Food and Beverage
Why eating cheap chocolate can feel embarrassing – even though no one else cares
Cheap Chocolates: The concept of “consumption stigma” describes how societal judgments influence individuals’ everyday consumption choices, leading to feelings of embarrassment and anxiety. People may alter their behaviors to avoid stigma, sometimes opting for more expensive products. Reclaiming the narrative around consumption can help reduce stigma, fostering a more accepting marketplace.
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.
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.
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Last Updated on March 10, 2026 by Daily News Staff
We present two recipes for tomato soup, one quick recipe and one for the slow cooker. There are two choices for a delicious time at the dining table.
Savory Tomato Soup: A Simple Recipe!
Ingredients:
- Crushed Tomatoes
- Onions
- Butter or Olive Oil
- Garlic
- Vegetable Broth
Cook the onions in the butter
- If you prefer vegan, use oil instead.
- Don’t brown the onions
- Wait until bubbles form
Add the garlic and tomatoes
- Add garlic first
- Soften it a bit
- Then add a can of crushed tomatoes
Add the vegetable broth
- Leave the pot uncovered
- Cook for 30 minutes
- Use a blender to make it smooth
Slow Cooker Recipe
Ingredients:
-2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
-1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
-1 (14.5 ounce) can vegetable broth
-1/2 cup diced onion
-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
-1/2 teaspoon dried basil
-1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
-1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
-1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
-1/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions:
- Combine the diced tomatoes, chicken broth, vegetable broth, onion, garlic powder, basil, oregano, black pepper, and red pepper flakes in a slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours.
- Once the soup is cooked, stir in the heavy cream.
- Serve with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
- Check out these recipes for Savory Tomato Soup:
- https://www.food.com/recipe/savoury-tomato-soup-414409
- https://www.thissavoryvegan.com/roasted-garlic-tomato-soup/
For more recipes and information on Food and Drinks, visit https://stmdailynews.com/category/food-and-beverage/recipes/ for the latest articles.
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Food and Beverage
A Convenient Homecooked Solution Without the Slow Cooker
For a quick and easy version of the comfort food classic, consider this Quick Homecooked Chili that’s made in a skillet and ready in half an hour. Just brown ground beef with a chopped onion, stir in beans, tomato sauce, cubed sweet potato and a few simple seasonings and you’re well on your way to a winter warmup.
Last Updated on March 10, 2026 by Daily News Staff
Homecooked Chili
(Family Features) Walking in the door to the smell of homemade chili is sure to warm you up from the inside-out, but if you forgot to set up the slow cooker before heading out the door in the morning, don’t fret – a hearty bowl of beans, beef and stewed goodness can still await.
For a quick and easy version of the comfort food classic, consider this Quick Homecooked Chili that’s made in a skillet and ready in half an hour. Just brown ground beef with a chopped onion, stir in beans, tomato sauce, cubed sweet potato and a few simple seasonings and you’re well on your way to a winter warmup.
Find more easy ways to feed your family by visiting Culinary.net.
Quick Homecooked Chili
Recipe adapted from Allrecipes
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
- 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans
- 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes
- 1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 1 sweet potato, cubed
- water (optional)
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 pinch garlic powder
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- sour cream (optional)
- sliced avocado (optional)
- In large saucepan over medium heat, cook ground beef and onion until meat is browned and onion is tender, 5-7 minutes.
- Stir in tomato sauce, kidney beans, stewed tomatoes with juices, diced tomatoes with green chilies and cubed sweet potato. Add water to reach desired consistency.
- Season with chili powder and garlic powder. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
- Bring to boil then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
- Serve with sour cream and sliced avocado, if desired.
Photo courtesy of Unsplash
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Food and Beverage
Get Smart About Your Heart: 4 tips to improve heart health
Heart health is essential for overall well-being, particularly as heart disease is a leading cause of death in the U.S. Key strategies include regular checkups, healthy eating—especially fruits like grapes—consistent exercise, and stress management to minimize risks.
Last Updated on March 8, 2026 by Daily News Staff
(Family Features) A crucial component of overall well-being, heart health can be a barometer for living a long, healthy and happy life. Because heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, taking steps to reduce your controllable risk factors – including poor diet, stress and inactivity – can set you on the right path.
From regular checkups and reducing stress to eating well – including heart-healthy snacks like grapes – and exercising regularly, these simple steps can help boost your heart health.
Know Your Numbers
Knowing key health metrics such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood sugar levels and body mass index can help you and your health care provider identify potential risks early. Schedule annual checkups and discuss any concerns you may have about your heart health. Early detection and risk factor management can reduce the likelihood of developing heart disease.
Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
Incorporating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables into your diet can ensure you get a broad range of vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants, all of which contribute to a healthy cardiovascular system. For example, leafy greens like spinach and kale are high in potassium, which helps manage blood pressure. Fresh grapes contain 7% of the daily recommended intake of potassium, are a good source of vitamin K and are also a natural source of beneficial antioxidants and other polyphenols, including flavonoids, that can help relax blood vessels and promote healthy circulation. Some studies also suggest grapes have a beneficial impact on blood lipids and more.
In fact, one study found women who consumed 1 1/4 cups of grapes every day benefited from reduced blood triglyceride levels, LDL cholesterol levels, inflammatory proteins and other markers of heart disease.
Bright, juicy and bursting with flavor, Grapes from California can be enjoyed by the handful or blended with rich bananas, tangy Greek yogurt and a hint of almond in The Great Grape-Acai Smoothie Bowl for a delicious blend of fruity flavors at breakfast, lunch or snack time – it not only tastes great, but supports a healthy heart.
Get Moving
Regular physical activity is one of the most effective ways to improve heart health. Exercise strengthens the heart muscle, improves blood circulation and helps maintain a healthy weight. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week, as recommended by the American Heart Association, such as walking, jogging or swimming with strength training exercises like lifting weights or using resistance bands mixed in to help reduce the risk of heart disease and improve overall cardiovascular health.
Manage Stress
Consider your stress level: chronic stress can negatively impact heart health, increasing blood pressure and other risk factors for heart disease. Techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, yoga and regular physical activity can help manage stress levels and maintain a healthy heart. Additionally, taking time to engage in hobbies, spending time with loved ones and ensuring adequate sleep are stress-reducing activities that improve overall well-being and heart health.
To learn more about the heart-health benefits of grapes, and find additional heart-friendly recipes, visit GrapesFromCalifornia.com.
The Great Grape-Acai Smoothie Bowl
Servings: 1
Chicken:
- 1/2 cup red Grapes from California, fresh or frozen
- 1/2 banana
- 1 frozen acai fruit pack (3 1/2 ounces)
- 1/2 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Topping:
- 1/4 cup sliced red Grapes from California
- 1 tablespoon sliced, toasted almonds
- 1 tablespoon pepitas
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds
- In small blender, combine grapes, banana, acai, yogurt and almond extract; process until smooth.
- Pour into bowl and top with sliced grapes, sliced almonds, pepitas and chia seeds.
Nutritional information per serving: 420 calories; 19 g protein; 63 g carbohydrates; 12 g fat (26% calories from fat); 2.5 g saturated fat (5% calories from saturated fat); 5 mg cholesterol; 45 mg sodium; 8 g fiber.
SOURCE:
California Table Grape Commission
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