I slipped up last year. On cottage cheese.
How did it happen? I didn’t look past the branding.
The package has a stamp of Michigan and a great slogan: old fashioned goodness. Local and traditionally prepared? There’s no way they use artificial ingredients.
I was wrong. “Michigan Brand” cottage cheese uses modern production techniques and artificial flavoring to extend the product’s shelf life.
I’ve noticed this happening often when products are marketed as old-fashioned. The slogan is meant for us to imagine an era when time and tender loving care were put into our meals.
It’s something I’ve been much more careful about. Owners can change. Recipes do change. I need to check and recheck the foods I buy.