Crazy Food Marketing

When it comes to what we eat, we get to choose what’s best for us and our own bodies. Each person has a different relationship with food. I’ve always believed the simpler the food, the better. Since I’ve been catering, I get to be in and out of different grocery stores in different towns a lot, and I sometimes get pulled in by pretty packaging and unique branding. When it comes to food, what should we be paying attention to?

I do not have food allergies and/or sensitivities (anymore). and I know a lot about food. I’m not lactose intolerant, and I don’t have PKU or any other metabolic disorders. I was raised on a farm (dairy and crops), and I now prepare food for a living as a caterer. I also worked in healthcare for 10 years.

I want people to know about their food. Being on a long food journey myself, I am realizing some of the craziness that exists in our grocery stores. My journey may look different than yours, but here’s what I can tell you from observing while shopping.

The marketing is getting crazy! One company had convinced me that the plant based cheese was real cheese… ok, ok, I will admit that it was getting later in the afternoon, and I just grabbed them 🙃… BUT! There were real cows pictured on the plant based cheese. It also states that this “cheese” is better for cows… 🧐 I guess meaning cows were not harmed in the process?! 🤷‍♀️

Real string cheese (mozzarella) has a good amount of protein per serving, and the light variety has less saturated fat than the plant based.

Cows are not harmed when they are being milked. My farm’s cows (along with other dairies I personally know) aren’t given ANY hormones. Cows’ milk cannot be sold to Prairie Farms (which is farmer owned, by the way) with any antibiotics present. It IS a quality product. The cows are treated like princesses. There is a lot of misinformation about dairy operations– and family owned and operated facilities make up over 96% of dairies in the United States. 

Have you ever felt like a victim to marketing? I know. It seems to try to divide us. I’m opening my eyes, and I realize it doesn’t have to be this complicated. It’s really hard work to unwind those beliefs you’ve always believed and the stories you’ve always told yourself and learned to be true over time.

Things really aren’t always what seem. . . ask this plant based creamery I found 🧐 🤷‍♀️ 🤯

This “creamery” actually convinced the 2006 Western Illinois Dairy Princess that their “cheese” is actually cheese. 🙃 😆

Thanks for laughing and loving with me a little today! 

I’ll try not to take life too seriously— so thanks for listening to this rant! 😂 ♥️

Here’s the thing: these are both great products for 2 different people. And that is 💯 percent okay!

Be sure to pay special attention to those ingredients. If I could have taken a a glimpse of the ingredients, I would have avoided this plant-based string cheese mishap.

Enjoy whichever “cheese” for whatever reason!

Ingredients tell all!

Share with us some crazy things you’ve been “duped” by in the grocery store!