Ways Your Money Habits Make You Sick: Shopping at a Warehouse Club

Supersized packaging could cause a supersized waistline, according to Brian Wansink, Ph.D., director of the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab and author of Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think (Bantam, 2010). In one study, participants ate up to 25 percent more food when they served themselves from oversized packages, like the ones sold at warehouse clubs such as Costco or Sam's Club. "You can save tremendous amounts of money by buying huge packages but there is a tremendous risk of overeating," he explains.

Solution: Never, ever eat from the package. Control your portions by doling out servings in small bowls. Keep manageable amounts in smaller, stay-fresh containers, and store the big packages out of reach.

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