I will say this, I DO blame my weight and others’ weight on the mega food producers in this country. I’ll tell you why. They have spent billions of dollars on researching human purchasing and eating behavior, they then, in a completely calculated manner, spent billions of dollars utilizing that knowledge to influence us to buy MORE of their products. Here is an example of that marketing power in action from TODAY: We walk into Panera Bread and a young woman approaches with cookie samples and asks if we want one, we decline. We wait in a long line and we make our choices. I have noticed for a couple of years now that restaurants normally serve a portion that is much larger than I can eat in one sitting. Because of this, I order small portions unless I need a second meal. At Panera, I order a cup of soup in a bread bowl. The cashier asks me what sides I want I tell her “no”. She then proceeds to tell me that they are free and to give me a choice of sides. I tell her “no” again and even again, and I say “I just want a cup of soup”, she then says “do you want a pastry with that?” I feel very frustrated with that question and I think that if we were not traveling, I would just leave this restaurant. My partner tells me that yes indeedy, this woman behind the counter has a brain; she is following her training. I know this, but it is still frustrating. I don’t want a verbal dual every time I order something.
So here is the point of the story, little old Paula Deen just puts it out there with no aggression or trickery. To the contrary, she will tell you flat out, “I love butter even though it is bad for you.” Panera Bread pretends as if they are health food and even gives information on calories, then they use all of the power of billions of dollars in research and marketing to SELL you some MORE food. These are two totally different ways of being. The only thing Paula Deen will sell you is a cookbook .