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.
Food and Beverage
Chili’s Drops a $6 “Bombshell Margarita” for July — Here’s What to Know
Chili’s is rolling out its July Margarita of the Month: the $6 Bombshell Margarita, available nationwide through July 31. Here’s what’s in it, where to find it, and what fans can expect from the limited-time menu drop.
Chili’s® is leaning into peak summer energy with a new July Margarita of the Month that feels tailor-made for group chats, watch parties, and post-episode booth debriefs. The chain’s Bombshell Margarita is available nationwide through July 31 for $6, positioning it as an easy, low-commitment add-on to a casual night out.
Inspired by the buzz of reality TV’s summer romances and the “did you see that?” conversations that follow, Chili’s is framing the drink as part of the moment—not just a seasonal menu item.
What’s in the Bombshell Margarita?
According to the company, the Bombshell Marg is a bright, sweet-and-citrusy mix built around:
- el Jimador® Blanco Tequila
- Monin® Dragonfruit
- Triple sec
- Strawberry puree
- House-made sour
The drink also comes with a custom “Bombshell vs. OG” swizzle stick (while supplies last), adding a playful, collectible touch that fits the theme.
Why Chili’s is tying it to pop culture
Chili’s says it’s seeing guests use its booths as the place to unpack the season’s biggest storylines—especially the romance-and-drama kind.
“We know our guests are breaking down the drama of the summer’s biggest romances with their friends, often sitting around booths right here at Chili’s,” said George Felix, chief marketing officer and executive vice president of Brinker International. “The Bombshell Marg is a fun way for us to recognize that passion and be part of the conversation in a way only we can — serving a great, affordable margarita.”
The bigger strategy: Margarita of the Month momentum
The Bombshell Marg is the latest entry in Chili’s long-running Margarita of the Month lineup. The brand reports it served nearly 30 million margaritas in 2025, and the monthly drops are designed to stay culturally relevant—pulling from trending flavors, seasonality, and whatever people are talking about right now.
For guests who track each release, Chili’s also promotes its Margarita of the Month Club at chilis.com/motmclub, where members can collect digital stickers, build streaks, and shop limited merch.
Merch drop: “I got a marg!” tank top
As part of the July rollout, Chili’s is also releasing a Bombshell-themed “I got a marg!” tank top, available July 1 at welcometochilis.com (while supplies last).
How to get the $6 Bombshell Marg
The Bombshell Margarita of the Month is available at participating Chili’s locations nationwide for $6 through July 31. Guests must be 21+ to purchase or consume alcohol.
For more information or to find a participating location, visit chilis.com.
About Chili’s Grill & Bar
Chili’s® Grill & Bar, founded in 1975, is the flagship brand of Dallas-based Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE: EAT). The company operates 1,600 restaurants in 29 countries and two territories, with more than 70,000 team members.
Chili’s is known for Big Mouth Burgers®, Crispy Chicken Crispers®, and sizzling fajitas, and the brand says it hand-shakes more margaritas than any other restaurant brand in the U.S. Chili’s also notes it has raised more than $120 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital over more than 20 years.For media inquiries, contact media.requests@brinker.com
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Food and Beverage
Support Your Brain with a Peanut-Powered Snack
Peanut-Powered Snack: Young or old, all can benefit from giving the brain a healthy boost. Emerging nutritional science makes it clear that good cognitive function goes beyond mental exercises as food can help shape memory, mood and cognitive health.
Support Your Brain with a Peanut-Powered Snack
(Feature Impact) Young or old, all can benefit from giving the brain a healthy boost. Emerging nutritional science makes it clear that good cognitive function goes beyond mental exercises as food can help shape memory, mood and cognitive health.
A study published the “Journal of the Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease” found adults 60-80 years old who did not eat peanuts and peanut butter regularly were 30-50% more likely to perform poorly on tests measuring learning, memory, language, processing motor speed and attentiveness compared to those who did consumer peanuts and peanut butter. Additionally, research published in “Clinical Nutrition” highlighted a study of college students ages 18-33 which showed consumption of peanuts and peanut butter was associated with improved memory function and decreased anxiety, depression and stress.
Peanut butter is the key ingredient in these Protein Balls, a snack time favorite with a pinch of protein that serves as a perfect pick-me-up after a day in the office or following your favorite workout routine.
Despite their small stature, peanuts pack a nutrition punch. Their unique blend of various vitamins, minerals and bioactive compounds includes:
- Niacin, which can slow cognitive decline and reduce the risk for Alzheimer’s disease, according to the “Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry”
- Vitamin E, found to promote healthy brain aging and delay cognitive decline
- Resveratrol, believed to be beneficial in fighting against Alzheimer’s disease and other nerve degenerating diseases, per the “Journal of Biological Chemistry”
- P-coumaric acid, an antioxidant that appears to target the neurotransmitters in the brain that regulate mood, stress and anxiety
To find more ways to support your brain with the right nutrition, visit GAPeanuts.com.
Watch video to see how to make this recipe!
Protein Balls
Recipe courtesy of The Peanut Institute
Servings: 24
- 1 cup chunky peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 cups quick oats
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup dried, chopped cranberries
- 1/8 teaspoon iodized salt
- 1/4 cup water
- Using stand mixer, combine peanut butter, vanilla, honey, quick oats, flaxseed, coconut, cranberries, salt and water; mix until well combined.
- Form dough into 1-ounce portions and refrigerate 30 minutes before serving.
Nutritional information per serving: 130 calories, 7 g fat, 14 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 2 g fiber, 60 mg sodium.
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Food and Beverage
Easy, Restaurant-Worthy Meals for Busy Days
Restaurant-Worthy Meals: When life gets busy, your home should be a place of reprieve, not extra stress – and that includes your kitchen. In seasons like this, rather than waiting for a table at your favorite restaurant or standing in line for takeout, turn to quick, easy recipes like this Garlic Parmesan Rice and Shrimp Skillet or Egg Roll in a Bowl.
(Feature Impact) When life gets busy, your home should be a place of reprieve, not extra stress – and that includes your kitchen. If you’re juggling work, chores, errands, hobbies, studies, a social life, caretaking or the other million-and-one things keeping your schedule full right now, the idea of spending an hour putting together a home-cooked meal might sound exhausting or downright impossible.
In seasons like this, rather than waiting for a table at your favorite restaurant or standing in line for takeout, turn to quick, easy recipes that offer nutritional balance and don’t skimp on flavor. By using pre-seasoned Minute Rice Cups – like the new, crave-worthy Garlic Parmesan to satisfy comfort cravings and Veggie Stir-Fry that lets you enjoy the flavor of takeout without the wait – you can have a flavorful base for your meals ready in 1 minute. You won’t even have to pull out the rice cooker or go scrounging in the spice cabinet.
If you’re craving a savory, cheesy dinner, this high-protein Garlic Parmesan Rice and Shrimp Skillet, ready in only 6 minutes, is an ideal choice for busy home chefs searching for that elusive balance between simple and sophisticated. Plus, the recipe can easily be adapted to your household’s tastes; try tossing some spinach or chickpeas into the skillet or swapping the shrimp for chicken or tofu.
To enjoy takeout flavors without the trip, opt for this restaurant-inspired Egg Roll in a Bowl recipe. Savor the umami notes of soy sauce and enjoy the convenience of tender onions, carrots and peas mixed into the stir-fry rice cup that forms the base of your meal. The toppings are what give this recipe its deconstructed egg roll vibe: flavorful sauteed cabbage joins crunchy wonton strips and a protein of choice for a bowl that comes together in just 20 minutes.
For more meal ideas to keep you going when life is moving quickly, visit MinuteRice.com.
Garlic Parmesan Rice and Shrimp Skillet
Prep time: 1 minute
Cook time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1-2
- 1 Minute Garlic Parmesan Rice Cup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 ounces large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- lemon wedges, for garnish (optional)
- Heat rice according to package directions.
- In medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add shrimp to skillet and cook until pink, about 3 minutes. Remove shrimp from skillet and set aside.
- In same skillet, add rice, lemon juice and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and heat through, 1 minute. Return shrimp and stir to combine.
- Garnish with parsley. Squeeze lemon wedge over top, if desired, and serve.
Substitution: Use sauteed mushrooms or crispy tofu to make vegetarian.
Egg Roll in a Bowl
Prep time: 2 minutes
Cook time: 18 minutes
Servings: 2
- 1 Minute Veggie Stir-Fry Rice Cup
- 1/2 pound ground turkey or pork
- 1 cup coleslaw mix
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon ginger, freshly grated
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 cup fried wonton strips
- 2 tablespoons sweet and sour sauce
- Heat rice according to package directions.
- In large pan, cook meat over medium heat 10 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. Drain any excess grease.
- Add coleslaw, garlic, soy sauce, ginger and sesame oil to pan. Cook 8 minutes, or until coleslaw is softened. Add rice during final 4 minutes.
- Top with wonton strips, drizzle sweet and sour sauce and serve.
Tip: To add more vegetables, try mushrooms, bell peppers, snap peas or green onions. For extra spice, drizzle on sriracha or hot sauce of choice.
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