Doc W's Food for Thought

Wait! Before you take another bite…what are you eating and, more importantly, why?

These are questions marketing professor and “food psychologist” Brian Wansink would like to answer. Dr. Wansink and his team of researchers at Cornell University have been attempting to uncover the hidden motivations behind our eating habits…and they’re not above using a little Beefaroni along the way.

In one experiment, test subjects were asked to eat a plate of Beefaroni and vegetables. Only thing is, the scientific snack was first “accidentally” coughed on by a researcher in front of the test subject. Dr. Wansink discovered that, under these circumstances, people were actually inclined to eat less. Future experiments may include sneezing in the test subject’s bowl of minestrone or singing “Danny Boy” into the subject’s plate of french-style green beans. Results should give us valuable data about the workings of the human mind--assuming participants don’t dump their food onto researchers before stomping out of the room.

According to a review of his recently published book, Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think, Dr. Wansink’s research reveals other insightful food-related observations. Take this one: an open candy dish in your home or office makes it more likely that you will snack on the contents---even when you aren’t hungry. Hold onto your hats and put the lids on your candy dishes, America--the world of nutritional psychology is about to be shaken to its foundations!

Some of the findings have useful everyday applications, such as the one suggesting that a brownie served on a plate of fine china is perceived as being tastier and more expensive than the same brownie placed on a napkin.

I can see it now…

“Why, Louise, what a lovely luncheon you prepared for the Ladies’ Bridge Club. I feel as though I’ve just had afternoon tea at Buckingham Palace! It must have taken you forever to make everything.”

“Thank you, Marsha, but I’ll let you in on a little secret: it took me hardly any time at all. I simply served the food on the heirloom china that once belonged to my great-aunt Harriet. That was no gourmet lunch.”

“You mean--”

“That’s right, Louise--you just ate stale Cheetos and Vienna sausage.”

“No! Who would have thought…but what about those luscious, buttery rolls? Surely they were--”

“Nothing more than balled up slices of Wonder Bread.”

“Amazing!”

“But not a word to the other ladies.”

“No, no, of course not.”

“Now, if you wouldn’t mind, I could use a hand serving dessert.”

“Of course! Ah, authentic Italian gelato.”

“Or so it would seem, Marsha. Actually, it’s slightly frozen chocolate pudding served in expensive crystal parfait glasses.”

“Ha, ha! I’ve got to hand it to you, Louise, you certainly didn’t knock yourself out with lavish food preparations!”

So what can we learn from Dr. Wansink’s observations? Simply this: that the mind is an endlessly fascinating subject for study; that by probing deeply into our subconscious we may gain greater control over our habits and behavior; and that if you want your guests to finish their food, avoid hacking on it in their presence. Even Aunt Harriet’s china won’t save that meal.