Category: Packaging Trends
10/15/2008
Jennifer Romero
Just about every woman I have known, friend, family member, or co-worker, has at one point in her life, sometimes on a regular basis, dieted. With today's society being comprised of an increasingly figure conscious population, this applies beyond my normal sisterhood of fellow dieters. Various fad diets have come and gone, but one method has stood the test of time -- calorie counting. The miracle of modern packaging has made this process simpler for today's dieter especially in the snacking arena.
You can find 100 calorie snack packages all around your local grocery store. Individual portion cups and pouches, all conveniently measured out, leave the hard work of calculating the correct portion behind. These 100 calorie packages are consumer friendly, colorful, enticing even. The package design and shelf presence makes the small cookies, crackers or pretzels look so much more appetizing. And only 100 calories! How can you pass that up as you walk down the shopping aisle?
A major food and beverage company started the trend back in 2004 and soon found many others following suit. These 100 calorie snacks include favorites such as ice cream, chips, cookies and chocolate cupcakes. This has allowed the packaging industry to create new packaging designs for several disposable containers and create an entire new market of opportunities.
One wonders, however, in a weak economy will consumers change paths? Will they consider it more cost effective to make up their own 100 calorie portions? That would rely on dieters trusting themselves not to eat 200-300 calories worth of goodies. I'm not sure even a weak economy will stop determined dieters from finding any trick to help them along. After all, it would take much more effort (and guilt) for us to open all 6 of the adorable little packages in that box than it would to mindlessly eat an entire row of 600 calorie cookies. Fortunately, the packaging industry has found a way to put will power in a single serving portion.