Labels do Not tell the Whole Story

We know this, but I’m going to say it again.

Check labels!

Every type of label.

I don’t often go to Fourbucks Starbucks, but I was there this morning, thanks to a gift certificate I won from The Whole Story Media Group. I was hoping I can find something other than a sugar-loaded pastry to eat, so I was happy to see their Bistro Boxes.

 

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I feel best when I eat protein in the morning, so my eyes were drawn to the protein box on the left. But then I saw the Cheese & Fruit Box and since I love cheese, that appealed more to me.

I glanced back at the Protein Box and saw cheese in there also, so I knew that was my best choice. After all, it’s a Protein Box and I need protein. As I looked closer, I saw the Protein Box only had white cheddar cheese, not the Brie, Gouda and two-year aged cheddar cheeses  that the other box had.

So the internal dialogue began. I need to get the protein one. It’s not about taste, it’s about being healthy. Remember you’re doing a half-marathon on Sunday. You need to eat well all week. So therefore the protein box is the right choice.

But I know myself well enough to know that I would be annoyed while eating the bland cheddar cheese in the protein box instead of the Brie, Gouda and two-year aged cheddar cheeses  in the other box.

But I like Brie and Gouda and aged two years will make the cheddar so much better. And almonds… there’s almonds in it. I love almonds. 

Thankfully there were a few people in line in front of me, so I continued the mental match. Do what is best for your body, Janet! It’s not about taste, it’s about health! Just think of all the hungry children around the world who would be happy to have anything to eat. 

The wrestling continued and a new thought emerged…  Wait, cheese and almonds have protein. There has to be a fair amount of protein in the non-protein-labeled box also. 

But they call one a Protein Box, so it has to have more protein than the one simply called a Cheese & Fruit box… right?

I picked up both boxes and within a second my dilemma was solved.

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The Cheese & Fruit box had more protein and less sugar than the Protein box!

What the …??

Starbucks, what are you doing??

 

Granted the Cheese & Fruit Box had 100 more calories, but since I’m doing a half-marathon on Sunday, I’m not really concerned about calories this week. Plus I don’t like the taste or texture of dried cranberries, so I wouldn’t be eating those which probably took care of the extra calories.

So I happily picked up my desired Cheese & Fruit Box and enjoyed every morsel of it, especially the Brie, Gouda and two-year aged cheddar cheeses.

So check your food labels, you might be surprised what you find. 

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As I ate (and wrote) I couldn’t help think about other things in life with labels, whether it’s labels others or I give them. Are the labels always accurate? Or are labels simply an easy way to categorize things?

Just because something has a label, it may or may not mean it is any different than something else with a different label.

And what about people… and the labels we too readily give them? Are the labels accurate? Do they actually mean what we think they mean?

After today, I’m more determined than ever to look beyond any label a person does or does not ‘wear’ and find out who they really are. I’m assuming I’ll be pleasantly surprised at what I find, just as I was when I looked beyond the non-protein label.