Persuasive Foods
Since last Thursday I’ve been thinking about how we use foods to persuade others to do something we want. The more I think about it, the more I see it happening around me…
But first, I want to tell you that I WILL be posting some recipes later this week:
Here’s what got me to thinking about this: Our family was given some bunk beds recently. After - literally - weeks of thinking about this, I decided to put the bunk beds in my daughters’ room. (Up ’til now, the two of them were sharing a queen-sized bed.) So, we had put the ‘new’ bunk beds in our garage until Pat and I had the time and energy to move furniture, clean rooms, and assemble beds all in one day. I hope all you parents out there can sympathize with us - we simply did not want to do this.
Well, my 9-year-old had the brightest idea - she thought that if she baked her daddy a pie on Friday, he might be persuaded to set up those bunk beds for her on Saturday. She was the most eager of the kids to make this switch because she was getting the top bunk.
Sure enough, Sarah and Rachel made two very delicious apple pies on Friday afternoon. (see photo above) They were still warm after supper and everyone had a piece for dessert. And.. her scheme worked because on Saturday afternoon, those bunk beds were put together and they got to sleep on them.
So, how often do we see food being used as persuasion…?
When it’s hot outside and I want my two-year-old to come in rather than watching him go “Whee!” down the slide twenty more times, I ask him if he wants a freezy-pop or a piece of candy.
You’re invited to a free you-can-get-rich-in-thirty-minutes-or-less type seminar, you get a free dinner or lunch with it.
My son helped a family move Saturday morning on the promise of as much free pizza as he could eat. (I can’t get him to work like that at home.)
Chocolates on Valentine’s Day - persuasion to stick with this guy for another year.
Pay attention! How many times today or throughout this week will you see food being used to persuade, convince or manipulate someone? (maybe even yourself)
Add comment August 28th, 2006