The Art Of Packaging and The Art Of Counting Points

Mmmmm… Campbell’s Chunky Chicken Noodle Soup ….

Counting points is a little tricky, but if you have one of those “sliders” they give you when you first join Weight Watchers .. it’s quite easy. There are basically three things on the nutritional labels of all foods that we concern ourselves with:

* Fiber Content, up to 4 or more
* Calories
* Fat grams

And, then we calculate the points per suggested servings. Sometimes, we can increase the fiber and calories to “fit” a suggested serving, or we can just take half a serving or some other multiple and double it, or cut it in half, etc.

For me personally, when I am counting points – I round down. If it’s a high 3 points, 3 points. If it’s a low 3 points, 3 points. But .. if it’s like that for one serving, and I take two servings (for instance a low 3 points for 1 TBSP) I might take 6 points for 2 TBSP, or if it’s a high 3 points I might take 7 points for 2 heaping TBSP ..

That’s OK .. I’m just estimating the points anyway!

What I am doing is being accountable for everything that I am eating. I try to eat healthy. I will prefer to try low fat or something alternative that results in lower points – so I can eat more! But, this isn’t always the case. For instance, my wife drinks Skim Milk and wants me to drink it because it has less points. I won’t touch the stuff! 2% Milk for me! And, if I want Pizza or a Burger .. I will eat pizza and a burger ..

.. as long as I write it down and stay within my weekly splurge points plus my daily point alotment. I mean ..let’s face it – then this blog would be a joke, and I would never lose any weight! I am on a mission!

So .. Then Why Does Campbell’s Do What They Are Doing?

By the way .. I should say that I REALLY LIKE their packaging! For a microwaveable product, in a semi-metal can – it works great. Plus .. the bottom is curved in the shape of a teaspoon, and perfectly fits – so when you are scooping up the bottom dreks of your soup can – you get it all!

But .. how many points is it? Let’s take a closer look at the above picture:

Based on these nutritional facts .. it’s a low 2 points per 250ml serving.

But Wait .. These ARE INDIVIDUAL SERVING SIZES!

Each of these individual serving sizes are 434ml.

434ml.

Now .. why didn’t they just package this in 250ml servings? Well, I’ll tell you why – because it’s not a hearty meal for one. 434ml is a hearty meal for one.

Now .. why didn’t they just label the nutritional facts based on 434ml servings? I can’t tell you that! It does not make sense.

This is not common sense to me! Aaaaargh! So, let me get my calculator now.

250ml goes into 434ml .. how many times? Ahh .. right …1.736 times.

Each individual serving size is a low 2 points .. so this must be x 1.736 = 3.47 points.

So – I rounded down to 3 points. per soup serving.

It’s like popcorn. Have you ever read the individual serving sizes? Sometimes it’s for the entire package .. and sometimes it’s based on the cup of popped popcorn.

And, you wonder why you see so many documentaries on T.V. about how our youth is getting fatter and fatter (and us aging folk too!) .. well .. don’t blame it all on the eating habits and the junkiness of the food … attribute some of this to the NEW individual Size calculations – created by these food companies, like Campbell’s soup.