The Fat Diaries: Can I Have That Downsized?

With food companies making packaged portions smaller many Americans are complaining that they just aren't getting their money's worth. But I couldn't be happier.

Lately, people have been complaining that companies are cutting back on the size of food portions. The chips come in smaller bags, the cookies come in smaller boxes, and even the food itself is smaller. We can pretty much blame this on the rise in food prices, affecting everything from milk to eggs to meat and sugar. Since companies don’t want to substantially raise their prices, they’ve decided to compromise and make the portions smaller. It’s pretty evident when 8 oz of chips becomes 6 oz, less so when those 8 toaster pastries are just a little smaller and a lot of Americans feel like they’re being cheated. They are getting indignant or even downright angry over the change!

Public opinion aside, I think this is a GOOD thing for America. The fact that food companies are choosing to make packaged portions smaller actually suggests they may be listening to our demands for healthier options. In fact, some companies are jumping on the fact that smaller portions mean fewer calories. The sneaky part is when they advertise their smaller packages as being lower calorie when they haven’t changed the formula.

Still, in a capitalist sense this is America really taking lemons and making low-sugar lemon-flavored Crystal Light. And I have to say, I like it. I LOVE that Starbucks now has teeny-weenie cake-pops that are only 200 calories. Don’t get me wrong, $3 for two bites of chocolate cake is grossly expensive, but hunger-wise it’s just as satisfying as paying $6 for a scone the size of my head, and there’s no guilt afterwards (except for the wasting $3 part).

Teeny-tiny ice-cream sandwiches in the grocery store, smaller crackers, smaller yogurt pots — it’s working out well for me! I’m eating less calories and still feeling full while still spending about the same on my weekly grocery bill. When you consider that specialty health food costs MUCH more money than average food, one of its chief tools for weight loss can be… wait for it… portion control. Simply eating less food costs less than a commercialized diet meal plan or a gym membership.  The only thing left to lose is our sense of entitlement – something which could potentially scuttle this great movement.

One mentality that Americans have, which is one of the reasons (I think) that we’re battling an obesity epidemic, is this mindset that we need more food because we deserve it.  “How dare you make my food smaller! I work hard, I deserve the biggest ice-cream cone money can buy!” “I’ve had a hellish week I deserve a burger — not piddly quarter-pounder— I deserve a GIANT burger made out of 2 lbs of Angus beef!” Well my fellow fat Americans, bigger isn’t better. Being the nation with the largest number of heart-related deaths should be proof of that.

So rather than feeling entitled to that extra 2 ounces of food, I’m going to heave a sigh of relief that I didn’t have to pay an extra 2 bucks for those extra ounces that I shouldn’t be eating anyway.

And my message to the food corporations of America is this, “Can I have that downsized, please?”

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