that makes their product superior to others? From what is written on the back label, their product is organic, vegan, non GMO, and less fat, more fiber, and fewer calories than other popcorn. Organic is another label placed on food that many people will never admit they don’t fully understand. It does not mean no pesticides or chemicals used and of course the products usually cost much more than conventional. If organic is important to some, that’s fine but it doesn’t make someone morally superior or “less evil”. If we were to look at the nutrients, there is a 3 gram difference in fat between this version and regular so that correlates to making people feel guilty about this difference? The words minimally processed with organic coconut oil is written on the front. This tactic is utilizing the fear that many consumers have regarding processed foods. The word processed, should not be scary. And of course the product being called a “clean snack”. I wrote about using this word also to describe food so I will remind everyone, there isn’t a definition of clean in the health industry and companies can use this term however they wish.
Along with the negative connotations of words used with food, there will of course be the positive. I consider myself a non diet dietitian (this is quite the tongue twister) and I also have a weight inclusive approach so I will always notice how we consider thin bodies the epitome of health, no matter what. Many foods contain the word “thin” used but what will always be catchy to companies is the sister word “skinny”. This word has been incorporated so much for so long now (thanks Bethenny Frankel!) that we probably don’t even notice it. Yes it usually means that there is less of something like sugar, fat, and/or calories, but in a way it’s so bizarre that we can’t just say that. We have to call the product or food “skinny”.
Looking at these food products, one is advertised as lower in calories and the other is lower in sugar. But we can’t say just that, no we have to deem these “skinny”. What is the most comical is the need to refer to something like fruit as “skinny”, but I’m not even going to go there. I’m sure this is inducing another eye roll from people who think that I’m taking this too seriously. But please note that I am also rolling my eyes at these ridiculous names and insinuations. Not to mention I am 100% sure the “stop taking it seriously it’s just a name” crowd, have never worked with an eating disorder population. I am sure of it.
So what exactly is the purpose of me rambling about this? It’s because I don’t understand why can’t we just call foods what they are instead of the unnecessary labeling. I mean I do understand it from a marketing perspective and why it’s done, but my hope is that more people recognize these tactics. It’s important to recognize these words have become normalized, and there are indeed implications, even if it seems harmless at a glance. We are constantly praising thin bodies and even though we are talking about a food being “skinny" or “thin”, there is a correlation on how we view it and how we internalize the messaging.
You can eat HOWEVER you want. That’s not what this article is about. I would never food shame anyone regardless of their choices because I’m not the food police. This is for the people who eat certain foods, brands, and labels only because they think it’s superior especially when they don’t actually enjoy them. We need to start realizing that many of these labels are based off of marketing and are just buzzwords. If you are eating these foods but don’t actually like them, or are struggling to afford them, I would really love to invite you to stop. Different foods will give us different forms of nourishment. Guilt has no place at the table. Eat what you love and what works for you and your body. And most importantly, do not yuck someone else’s yum.
*Another reminder this is not an attack on any specific brands. I think it’s important that as consumers, we are privy to the marketing and also how certain words are used. That’s all.*
Yes yes yes to this. We don’t even think of these things and now that you pointed them out now I can’t unsee it! I would love to have you on our motherhood podcast. We’ve been wanting an expert to come on to talk about how we can talk about and teach ourselves and our families about food in a practical and “healthy” way, whatever that may mean.