The psychological reason we hate ugly produce!

by Sarah Phillips, CEO and founder, Ugly Produce is Beautiful

Our preference for prettiness reaches into every area of our lives, including food. 

​​“Several studies have shown that how foods are presented can influence our liking for them,” said Debra Zellner, a professor of psychology at Montclair State University in New Jersey.

In a 2014 study published in the science journal Appetite, Zellne served study participants two chicken meals prepared by chefs, but was presented in two different ways on two different nights - one was plated less attractive than the other. 

​Although the two presentations were judged as equally “neat”, one was judged as more attractive: 

• Subjects reported liking the food on the plate (when all items were judged together) more when it was presented in the more attractive than the less attractive manner. 
• ​Additionally, when food items were judged separately, subjects reported liking the chicken and the sauce significantly more when presented in the more attractive manner.  

The conclusion they reached was that: "How attractively food is plated can affect liking for the flavor of the food and could be used to increase acceptance of 'healthy' foods." It's been said often that we eat with our eyes first. 

What about applying the same techniques to increasing the public acceptance of ugly produce?

I strongly believe that by showing you how to cook and bake attractive recipes with ugly and imperfect produce will help increase its acceptance at the marketplace.  I also believe in educating you about the problem, and giving you at home skills to help you prevent food waste. If we all do our collective part, I believe that change can come about. That's why giving recipes and tips and techniques are so important with this campaign; they put the skills in our hands so each one of us can rescue food from our kitchen counter and fridge that might otherwise go to waste.

There are hundreds of pages of recipes and food information also on my site, www.CraftyBaking.com

Join UPIB and follow @UglyProduceIsBeautiful and @food on Instagram.

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