If you’re one of the legions of health-conscious Americans who regularly cook with tofu, a new study by the Cornell Food and Brand Lab suggests new ways to persuade your tofu-reticent friends and family to try cooking with the jiggly, white bricks of goodness.
The study, which interviewed 502 young women, found that those who did not cook with tofu held a number of misconceptions, including that it was difficult to cook, needed special ingredients and was expensive. Rather than emphasize the health benefits of this centuries-old Asian import that is rich in protein and other nutrients, the study suggests that the best way to convince the uninitiated to cook with tofu is simply to correct these misconceptions.
“Focus on it being quick and filling and cooking like chicken,” said Brian Wansink, John S. Dyson Professor of Marketing and lead author of the study. “In no time they’ll be making tofu scramble, stir fry and all the other dishes the tofu lovers in the study listed as big parts of their diets.”
