What Betty Crocker knew...
Continuing with this theme, if the question is, Can some food be too convenient? the answer is yes, said MIT Media Lab assistant professor Kevin Slavin.
Just ask General Mills, which saw sales of its Betty Crocker instant bakery mixes skyrocket in the 1950s as soon as it asked users to add an egg, which made housewives feel more invested in the process, he pointed out.
The secret, said Slavin, is to strike a balance. Consumers want to feel involved in food preparation, but they don't actually want to get their hands too dirty.
"Today, it's not about giving people nothing to do. But they don't want to do everything either. You have to have some sense of agency, some engagement."