Priming: The Greatest Persuader Of Our Vulnerable Subconscious

Posted on March 24, 2021 by Mariam Okhai

Have you ever been in a situation where you impulsively felt like making a purchase. So much so that you feel like your mind had already made that choice without you being consciously aware of it? The most likely reason is because you have been affected by priming.

What is priming?

Priming is defined as:

“A phenomenon whereby exposure to one stimulus influences a response to a subsequent stimulus, without conscious guidance or intention.”

In simple terms it means that an external factor in your environment has influenced your behaviour subconsciously, and as a result makes you consciously decide on certain choices or actions. This is a very powerful tools used in nearly all marketing campaigns, advertisement, etc. to influence your decisions.

Priming is very much based on associations that individuals create between words. Take the example below:

Bananas

Vomit

After reading these words, you experienced a level of discomfort and unpleasant memories. Your association of these words to previous situations evoke a strong emotional reaction in you. This all happens very quickly and with ease, despite these words just being ordinary and used as an example. The words together may have also given you a mental image of the bananas causing the vomit. Not the most appealing mental picture!

In another example:

If you have recently heard the words EAT, BREAD & JUICE and I ask you to fill in the blank for SO_P you are more likely to say SOUP.

But if you have recent heard the word WASH, WATER & SHAMPOO you are more likely to fill it in as SOAP. This is all using language priming resulting in an individual giving different answers.

Examples in the real world?

There are so many example of priming that affect on us on a daily basis. Have you ever wondered why they always put the flowers in the entrance of the supermarket?

Of course it’s very convenient for shoppers who are buying a loving / apologetic present. But also flowers are an easy way for supermarkets to prime your shopping experience. When you see flowers, you instantly have a range of feelings and associations that spring to mind. One of these being freshness. If you are primed with this, you are more likely to have a positive shopping experience and associate this feeling to the shop you are purchasing from.

Does priming affect everybody?

Yes! Priming can affect us from when we are extremely young to when we are much older. An example of this is an easy technique that almost all stores you have visited will use. By putting certain products at eye level for different consumers.

In the case of you as the adult, they may place items you may use for dinner, spices, fruit on your eye level so that your instant reaction is to buy those things. Furthermore, you will purchase more than you ever intended to. But for your children, they will place chocolates, cookies, cakes and anything a child would want at their eye level. As a result all consumers are primed to buy items that prior to entering the shop, they never even wanted or needed.

Is there a solution to priming?

I would love to say there is a solution, but unfortunately there isn’t. Priming is part of our daily lives and something we have to live with. But being aware of these behavioural stimuli can reduce the effectiveness of them on us as individuals. By doing so we are less susceptible to our subconscious influencing our conscious choices, and allow for more logical decision making.

That's all for now folks...

I hope you enjoyed this blog post. Please check out my other blog posts if you haven’t already! Leave your thoughts and comments below or via email@behaviouralfoodie.co.uk.

Check out my other Behavioural Science Posts:

Grit, Growth Mindset and Its Connection To Food Choices

What if I told you that you need to be able to fail, to be wrong and to start over again in order to succeed. What if you could change your mindset in order to create longevity in your successes using grit.

Growth Mindset, Grit and Its Connection To Food Choices

Posted on March 24, 2021 by Mariam Okhai

Grit And Growth Mindset

What if I told you that you need to be able to fail and be wrong in order to succeed. And if having a growth mindset could create longevity in your successes. Would you believe me?

I watched a recent TED talk by Angela Lee Duckworth where she talks about her various studies. She tries to understand which children and adults in different circumstances were more likely to be successful. She analysed a military academy in order to see who would finish their military training. In addition a spelling bee to see who would reign successful in the competition.

Her finding highlighted that that individuals that possessed grit were more likely to be successful.

What is Grit?

Grit is defined as:

“a positive, non-cognitive trait based on an individual’s perseverance of effort combined with the passion for a particular long-term goal or end state (a powerful motivation to achieve an objective)”

With this personality trait there is a focus on long term goal achievement rather than short term pleasure. Thus meaning these cadets and students had perseverance and passion to continue working. This was despite setbacks in order to achieve their long term goals. Consequently this was the deciding factor above all others, including socio-economic status, attractiveness, IQ, etc.

If you have read my other blog post Why can’t I stick to my diet, I discuss this as being due to System 1 and 2. The child in us (System 1) wants the immediate gratification. However, the adult in us (System 2) understands the logical benefit of delayed gratification.

With regards to many topics including food choices, exercise, leading a healthy lifestyle, etc. possessing grit is a fundamental. As a result we can continue down a desired path despite the obstacles we may encounter.

How do I get Grit?

I have had many friends and family come to me and tell me how they have fallen off the wagon with lockdown. Being healthy and exercising has not been possible, or at the front of their minds. After pondering over this, I wondered if grit had a part to play in this.

Despite the major setback the pandemic has caused, many of us would like to get back to where we were. By implementing grit we can move past these obstacles, and actively try to carry on making better choices.

Duckworth comments that the best way to achieve grit is by having a growth mindset.

What is a Growth Mindset?

Growth Mindset was first coined by Carol Dweck as a concept in which a persons mindset can affect their performance and achievements. She presented this in a number of studies and discusses the two mindsets a person can hold, a fixed vs growth mindset.

Fixed mindset: The belief that ones abilities and intelligence are fixed and nothing can be done to change this. Either a person is smart, or they are not!
Growth mindset: The belief that ones abilities and intelligence are malleable, and if you put in the effort and time you can develop them further. A person works hard to achieve something!

With a fixed mindset individuals believe that people have different skills and these cannot be learned. On the other hand, a growth mindset individual will recognise they can learn skills over time.

Growth Mindset vs Fixed Mindset

The image above shows a brief overview of some of the ways in which an individual with each mindset will react to a problem.

People can face problems with consequences that go beyond just food choices. For instance behaviour in the workplace, career choices, personal life choices, etc. I have listed some of the signs of each mindset below for comparison.

Mindset signs in an individual

Growth Mindset

Their goal is to develop abilities over time.
Embrace new and challenging tasks as opportunities to learn.
More persistent and show high resilience when obstacles are ahead.
Enjoy putting in the effort because the past has shown that it is worth working on something.
Handle setbacks in a constructive way.
More likely to develop new strategies, and try everything they can to succeed.

Fixed Mindset

Their goal is to always look smart to others.
Avoid new challenges and miss opportunities to learn from mistakes.
Stop trying sooner and show less resilience when obstacles are detected.
Don’t bother putting in effort, they believe you either have it in you or you don’t.
Have problems with setbacks and attribute this to a lack of intelligence.
More likely to lie about obtained scores in tests, blame others or consider cheating

Can I develop a Growth Mindset?

I am delighted to say a growth mindset can be achieved by anyone who wishes to have one. That’s not to say it’s easy to do. However it is certainly achievable!

Growth Mindset Step 1

Firstly If you make individuals aware of different mindsets. This includes the signs, and the consequences. By doing so you can start the process of moving towards a growth mindset. So technically if you have read this, you are already 10% there!

Growth Mindset Step 2

Secondly, you need to emphasis and rewards the process instead of the successful solutions. In terms of making healthier choices, celebrate the small wins like reducing from 3 chocolate bars to 2. This will motivate you to carry on with your plan.

Growth Mindset Step 3

Thirdly praise effort and resilience, not intelligence! If you have a friend who is working hard at something or trying to lose that lockdown weight, praise them for their effort to carry on. Moreover for the hard work they are putting in. This will be a much more beneficial way to support them, and help their growth mindset develop.

Growth Mindset Step 4

Fourtly, be encouraged to try new and difficult challenges. By setting personal goals that initially seem out of reach, you set yourself a target. Remember that you are trying to better than the person you were yesterday, not anyone else around you.

Growth Mindset Step 5

Lastly, remember that the goal is not fast learning and immediate results. Instead it is deep learning and long term goals that you are interested in. These take time and can seem never ending. However, the grit trait you develop will help you not only in your food choices, but many aspect of your daily life.

That's all for now folks...

Do you have a fixed or growth mindset? Have you come across any interesting topics around this? Leave your comments below or via email@behaviouralfoodie.co.uk

Check out the TED talk from Angela Lee Duckworth below:

The meat paradox, technology and the shift to popular veganism

Posted on March 19, 2021 by Mariam Okhai

I’m sure we all remember a time when Veganism was a strange and unheard of concept. Now around every corner there are adverts, billboards, promotions and the increasing marketing of Veganuary.

According to The Vegan Society, the number of products with The Vegan trademark has risen to 14,262 and this includes cosmetic toiletries as well as thousands food and drink items.

But how does this fair when there is a meat paradox? What about the cognitive dissonance people feel?

What is veganism?

Veganism is described as a lifestyle choice by which an individual refuses to consume or use any products which are from an animals body, or produced by animals.

Veganism has grown exponentially over the last decade with results in 2020 indicating 41% of Brits reported completely removing or actively reducing the amount of meat in their diet.

With the rise in attraction to veganism and the growth of the Veganuary movement, many people who previously had no interest in veganism are willing to attempt the ‘Try vegan’ challenge.

What is the ‘meat paradox’?

Described by psychologists Bastian and Loughnan as being “the psychological conflict between people’s dietary preference for meat, and their moral response to animal suffering”.

To simplify, the meat paradox suggests that despite the consumption of factory farmed meat, many individuals in principal are against animal cruelty.

In behavioural science we call this cognitive dissonance. This refers to a situation involving a conflict of attitudes, beliefs or behaviours.

This process of thought causes a level of mental discomfort, and leads to an individual. altering their behaviour in order to reduce this discomfort, and subsequently restore balance.

With regards to meat consumption many individuals feel this cognitive dissonance through moral guilt. For example, enjoying a food which is produced through the discomfort of another living creature.

In turn many will make the decision to switch to veganism as a way of levelling their moral compass.

The role of technology in the meat paradox

After listening to a TED talk by Juan Enriquez about how technology changes our sense of right and wrong, the idea of moral views changing over time became quite apparent.

Juan made reference to historical events of public beheadings, and how over time this changed from being completely acceptable to no longer being appropriate.

Because of these changes in moral perception around what is right and wrong, this causes major shifts in human behaviour.

With the advancement of technology, our views can suddenly change based on the enviroments we are living in.

The influence of social media on our decisions is something that cannot be ignored, with veganism having a massive interest and following online, and especially in January.

Veganism is also one of many behaviour shifts that have caused the direction of the food and drink industry to change.

Changes in the food and drink industry

Over the last few years we have seen the emergence of major food brands including McDonalds, KFC and Burger King producing meat alternative products.

This is caused by a number of reasons that can all be related to cognitive dissonance and technology.

Group identification

The increase in cognitive dissonance has made people feel they have to make a choice or be more outwardly supportive. With the constant bombardment from social media, people feel they have to pick a side and cannot be outwardly against veganism.

Due to a need to identify with a group, celebrity, or movement which seems to have the moral high ground, individuals are more willing to try an alternative lifestyle.

As food technology advances, people are looking at vegan options as being a ‘cheaper alternative’ to regular meat’. People are seeing a more economically sustainable choice which fits within their moral compass, without any apparent change in consumption.

Substitutes

The advancement of technology has made meat substitutes more accessible and the choice to switch to veganism much easier.

Supermarket chains are now seen dedicating entire aisles to vegan food stuffs, and providing meat substitutes which taste almost as good as the real meat.

So much so, that in many cases meat eaters cannot tell the difference. The ease of making the change is why many are opting for a vegan lifestyle which removes the mental discomfort caused by the meat paradox.

Are you vegan? What do you think of this shift in behaviour? Leave your comments in the form below:

Check out the TED talk below:

Check out my other blog posts...

Sunflower Bakery And Their Outstanding Homemade Treat Box

Posted on March 17, 2021 by Mariam Okhai

Sunflower Bakery, Dundee

Today’s review is for a Dundee desserts company, The Sunflower Bakery

This company reached out to me via Instagram to do a review of their treat box selection. I was sent so many different treats which was a lovely surprise, and the owner was so friendly and genuine also. I love doing reviews for small businesses like these, so I hope this review encourages others to try these delicious treats.

Sunflower Bakery Products

I received two boxes of goodies, which I took some pictures of to allow you to see all the products I tried.

The box contained the following:

Raspberry and white chocolate buttercream cake slice
Mini Egg & Oreo cheesecakes
Milkybar Cookie
Galaxy Caramel Browniesicle
Nutella Brondie (Brownie and blondie mixed)
Creme egg cookie dough (pictured below)

Sunflower Bakery Packaging

The treats came in a cake box and were delivered personally by the owner. They were really easy to remove from the packaging to eat and shoot so I looked forward to trying them when they arrive. I think they would be the perfect gift for a special person.

Sunflower Bakery Review

There is a lot to talk about here, so I will do a little review of each part.

Raspberry and white chocolate buttercream cake slice

This cake slice was really well baked and the white chocolate and raspberry complimented it perfectly. It was the perfect amount of sweetness and I thought it was lovely.

Mini Egg & Oreo cheesecakes

I had a small amount of the Mini Egg and Oreo cheesecakes as I am not the biggest fan of cheesecakes in general. However I thought they both tasted nice, and my family enjoyed them also!

Milkybar Cookie

The Milkybar cookie was almost as big as the cheesecakes! I thought due to the size that there was no way it could be soft. To my surprise it was perfectly soft and tasted amazing. I enjoyed this the most.

Galaxy Caramel Browniesicle

The Galaxy Caramel Browniesicle looked the most appealing when the box arrived. The brownie inside was very rich and was surrounded with a lovely chocolate shell. I haven’t ever had one of these and so it was nice to finally try one.

Nutella Brondie (Brownie and blondie mixed)

The Nutella Brondie is something I have never heard of. So I believe Sunflower Bakery is one of the few places in Dundee to make this! I thought it was a really nice idea and I loved the combination of flavours when eating it. This invention was very well baked also and I would definitely recommend this one.

Creme egg cookie dough

The Creme egg cookie dough was beautifully layered and looked amazing. This cookie dough was very sweet, so this one is definitely for my sweet toothed followers. I enjoyed it, but not as much as the others treats.

Overall Rating

I would say this company provided a great customer service, presented all the treats beautifully and were a lovely company to review food from. Give them a follow on their Instagram below to order, and for new bakes being released.

Service: 10/10
Food: 9/10
Packaging: 8/10
Overall Experience: 10/10

Connect with Sunflower Bakery

Instagram: @the_sunflowerbakery

Location & Delivery

Location: Dundee, Scotland
Delivery: Currently across Dundee

Beautiful Chickpea Curry With Poached Eggs

Posted on March 15, 2021 by Mariam Okhai

Beautiful Chickpea Curry With Poached Eggs

Recipe by Mariam OkhaiCourse: Breakfast, Lunch, DinnerCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking Time

minutes

Calories

412

kcal

Total time

minutes

How to make quick and easy Indian chickpeas topped with two poached eggs. This can be eaten any time of the day and is full of fibre.

Ingredients

1 tbsp of ghee (or oil)
2 garlic cloves, sliced
2 green chillies finely chopped
4 spring onions (keep the green and white separate)
Handful of coriander, chopped
1 tsp of cumin
1 tsp coriander powder
½ tsp turmeric
½ turkish chilli flakes
½ tsp salt
1 yellow pepper, deseeded and sliced
400g can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
200ml boiling water
6 plum tomatoes, halved
2 – 4 large eggs

Directions

For Chickpeas
Heat the ghee on a medium high heat in a non-stick sauté pan, add the garlic, pepper, green chilli and spring onion (whites). Fry for 5 mins.
Meanwhile put on a large pan of water to boil.
Add the spices, tomatoes, most of the coriander (leaving some to garnish) and the chickpeas to the sauté pan for 1 – 2 minutes.
Add in enough boiling water so that it moistens everything and leave to simmer gently.
Once softened, stir the spring onions (green) into the mixture.
For poached eggs
Fill a saucepan 2/3 with water, and a small amount of vinegar.
Bring water to a rolling boil.
Once done, take a metal spoon and using a round clockwise motion create a swirling in the saucepan.
Crack your egg into a small bowl, and gently drop it into the swirling liquid. Leave to cook for 2 minutes before removing. Repeat this process.
Plate up your Indian chickpeas and place your poached eggs on top. Garnish with coriander and add a little salt and pepper for your eggs.

Notes

Placing the poached eggs into a small bowl first makes it easier to drop into the pan
You can poach multiple eggs at the same time, as long as you recreate that swirling motion in the pan
You can accompany this with some rice or bread

Easy, No Bake Rocky Road

Posted on March 14, 2021 by Mariam Okhai

Easy Rocky Road Recipe

Recipe by Mariam OkhaiCourse: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooling Time

hours

Calories

160

kcal

Total time

hours

minutes

How to make quick and easy rocky road. This is perfect for the kids to try, and everyone to enjoy!

Ingredients

70g lightly salted butter
100g milk chocolate
2 tbsp golden syrup
50g mini marshmallows
50g desiccated coconut
100g hobnob biscuits (or any digestive biscuit)
Icing sugar (for dusting)

Directions

Grease and line a small loaf tin
In a saucepan melt butter, chocolate and golden syrup on a low heat until smooth.
Set aside and leave until completely cool.
Place the digestives in a freezer bag and use a rolling pin to break them up until they resemble small 50p-sized pieces.
Add your biscuits, coconut and marshmallows to the cooled chocolate mix.
Place in your loaf tin and gently press down.
Place in the fridge for 2 hours to completely chill.
Remove from the fridge and lightly dust with icing sugar.
Slice & Enjoy!

Notes

Make sure the chocolate mixture is completely cool before you mix in your other ingredients
Allow the mixture to chill for at least 2 hours

Mariam’s Chocolate Brownies

Posted on March 14, 2021 by Mariam Okhai

Best Chocolate Brownie Recipe

Recipe by Mariam OkhaiCourse: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Baking time

minutes

Calories

370

kcal

Cooling Time

minutes

Total time

hour

minutes

How to make the most gooey fresh chocolate brownies. These are super easy to make, and a great after dinner treat!

Ingredients

225g slightly salted melted butter
1 tbsp water (15ml)
1 tbsp vanilla extract (15ml)
3 eggs room temperature
200g caster sugar
200g lightly packed brown sugar
75g cocoa powder
120g plain flour
130g milk chocolate (cut into chunks)
130g white chocolate (cut into chunks)

Directions

Pre-heat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
Prep an 8×8 inch cake tin with parchment paper.
In a large bowl whisk together melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and water.
Add the white and brown sugar and whisk together.
Sift cocoa powder and flour into the bowl and whisk slowly until just combined.
Fold in all the chocolate chunks with a spatula.
Add your batter to the tin and smooth out.
Place in the oven for 30 minutes or until the centre is just set. It’s ready when the top begins to crack.

Notes

Leave to cool for half an hour or more before cutting
Add the ingredients in one at a time to make the whisking easier
If your butter is not room temperature, place in the microwave for 20 seconds to help it melt
You can swap the water for coffee if you like
You can swap the chocolate for any type you like

IGGI Bowl: The Latest Technology for Effortless Weight Loss

Posted on March 12, 2021 by Mariam Okhai

What is the IGGI™️ Mindful Eating Bowl?

What is the IGGI Mindful Eating Bowl?

I was sent this article named by my dad a couple of days ago. It was about a bowl which claimed to help ease weight loss through ‘Calorie Cloaking’. The name of said bowl was IGGI™️ Mindful Eating Bowl. The French invention and Indiegogo project was fully funded in 2 hours!

Today I am going to discuss how this allegedly works. And if in fact you can trick yourself into consuming less calories using IGGI.

IGGI uses 'Calorie Cloaking'

‘Calorie cloaking’ is what IGGI use as their main selling point. Through the design, IGGI can trick your brain into believing you are consuming around 900 calories. In actual fact you only consume 600 calories. The picture below shows the ‘dip’ in the bowl used to calorie cloak that extra 300 calories. The physical restrictions of this design mean intake is cut by 33% on average.

Is there any science behind IGGI?

From my understanding and experience of biases, it is entirely possible for IGGI to be an effective way to control food intake. This concept originates from the Delboeuf Illusion relating to relative size perception. Consider the image below:

In this image we have two orange discs. One with a large ring around it and one with a smaller ring. Despite both these middle orange discs being the same size, our minds trick us into thinking they are different sizes.

This bias has led to studies regarding large and small plate sizes. They argue if smaller plates are used, it can reduce overall consumption of food. The bias makes us perceive we have eaten a large amount of food. As a result we feel satisfied after the meal.

Furthermore, studies have indicated consumption differences between plates and bowls. Individuals tend to serve themselves and intake less from bowls, when compared to plates.

Other design features?

IGGIis a Japanese inspired stoneware bowl. 100% eco-friendly, BPA & plastic free, microwave & dishwasher safe. Additionally IGGI comes with a bamboo leak proof lid. As well as this they provide a bowl section guideline. This ensures you eat the correct portion of fruit & veg, pulses, proteins and carbs.

Why is it red?

Although the red may seems slightly off putting to eat from, that is kind of the point!

Colour psychology has shown that individuals intake less food when they eat on red plates compared to white plates. Using this combination IGGI has created a product which uses all your biases against you. Hence it helps you easily stop overeating.

Is IGGI the answer to all my diet prayers?

Although the science behind this is sound, I am still skeptical that this concept would work in all instances. Recent studies have argued that with mild amounts of food deprivation this may not work. Results have indicated that food deprivation makes us less susceptible to these illusionary biases. So we will definitely notice those 300 missing calories being ‘cloaked’!

Since this is a fairly new product, it will be interesting to see to what extent IGGI works. Despite my reservations, I am very intrigued to try this ‘calorie cloaking’ experiment on myself!

Please see the video below for more information about this product!

If you have any thoughts about the IGGI™️ Mindful Eating Bowl please leave them in the comments below!

Check out my other blog post: How To Fix Easy Weight Gain & Difficult Weight Loss

Other Info

This is not an affiliated / paid review.

All images of IGGI™️ Mindful Eating Bowl are not my own, and are used from online sources. Links to sources are available through images.

Tayble Deli: Review Of Their New Mind-blowing Pan-Asian Street Food

Posted on March 10, 2021 by Mariam Okhai

Tayble Deli, Dundee

Today’s review is for a Dundee sandwich and street food company Tayble Deli.

I reached out to Tayble Deli via Instagram and they were delighted to have a review done. I was overwhelmed with the customer service and great food these guys have to offer.

Tayble Deli Products

Inside the food bags, I was given a mix of their new street food menu as well as a sandwich and soup from their deli menu. This company really went out of their way and provided Halal meat dishes so I could try some of their meat options also. These guys are available for catering, so I’m sure you could request Halal if you wanted!

Starters

Leek and potato soup (Veg, GF)
Spicy Chicken Signature Sandwich (Halal)
Feta salad (Veg, GF)

Mains

Smocked Haddock and potato dauphinoise BonBon’s, smoked Anster cheese sauce and crispy kale
Bao buns with sticky pulled oxtail and Asian slaw (Halal)
Soft Taco with roasted celeriac, sticky date puree and Asian slaw (vegan)
Salt and pepper wings, spring onion, sesame and teriyaki glaze (Halal)

Dessert

JT’s Carrot Cake (Veg)
White Chocolate and raspberry Fudge (Veg, GF)

Tayble Deli Packaging

I went to pick up the food from Bank Street and was given two brown delivery bags. One contained the cold food and the other with hot food. All of the hot food was foil wrapped so that I could enjoy them hot which was a nice touch. Each item of food was placed into its own food container so I could try each item individually. The packaging was all eco-friendly and reusable so a thumbs up from me!

The delivery contained a handwritten note from Lewis Donegan who is the Executive Head Chef at Tayble Deli. In this note it contained a description of each item and which ones were Halal, Veg, Vegan and Gluten Free. I think this is a really nice way to connect with your customers, and I am so glad I got to review this.

Tayble Deli Food Review

Starters:

The starters of soup, sandwich and salad was a nice way to begin the meal. The soup was creamy and smooth and tasted just like a perfect leek and potato soup should taste. Although I never order takeaway soup, this is a nice idea for a light lunch option.

The Spicy Chicken Signature Sandwich was incredible. I love a good loaded sandwich and this was overloaded with filling. It contained pickled jalapenos, cheese, spring onions and lettuce. The quality of each ingredient was of a high standard and that was reflected in the taste.

The feta salad I thought was a nice accompaniment to the rest of the food. The feta was mixed with olives and chillis which I ate alongside the rest of my meal.

Mains:

For the mains I think my favourites were the Bao Buns and the salt and pepper wings. Both of these really had a lot of flavour and tasted really fresh. I love this type of street food the most so I thoroughly enjoyed eating them and would recommend trying them!

The Soft taco was probably my third favourite. I think it was a nice vegan alternative to a meat or fish filled taco, but since I prefer to have some meat in my taco I would recommend this more to my vegan followers.

The smoked haddock BonBon’s were unfortunately not to my taste. I am not a massive fan of smoked fish and so I probably wouldn’t eat this again. However, I will say the Bonbon’s were fresh and contained very high quality ingredients so I would say that if you like smoked fish, this one is for you!

Dessert:

I love reviewing desserts and so this was a nice surprise because I wasn’t expecting to receive desserts in this review. Both the carrot cake and fudge tasted divine. I love carrot cake so I am really picky with how I like it. These guys definitely know how to make a good carrot cake, and the portion size was perfect as an after dinner treat.

I am not a massive fan of fudge, but I think this white chocolate and raspberry one may have converted me! I will certainly be returning for both of these.

Overall Rating

Overall, the food tasted fresh, the ingredients were all of a high quality and the selection I was given was amazing. I think this would be perfect for lunch or early dinner. This is a hidden gem in Dundee and I can’t wait to try more of their takeaway menu!

Service: 10/10
Food: 9/10
Packaging: 8/10
Overall Experience: 10/10

Connect with Tayble Deli

This company also run Dundee Cooking Academy and The Howff Secret Supper Club both in the same area as Tayble Deli so be sure to check these both out!

Instagram: @taybledeli

Location & Delivery

Open Times: Wednesday – Sunday, 10.30am – 8pm

Location : 5A Bank St, Dundee DD1 1RL

Delivery: ZippyD & JustEat

Framing: Professional Companies Are Using It Against You

Posted on March 5, 2021 by Mariam Okhai

What is framing?

Having often heard the word, you may have asked yourself, what is framing? Why is it important? Framing is the way in which information is provided to us. Based on this our understanding and perception of this information can change. Supermarkets, small stores and big chains use this technique all the time. You will be hard pressed to find a place where framing is not being used.

Why does framing matter?

In my opinion, understanding the framing effect and being able to spot when it is being used against you is crucial. Companies rely on these mental shortcuts we use to entice us into buying their brand or product. Although many companies may be trying to provide you with a good or service. Consequently, they will always be trying to find ways to make more profit. And by using these framing techniques, they can do just that.

Example of framing in the food industry?

There are many examples in the food industry. But lets say you have the example below. Excuse the terrible drawing, its just to make my explanation a little clearer.

Framing Example

So let’s imagine you walk into your local supermarket and you need some yoghurt for your afternoon snack. You don’t want a ‘full fat’ option and instead look at the reduced fat options.

You head to the aisle and are faced with two identical tubs of yoghurt. They are both the same price, same placement on the shelf. In addition they are directly next to one another.

In this example, you are more likely to pick the 70% less fat option on the right, than the 30% option on the left. However, these obviously contain the same amount of fat. The only difference is how these products are presented to you.

But why did I pick that yoghurt?

The main reason is the mental shortcuts your brain uses when making decisions. These heuristics can be affected by the availability of the information. With the number 70% being greater than 30%, our minds instantly believe that this must be the better option. In that instant we make a choice to buy this product, instead of looking at any other yogurt options. In a world where we are faced with 100 different types of diet yogurt, we are relying on a decision making system which is not optimal or totally efficient.

Another framing example

So you say to me, okay Mariam I understand that. But in both cases I’m buying essentially the same thing so it’s not that big of a deal. Let me give you a more costly example…

Let’s say you are signing up for a new course in understanding your diet and wellbeing. This person has promised to teach you everything you need to know. Moreover, you are really keen to learn and you are willing to pay for this course.

They give you two options:

Diet and wellbeing course: £495

OR

Pay in monthly instalments of £109 for 5 months

So you say that’s great! I can start right away and pay in monthly instalments!

But if you actually work out the total of £109 every 5 months, you will realise it equals £545. You will pay £50 more for the exact same course.

Unfortunately that’s a pricey and unfair mistake, don’t you think?

Is there a solution to framing?

In short, there are no real solutions to this framing effect. We are constantly bombarded with these sorts of offers, discounts, diet foods, etc.

However if we are more aware, papers have shown we can reduce the effects of framing and increase our mental accounting ability. So stay aware and watch out for everyday framing. If you know any other examples feel free to comment them below or via email@behaviouralfoodie.co.uk!