Last Updated on March 10, 2026 by Daily News Staff

Siti Nuraisyah Suwanda, West Virginia University; Emily Tanner, West Virginia University, and M. Paula Fitzgerald, West Virginia University

It’s February, and you grab a box of cheap Valentine’s chocolate from the grocery store on your lunch break. Later, you’re eating it at your office desk when you realize someone else is watching. Suddenly, you feel a flicker of embarrassment. You hide the box away, make a joke or quietly wish they hadn’t noticed – not because the chocolate tastes bad, but because you don’t want to be judged for choosing it.

If the scenario above feels familiar, you’re not alone. Many people experience subtle embarrassment or self-consciousness about everyday consumption choices, from eating cheap Valentine’s chocolate to accepting free lunch from a school food program or having visible tattoos.

We are social marketing researchers who study stigma in marketing. In our research, we coined the term “consumption stigma” to describe how people can be judged or looked down on by others, or by themselves, simply for using certain products – even when there’s nothing objectively wrong with them.

Living with consumption stigma

When people feel judged for what they consume, or choose not to consume, the effects can be mentally exhausting. Feeling stigmatized can quietly erode self-esteem, increase anxiety and change how people behave in everyday settings. What starts as a small moment of embarrassment can grow into a persistent concern about being seen the “wrong” way.

In reviewing 50 studies about stigma in marketing, we found that people respond to consumption stigma along a continuum. Some try to avoid stigma altogether by hiding their consumption or staying away from certain products. Others adjust their behavior to reduce the risk of being judged. At the far end of the spectrum, some people actively push back, helping to destigmatize certain forms of consumption for themselves and for others.

The research we reviewed found that to avoid stigma, people may deliberately consume more expensive or socially approved alternatives, even when those choices strain their finances. Imagine someone who switches to a premium chocolate brand at the office, not because she prefers the taste, but because she wants to avoid feeling embarrassed.

Over time, this kind of adjustment could pull people into spending patterns that are beyond their means, feeding a cycle of consumption driven more by social pressure than genuine need or enjoyment. We suggest that the ramifications can be even more stark in other contexts – for example, when a child skips a free school lunch to avoid being teased, or when a veteran turns down mental health support because they fear being judged by others.

From a business perspective, when consumers avoid or abandon products to escape stigma, companies may see declining demand that has little to do with quality or value. We suggest that if consumption stigma spreads at scale, the cumulative effect can translate into lost revenue and weakened brand value.

Understanding consumption stigma, then, isn’t just about consumer well-being; it’s also critical for businesses trying to understand why people buy, hide or walk away from certain products.

Take back the narrative

Stigma often feels powerful because it masquerades as reality. But at its core, consumption stigma is a social judgment, a shared story people tell about what certain choices supposedly say about someone. When that story goes unchallenged, stigma sticks. When it’s questioned, its power starts to fade.

One way people reduce stigma is by reclaiming the narrative around their consumption. Instead of hiding, explaining or compensating, they openly own their choices. This shift from avoidance to acceptance can strip stigma of its force.

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Imagine a shopper who embraces buying cheaper store brands at the grocery store, seeing it not as a compromise but as a sign of being savvy to pay less for the same thing. When people wear their choices like armor, whether it’s cheap chocolate, secondhand clothing or specialized physical or mental health services, those choices lose their sting. When a behavior is no longer treated as something shameful, it becomes harder for others to use it as a basis for judging or looking down on people.

Of course, stigma doesn’t disappear overnight. But research shows that when enough people stop treating a behavior as something to hide, the social meaning around it begins to change. What feels embarrassing in one moment can become normalized in the next. For example, research on fashion consumption has shown how wearing a veil, once widely stigmatized in urban and secular settings, gradually became seen as ordinary and even fashionable as more women openly adopted it.

Enjoying cheap chocolate shouldn’t require justification. Cold water tastes just as good out of an unbranded travel mug as it does from a Stanley tumbler. A generic sweatshirt keeps you just as cozy as Aritzia. And yet, many people feel the need to explain, deflect or upgrade their choices to avoid being judged. Understanding consumption stigma helps explain why and underscores that these feelings aren’t personal failures, but social constructions.

Sometimes, the most effective response isn’t to consume differently, but to think differently. When people stop treating everyday choices as moral signals, they make room for a more humane – and hopefully honest – marketplace.

Siti Nuraisyah Suwanda, Doctoral Student and Graduate Researcher in Marketing, West Virginia University; Emily Tanner, Associate Professor of Marketing, West Virginia University, and M. Paula Fitzgerald, Professor of Business Administration, West Virginia University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Blue Apron just picked up a new win in the prepared-meals space.

Consumer365 has recognized Blue Apron as the Best Prepared Meal Delivery Service (2026), pointing to the company’s chef-curated recipes and its growing lineup of ready-to-eat meals built for busy, time-constrained households. The recognition reflects growing consumer demand for convenient food options that reduce cooking time without sacrificing quality, structure, or variety.

Why prepared meals keep winning right now

The press release frames prepared meal delivery as a practical middle ground between cooking from scratch and defaulting to fast food or repetitive takeout.

Consumer365 notes the appeal comes down to a few clear benefits:

• Less time spent cooking (and less cleanup)
• Predictable portions and easier meal planning
• Reduced food waste, since you’re not buying full-size ingredients you may not use
• Flexibility for solo diners or households with irregular schedules

Prepared meals are especially useful during the workweek, when the friction of cooking can push people toward faster—but not always better—options.

What Consumer365 highlighted about Blue Apron

Consumer365’s recognition focuses on how Blue Apron has expanded beyond meal kits while keeping a consistent culinary identity.

Chef-curated structure across product lines

A key point: prepared meals under Dish by Blue Apron are developed by the same in-house culinary team behind Blue Apron’s meal kits. Consumer365 says that continuity helps maintain consistency in flavor development, portioning, and ingredient selection across different formats.

Refrigerated (not frozen) and fast to heat

Dish by Blue Apron meals arrive fully cooked and refrigerated (not frozen). Each meal is packaged as a single serving and designed to reheat in either a microwave or conventional oven.

Most dishes are ready in five to ten minutes, making them a solid option for lunches, quick dinners, or nights when cooking time is limited.

Rotating menus and nutrition standards

Consumer365 also points to weekly rotating menus that span a range of styles, including seafood-based dishes, vegetable-forward meals,

About Blue Apron

Blue Apron launched in 2012 and says it has delivered more than 600 million meals nationwide. The company describes itself as a flexible mealtime brand with a weekly rotating menu of 100+ meals, including pre-made options and meal kits. Blue Apron is also part of Wonder.

Read more

The full review is available at Consumer365.org.

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Source: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/best-prepared-meal-delivery-service-2026-blue-apron-recognized-for-chef-curated-recipes-by-consumer365-302692582.html

At our core, we at STM Daily News, strive to keep you informed and inspired with the freshest content on all things food and beverage. From mouthwatering recipes to intriguing articles, we’re here to satisfy your appetite for culinary knowledge.

Visit our Food & Drink section to get the latest on Foodie News and recipes, offering a delightful blend of culinary inspiration and gastronomic trends to elevate your dining experience. https://stmdailynews.com/food-and-drink/

Grilled cheese is one of those rare foods that feels universal: it’s quick, comforting, kid-friendly, and endlessly customizable. You can argue bread (sourdough vs. white), spreads (butter vs. mayo), and fillings (tomato? bacon? pickles?), but there’s one truth most grilled-cheese fans agree on: the cheese is what makes the sandwich.

That’s the idea behind Borden® Cheese’s newest national campaign — a nationwide search to crown “America’s Favorite Grilled Cheese.” And yes, there’s a delicious incentive: every vote is also an entry for a chance to win free Borden Cheese for a year (plus kitchen supplies to keep the melt-magic going).

How the “America’s Favorite Grilled Cheese” vote works

From now through March 24, 2026, fans can head to WinFreeBordenCheese.com to vote for one of four grilled cheese contenders.

Here’s the fun part: each vote doubles as a sweepstakes entry for the grand prize — a full year’s supply of Borden Cheese and kitchen supplies.

Borden is also offering 100 instant-win swag packs, which include Borden coupons and branded merch designed to “level up” your sandwich game.

This campaign is also the kickoff to a bigger series of sandwich celebrations leading up to National Grilled Cheese Day on April 12, 2026.

Meet the contenders: four very different takes on grilled cheese

Borden isn’t just putting one “standard” grilled cheese up against another. The four options are meant to represent a range — from classic comfort to trend-driven flavor combos.

1) The Classic

The timeless, ooey-gooey grilled cheese built with Borden American and Extra Sharp Melts on buttery white bread.

If you’re a purist, this is the lane.

2) The Spicy Big Dill

Pickles are having a moment in 2026, and this sandwich leans all the way in: Borden American Singlesand Provolone Slices paired with hot and spicy dill pickles, whipped cream cheese, and ranch seasoning.

It’s tangy, spicy, creamy, crunchy — and built for trend-watchers.

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3) The Crispy Onion & BBQ

A savory, texture-forward option featuring Borden Swiss Slices, crispy fried onion strings, and a tangy BBQ sauce kick.

If you like your grilled cheese with a little “cookout energy,” this one’s calling.

4) The Mad Scientist

This is the wildcard: a grilled cheese where the bread is replaced with cheesy waffles, filled with “cheese upon cheese.”

It’s playful, over-the-top, and basically designed for anyone who believes moderation is overrated.

The bigger tease: “Borden’s Grilled Cheese of the Year”

While the public vote will determine “America’s Favorite Grilled Cheese,” Borden is also building anticipation for something else: its first-ever “Grilled Cheese of the Year.”

The brand says the final recipe will be informed by culinary trends, consumer cravings, and — of course — cheese, but the details are still under wraps. The reveal is expected as part of the lead-up to National Grilled Cheese Day (April 12).

In other words: the vote is the appetizer.

Why Borden is leaning into grilled cheese right now

Borden® Cheese has long positioned itself as a family-friendly staple — made with real milk and owned by American dairy farm families. With more than 25 distinct flavors and types, the brand is using this campaign to remind shoppers that grilled cheese isn’t just a childhood throwback; it’s a flexible, modern comfort food that can move with trends.

As Jenny Mehlman, Senior Director of Marketing, Cheese, Taste & Flavors at Dairy Farmers of America, put it: Borden is kicking off National Grilled Cheese Day early with a national call to help name “America’s Favorite,” and continuing the celebration by declaring its first-ever “Grilled Cheese of the Year.”

Want in? Here’s where to vote

If you want to weigh in (and potentially score a year of free cheese), you can vote now through March 24, 2026 at:

• WinFreeBordenCheese.com

Whether you’re Team Classic, Team Pickle, Team BBQ, or Team Mad Scientist, this is one of those low-effort, high-reward food votes that’s actually fun.

Quick takeaway

Borden® Cheese is officially turning grilled cheese season into an event — with a national vote, instant-win swag, and a grand prize that’s basically a dairy lover’s dream.

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Now the only real question is: which contender are you voting for?

At our core, we at STM Daily News, strive to keep you informed and inspired with the freshest content on all things food and beverage. From mouthwatering recipes to intriguing articles, we’re here to satisfy your appetite for culinary knowledge.

Visit our Food & Drink section to get the latest on Foodie News and recipes, offering a delightful blend of culinary inspiration and gastronomic trends to elevate your dining experience. https://stmdailynews.com/food-and-drink/