# Serving Suggestion?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serving-suggestion/190792
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [July 25, 2003, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serving-suggestion/190792 "2003-07-25T03:01:43Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Hugh\_Jass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hugh_Jass)
#### Post date: [July 25, 2003, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serving-suggestion/190792/1 "2003-07-25T03:01:43Z")
Why do packages of food always put the words “Serving Suggestion” next to pictures of the food? It’s been around for ever, so I don’t think it is a reaction to the frivolous lawsuit thing. But I can’t imagine they think we’re that stupid. Is it a law? If so, why?
---
### Author:  [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)
#### Post date: [July 25, 2003, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serving-suggestion/190792/2 "2003-07-25T03:22:55Z")
It menas that the food pictured on the package is not necessarily the same as what’s inside. They’ve added garnish to the Spagettios, or syrup to the ice cream, or milk and berries to the cereal, or it’s a larger amount than what you get. In other words, they’ve made it look better on the package than what it really is. “Serving Suggestion” is package-speak for “You can make the gunk in this can look like this too, if you add your own stuff to it.”
---
### Author:  [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)
#### Post date: [July 25, 2003, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serving-suggestion/190792/3 "2003-07-25T03:23:02Z")
Because there’s a sucker born every minute?