for example, you grab a 20 ounce porterhouse steak thats 10.99 a pound and costs like $13. You grab a 20 ounce package of some crap beef thats like $2 a pound, (I am now a vegetarian and don’t eat meat, so I don’t remember the names of cheaper stuff, chuck or shoulder cut maybe?? ) whatever. Switch the labels. The go back to the meat department, and put that nasty chuck beef back down on the shelf with a $13 price tag on it now. You don’t appear to be stealing…heck, you just put something back on the shelf thats all.

The cashier isn’t gonna look at it and go “this isn’t 99 cents a pound chuck roast, its a PORTERHOUSE!” and then call the police. She’s gonna mindlessly scan it, OR You will self scan it yourself and not appear to be stealing a thing.

Good idea for a few reasons

1. meats are packaged daily so the labels probably peel right off
2. not the typical behavior the “undercover” store cops are looking for. They’re watching for people slamming meats into their coats or purses probably. All you did was walk around with 2 meat packages then decide not to buy one and put it back. Wont alarm them
3. unless they physically watched you switch the labels, ie via camera or something, you can always just blame the meat department. Say they must’ve put the wrong label on it by accident.

DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a thief, but I did graduate from an Ivy League school. I mean I’m not trying to think like a criminal, but if you have enough common sense, its alot easier to get away with things than traditional methods.

Hi Dancing Nancy–

Clever.  Perhaps you should write a book titiled Steal this Steak: Sort Of.

Maybe people already do this.  If so, I would imagine the shoplifting statistics for meat would be even higher.

Cheers–

MRE 

Hmmm… 

Hi Jody–

Thanks for the update.  Now I’ll know what to do next time I get cocaine nose.

Cheers–

MRE 

So how do we go about educating people? It gets to be so frustrating that I can scream.I am planning on writing an article and sending it to my local newspaper.

Thanks for the tip on whey protein BTW. I was avoiding its use because I thought that it wasn’t any good. Just for weightlifters. But when I saw your cooking show where you and Mary-Dan made the smoothies and waffles,you said that whey protein builds muscle even without exercise. I purchased my first bag of whey protein at the Whole Foods Market, yesterday.I found a smoothie recipe that used coconut milk and berries. I added some whey to that. The smoothie was delicious.

Yours,
Mary

Hi Mary–

How does one educate people?  All we can do it provide the information and hope they take advantage of it.

Glad you liked the whey.

Cheers–

MRE 

Hi Paul–

Thanks for the update.  Not only a waste of time, but a waste of resources as well.

Best–

MRE 

Hi Mary–

Someone just needs to educate them.

Cheers–

MRE 

How true, how true. 

Hi Paul–

I still can’t believe it, but I guess it’s true.  I’ve got to ask, did they throw the book at the ramen noodle thief?

Cheers–

MRE 

Hi John–

You’re right.  It’s just another way of hunting and gathering.

Cheers–

MRE 

Sounds like in this case it at least costs the time and effort.  It could cost some jail time, too, if one is unlucky enough to get nailed.

Cheers–

MRE