These Are The 10 Secret Tricks and Food Scams They Use To Keep Stealing Your Hard Earned Money!
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When it comes to food, we all like to think that we are in control of the choices we make when it’s time to eat. But before you even take a bite of a burger you ordered or reach into a bag of chips; you’ve already been influenced by certain tricks that food sellers have come to rely on.
Across the food industry and at every level there are food scams being played out. Restaurants, bars, grocery stores, manufacturers, and major companies all want to make the most money possible. If pulling a higher profit means using psychology and how people think against them, then so be it.
Your best defense against falling victim to food scams is to be familiar with the most common types. The following list goes over some of the most widespread ones that any consumer is likely to come across:
1) Overpricing. Many dining establishments will place the most expensive item at the top of the menu so it’s the first one you see. As you scan down the menu it makes everything else looks cheaper in comparison and you’re more likely to choose a less pricey option, even if it is only a dollar or so less. This is so widespread there’s a special name for it called ‘anchoring.’
2) Portion Illusions. The goal here is to make you think you’re getting a great deal for what you’re paying. Whether through advertising or plate size, businesses will try their best to make it look like a lot more than it is. Oftentimes careful comparison of packaging, weights, and sizes will show that you really aren’t getting much more than what you’re made to think.
3) Free Snacks While You Wait. Those complimentary bowls of peanuts, chips and salsa, or baskets of bread that you sometimes get before a meal are meant to make you thirstier and therefore more likely to buy another drink or two.
4) Bar Glasses. The shape and thickness of a glass can greatly alter how much it can hold. Bars often use thicker glassware and fill them up with ice before making a drink. This gives the illusion of a brimming full drink, but the reality is the customer is only getting three-quarters, or just half, of what they thought they were paying for. Always ask for light or no ice to ensure you get your monies worth.
5) Portion Sizes. Ever opened a bag of chips only to have a blast of air puff out in your face, and then when you reach into the bag it’s only filled a quarter of the way? Filling bags like this is a common trick and many companies actually reduce the amount of product they put in them very slowly over time so that consumers don’t notice, and they save money.
6) Misleading Visuals. All those fast food commercials you see with perfect looking, steaming fresh food that make your mouth water are created specifically to bait you into the store. We all know once we get there that the burgers are smushed and the food looks nothing like what was portrayed on TV, yet many of us fall for the advertisements anyways.
7) Best-By and Sell-By Dates. Grocery stores will place food products with the nearest sell-by date at the front shelf because most customers grab whatever is closest. Since the food expires sooner than later, they have to go back to the store more often to buy the item again. The next time you’re at the supermarket, pay closer attention to the sell-by dates and dig towards the back to get the food that will last longer.
8) Low Quality Ice Cream. Besides tasting subpar, cheap ice cream is only made soft and creamy because a lot of air is whipped into it. That means you’re actually paying for much less actual ice cream than you would be if you bought a more expensive quality kind that doesn’t have all that extra air whipped in. You can see in the video how the melted ice creams compare, it shocking!
9) Color. Brighter, more natural, organic looking colors are what fast food companies use in order to make their food and businesses appear healthier. The bright colors stimulate your brain and remind you of fresh fruits and veggies. In effect, they make you think you’re eating healthier than you really are.
10) Plumping. This has to do with artificially injecting meat with water to make it appear fuller and weigh more. Because meat is sold by the pound to consumers, plumping up poultry can bring in a lot of money for sellers. Random testing has found that some chicken has contained up to 30% water, gross!
Watch the video below for further information so you can be aware when you are being scammed:
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THIS 3-Years-Old Boy Died After He Ate a Grilled Cheese At School. His Mom Reveals The Terrifying Reason Why!
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Food allergies seem to be popping up more and more within the human population. Whether it’s a gluten allergy, lactose intolerance or a nut allergy it seems like almost everyone you meet has at least one of these allergies. Now this is a bit of an exaggeration but almost 8% of kids under 18 years old have at least 1 food allergy.
This has caused a massive increase in awareness among restaurants, schools, hotels and just about anywhere you can grab some food. Many of these places just doing a full ban on foods such as peanuts, shellfish and tree nuts. These 3 and the following are the most common food allergies in kids: wheat, milk, soy fish and eggs.
Even with these proper precautions in place, food providers being vigilant, careful and following exact protocol, accidents can still easily happen. Although the majority of the food allergies are the ones named above, some people have more rare food allergies that they may or may not even know about until it’s too late.
This being said, many older kids and adults are aware of their food allergies and if they accidentally consume a food that contains their allergy trigger, they sense the signs and symptoms as they are coming on and know exactly how to proceed in order to avoid a tragedy. Some people carry Epi-Pens and/or other anti-allergy medications just in case. If they sense this is a really bad allergy attack they know when it’s time to call the EMS and hospital to get it treated properly before it is too late.
This brings us to younger children who really can’t grasp the concept of food allergy and rely on their caregivers and other trusting adults to give them the right foods that won’t cause an anaphylactic reaction. Many schools and their faculty are fully prepared just in case a student needs help immediately.
The problem is sometimes, adults forget or just don’t know that the child they are caring for has a food allergy. Which brings us to today’s story which features mom Deana Silveira and dad Thomas Silveira and their little 3-year-old son Elijah Silveira. Their young boy Elijah was attending the 7th Avenue Center for Family Services which provides care for children who are under the age of 4. Some of the perks of the center are tasty and healthy meals, care for kids with special needs and just an overall good environment for your child to spend the day.
On one morning in November something happened that nobody saw coming. Elijah was off to his Pre-K classes at the Family Services Day Care just like any other day normal day of his young life. The morning ran smooth, nothing was out of the ordinary until lunch time. One of the faculty gave Elijah a grilled cheese sandwich that fateful day in November. Allegedly the employee was aware of Elijah’s dairy and other food allergies but it must’ve just slipped their mind that day.
The child ate the grilled cheese sandwich and minutes later fell to the floor in anaphylactic shock! The center had a full protocol in place if this situation ever occurred. First, inject the child with an Epi-Pen, Call 9-11, do CPR if the child is unresponsive until the medics show up and finally call the child’s parent and let them know about what is happening!
For some reason that day in November none of the proper protocol was taken. Elijah wasn’t injected with an Epi-Pen, 9-11 wasn’t called, however all they did was call his mom Deana and told her to pick him up and bring him to a doctor or the hospital. His mother frantically ran out of the house, got to the center as soon as possible and drove her son to the hospital.
At the hospital the doctors and nurses tried everything they could, but because too much time had lapsed Elijah was beyond the point of no return. Elijah was pronounced dead at the hospital on that tragic and fateful day in November.
Next, an investigation began to try and piece together what happened that horrific day that led to this young boy’s untimely demise. Investigators quickly learned that all the protocols that were in place were ignored and that the center failed on every level! The Family Services Day Care Center was shut down indefinitely due to negligence and being the reason this family lost their child.
Elijah’s tragic story is a stark reminder that one simple mistake can lead to the death of a child.
Watch the video below for the full story:
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Researchers Release a New List of Common OTC Medications That Are Causing a High Risk of Dementia!
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Many people think nothing of taking “over-the-counter” drugs on a regular basis, including non-prescription sleep aids and the antihistamine Benadryl (diphenhydramine). While previous research has found a link between prescription “anticholinergic drugs” and dementia, a new research study found a strong link between dosage strength of over-the counter drugs and the onset of dementia in people who had no signs prior to the study.
The research done at the University of Washington School of Pharmacy in Seattle, reported their findings in “JAMA Internal Medicine” in January. Anticholinergics block the neurotransmitter acetylcholine from being transmitted to the brain, and it is thought that this effect in medications containing this, contributes to the onset of dementia.
As you will hear in the video below, the study followed people, aged 65 and over, for 10 years. It was found, for instance, that taking 50mg of Benadryl and other first generation antihistamines daily for over 3 years or 25 mg daily for over 6 years, were at the most significant risk for dementia.
The most commonly used medications found in the 800 people who developed dementia (out of 3500) in this study were: Benadryl, Chlor-Trimeton (and other first generation anti-histamines); prescription tricyclic anti-depressants (doxepin or Sinequan) and meds for bladder control (oxybutinin, Ditropan).
For younger people on a constant dose of ANTICHOLINERGIC DRUGS, this study should serve as a warning, as it is unknown yet whether such use could cause early onset dementia. It is not advised that anyone discontinue any medication without speaking to their health care professional.
However, these results as well as others named in the VIDEO below, is important information for those on drugs that put them at higher risk for dementia. There are alternative drugs that are available that your doctor can discuss with you.
Watch the video below for further information:
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Mama Believes Her Baby Is Safe and Sound At Daycare. Then She Sees a Pic Of Her Asleep In THIS Crib.
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Having a baby is probably the most life changing event in a person’s life. You go from just taking care of yourself all day everyday, to now taking care of a new little human at all times. Trying to juggle everything in life such a job, going on a date with your husband or wife, a nice hike in the woods, or seeing your friends, all becoming harder and harder to accomplish because of your new huge responsibility.
At times it can become very overwhelming and parents can easily become exhausted, run down and burned out. This is where grandparents, a nanny, a baby sitter or daycare come into play. This gives parents a well deserved breather and a time to rest and recover from the hardest job in the world parenthood! Parents will spend exorbitant amounts of money on nannys, babysitters and daycare so they expect that the people caring for their children will do a wonderful and amazing job.
This isn’t always the case which leaves many parents, to stress out and be anxious while their baby is under the care of another individual! This brings us to today’s story which took place in April of last year. A couple from Kansas sent their 6-month old baby Elora off to daycare. They were paying a good amount of money and the place had a reputation for being great and had all good reviews.
One morning a call came in from the Kansas Department for Children and Families. This department makes sure that children are not being neglected and treated properly. During this surprise phone call they were told that the department received a very alarming picture of their innocent little baby Elora.
The representive from Kansas Department for Children and Families explained to them that they received a very unnerving picture of baby Elora wearing a sleep mask, she was turned face down and wrapped way too tight in something that resembled a sack or bag.
At first Elora’s parents were just completely stunned and couldn’t even fathom that this could be their infant. This had to be some kind of mistake! How could this be true? Was it really their sweet baby girl Elora? After the initial surprise wore off they realized it was indeed their daughter!
Her parents obviously fearing the worst went into full panic mode, because Elora had been attending this place since she was only 5-weeks old! Luckily for them, a good samaritan employee who worked at the place realized what horrible things were taking place!
They snapped pictures and sent them out to the proper authorities! Elora wasn’t the only baby being mistreated, there were also other babies being horribly treated at this daycare. Mom got on social media and told everyone about her story and experience to help raise awareness about keeping your children safe!
This is a good lesson to parents everywhere, that no matter what, if it’s a nanny, babysitter or a daycare they must always remain vigilant and trust their gut. If something seems off there is a good chance it is! Always follow your instincts and keep your children safe!
Watch the video below for the full story:
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6 Things You Can Do To Deal With Family Members Who Are Very Toxic.
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Toxic people are best to be left alone and avoided. Sometimes that’s hard to do as it may be the case that you either work with someone or have family members who are toxic. They are the type of individuals who make life difficult and have a stressful, draining, and overall negative effect on us. Whether they are hyper-critical, jealous, overbearing, needy, manipulative, or full of unnecessary drama, their behavior makes us feel bad and can end up wreaking havoc on our emotional and mental well-being!
Thankfully there are some things that you can do and keep in mind to help with having to deal with a toxic family member. If you cannot escape or distance yourself far enough from them, then the following information will at the very least alleviate the situation.
1. Don’t take anyone’s toxic behavior to heart. Oftentimes toxic people, especially family members, will try to place the blame on you for something in an attempt to justify their behavior or get what they want. When you take it personally and end up feeling guilty, then you’ve fallen into their trap.
If they get away with it once, they’ll likely keep doing it over and over, so put a halt to it. Instead of taking things personally remind yourself that it’s not you, it’s them, and let go of any guilt or blame and stand up for yourself.
2. Let them know that their toxic behavior is unacceptable: Many people make the mistake of ignoring a family member’s toxic behavior or they act like nothing is wrong when that’s clearly not the case. We often do this to avoid confrontations and it’s easier to give into a toxic person than to fight them on things. Pretending everything is OK might make you think it will stop their behavior but it only increases and makes it worse in the long run!
They’ll see it as a sign that what they’re doing is right or you’re okay with it, they may even view your pretend ignorance as a weakness and try to further exploit it. Put your foot down and stop giving in to their emotional manipulation, you’re basically rewarding them every time you do so. Call them out and tell them their behavior is not OK!
3. They probably are not truly bad people, remember they’re just bad for us: Many toxic family members mean well and really do care, it’s just that they have a way of going through life that forces us to accommodate them. We settle for less in order to put their wants, needs and desires first, and in doing so we end up compromising our own happiness. Know that they do care, but keep a safe distance from them, and make yourself and your happiness a priority.
4. Be the bigger person and forgive them: It’s easy to hate a toxic person for all the negativity and stress they create, but hating only leads to more of the same. Try to put the drama aside and let it rest by forgiving them and moving on. It’s the best thing you can do for both yourself and your family, so open your mind and heart to forgiveness.
5. Take time to focus on yourself: Family members are the most overbearing and emotionally draining type of toxic people to be around. They get in our heads and make us question our motives, feelings, reactions, and just about everything else that involves dealing with them. Don’t let yourself get too hung up on the situation or it’ll quickly burn you out. Instead, focus on yourself and take time out to rest and get away from it all. Stay positive, take care of yourself, and don’t give up…
6. Let go of them: When you’ve tried seemingly everything and still cannot free yourself from serious emotional turmoil and stress caused by a toxic family member, sometimes the best thing to do is walk away. All you can do is try to make the best of it and if that doesn’t work then you may need to go your own way. In the end, you know what’s best for you and no one should ever keep you from reaching it. Do you have a toxic family member? let us know in the comments
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Mom Noticed a Strange Bruise on The Back of THIS 5 Year-Old’s Leg. But The Drs. Reveal The Terrifying Truth!
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Finally sweet sweet Summer is here. The long cold winter is over and now we can finally go outside and enjoy the warm sun on our faces, swimming in pools, laying out at the beach and going hiking through the woods!
With all that good coming from mother nature there is always a flip side. In this case all our outdoor activities require us to be vigilant and have a raised awareness for all the types of creepy crawly creatures. From red ants, wasps, bees, hornets, ticks and worst of all spiders!
This brings us to today’s story which features 5-year-old Kailyn Donovan who spent a beautiful day outside in her backyard with her parents. The young girl was having so much fun that she was too distracted to feel a small pinch on her leg from some kind of bug. After a great day outside she came inside and everything seemed fine.
A couple days went by and her parents spotted what appeared to be some kind of bruise on the back of her leg. Her dad and mom didn’t think much of and decided it was no big deal. They brought her to the bus stop and she got on the bus to go to school.
Later that afternoon the school nurse called Kailyn’s parents and explained that she was feeling really sick and had a high fever. The fever was high enough that it warrented a hospital visit with a doctor.
Her mother and father picked her up from school and drove her to the nearest hospital. The doctor on rounds quickly realized it was a spider bite of some kind but he wasn’t sure exactly what type of spider or how bad this bite could potentially get.
He gave her a prescription of antibiotics and she quickly began to feel better and her high fever broke. She felt good enough to attend her pre-school graduation but her mom and dad were still keeping an eye on that mysterious spider bite on the back of her knee even though she felt so much better.
After her graduation mom’s ‘spidey senses’ began tingling as her motherly instincts kicked in she believed something was truly wrong as the bite began to transform in shape and size. It clearly wasn’t healing well and it was starting to look pretty bizarre.
She brought little Kailin back to the doctor who decided to refer her to a Pediatric Infectious-Disease Specialist who would have a much better grasp and understanding about this type bite. The specialist quickly figured out that she was bitten by a Black Widow Spider!
Black Widow Spiders are one of the most poisonous spiders in all of North America! This was become a very serious situation as her parents, doctors and young Kaelin were all becoming very scared.
If Kaelyn was not treated immediately this could have become an extremely dangerous situation. Luckily the specialist recognized the bite because it has a very distinctive look to it. Just like in majority of these cases, Kaelin was administered a dose of anti-venom that will be fully remove the venomous poison out of the body.
Just for your information these are the signs and symptoms of a Black Widow Spider bite: First you can feel nauseous, get a fever, cold sweats, chills and sometimes even muscle spasms that will begin at the original bite area and then slowly spread out to the rest of your muscles all over your body.
Every year in the United States about 2,000 Black Widow Spider bites are recorded and sometimes they can be fatal if not treated. However the number of fatalities from one of these bites is very low.
Luckily for Kaelin her parents realized this was no ordinary bug bite and they want other parents out there to be aware this summer so the same thing doesn’t happen to their kids.
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