Large Portion Sizes: Bad for business?

Scientific American:

I’m not a big fan of milkshakes. But after a dental operation a few years ago, I decided to try one again. Not too bad, I remember thinking as I sipped the cool, chocolaty concoction. Unfortunately, a bad reaction to my pain medication later that evening meant the milkshake became associated with less than pleasant memories. I haven’t had another since.

Memories can play an important role in how soon we want to eat a food again. A person’s memory of the last few bites of a food appear to be especially influential, according to new research published in Psychological Science this month. In fact, the research suggests the memory of the last few bites of a large portion size may actually encourage people to eat a food less frequently. Understanding the factors affecting when people choose to eat is important, as companies profit from both the sale of individual items and how frequently those items are sold, according to lead author Emily Garbinsky.

Read the whole story: Scientific American