Dec 20, 2021
Economies of Scale with Triple Chocolate Cakes
When I decided to get my PhD in economics, my mom wanted to be supportive. In order to do so, she first needed to figure out what...
The core principles of economics are in every decision we make, so it makes me sad when people say they don't understand economics or they hated their undergrad economics course.
In this blog, I walk through basic concepts of economics or explain news events using digestible language and relatable examples. Each blog also centers around something related to baking, and I either share or refer you to a recipe at the end of each one.
Why 350? 350 degrees is a common baking temperature, and since you will hopefully learn something on this blog, Bakeonomics350 is your course number.
Economics is for everyone, and I believe the concepts on here are useful to everyone.
For more about me...
The core principles of economics are in every decision we make, so it makes me sad when people say they don't understand economics or they hated their undergrad economics course.
In this blog, I walk through basic concepts of economics or explain news events using digestible language and relatable examples. Each blog also centers around something related to baking, and I either share or refer you to a recipe at the end of each one.
Why 350? 350 degrees is a common baking temperature, and since you will hopefully learn something on this blog, Bakeonomics350 is your course number.
Economics is for everyone, and I believe the concepts on here are useful to everyone.
For more about me...
1. Offer different posts from bakeonomics350.com as supplemental reading for class.
2. During class, pull up a post and discuss in class what is going on.
3. Assign a post for them to read and write a short paper on how it fits in with the lessons that have been covered in class. Alternatively (or in addition to), have them graph what is going on.
4. Have students pick a post of their choosing to present in class. Bonus points if they bake the associated recipe!
5. Assign a post for them to read and then do a short video explaining.
6. Challenge them! Have them take a topic from the news and write their own blog posts with a baking theme (or a theme that is a hobby of theirs). For inspiration, they can check out the “Economics in Action” section of the blog.
Economic Topics
Economics Major "Ina Garten was an Econ Major"
Opportunity Cost: “Opportunity Cost, Economic Profit, and Opening a Bakery” (Cherry Pie)
Sunk Costs: “Salt and Sunk Costs” (Brownies)
Incentives "COVID-19; Crossing State Borders & Homemade Vanilla Extract"
Marginal Thinking “Thinking on the Margin and Birthday Cake”
Asymmetric Information “The Market for Lemon Meringue Pie”
Principal-Agent Problems "Cookie Dough Cheesecake & Asymmetric Info "
Public Goods “Fireworks Cookies and Public Goods” (Sugar Cookies)
Prices "The Magic of Chocolate Chips"
Demand versus Quantity Demanded + Choc-Oat-Chip Bars
Diminishing Marginal Benefit: “Pink Icing and Diminishing Marginal Benefit” (Amish Cookies)
Diminishing Marginal Benefit: "Matilda Cake Scene: Economics is Everywhere" (Chocolate Cake)
Complements and Substitutes “Complements and Substitutes in Baking” (Biscuits)
Complements, Substitutes, and Giving Thanks (Sweet Potato Casserole)
Bang for Buck decision-making "'Bang for Buck' and Regular vs. Instant Grits"
Elasticity of Demand “Wedding Cakes and Elasticity” (White Cake)
Marginal Cost increases "Red Roses and Chocolate Cookies on Valentine's Day"
Supply Curves “Supply Curve of Chocolate Chip Cookies”
Inputs & Foreign Labor "COVID-19: Foreign Labor & Strawberries"
Decreased Demand and Supply "Covid-19: Maryland Crabs versus Maine Lobster: Two Crustaceans, Two Different Problems."
Increased Demand "COVID-19: Lumber, Pools, NYC Suburbs, & Gingerbread Houses: Unexpected Winners during a Pandemic"
Shifts in Supply and Demand “Honey: Shifts in Demand AND Supply"
Shifts in Demand and Supply "Are Imports Bad? The Case of the Blueberry"
Price Ceilings “Croissants and Butter” (Chocolate Croissants)
Shifts in Demand, Shortages, & Elasticity of Supply "Price Spikes and Oat Milk"
Elasticity of Supply "COVID-19; Flour, Yeast, and Milk; Elasticity of Supply"
Negative Prices "COVID-19: Negative Oil Prices & Girl Scout Cookies"
Shifts in Supply "COVID-19: Meat prices are high but farmers are hurting (+Texas Kolaches)"
White versus Brown Eggs and Long-Run Prices (+ Creme Brûlée)
Externalities "Chocolate and Chilis" (Mexican Brownies)
Externalities "Gender Reveal (cake) Externalities"
Externalities and Taxes "Soda Taxes, Check-Out Restrictions, and Potato Chip Cookies"
Firms
Shut Down Decisions “Ice Cream and Shut Down Decisions”
Short & Long Run Decision Making "S'Mores Pie, Marshmallows, & an Explanation of Short and Long Run Firm Decision-making"
Cartels “Maple Syrup Cartel”
Collusion "Collusion in the Milk Market + Tres Leches Cake"
Price Discrimination “Tortillas and Price Discrimination”
Monopoly Power "Trademarks, Copyrights, Patents, and Cake & Brownie Mixes (Brownies with Cherries on Top)
Monopoly Power "Greek Feta, Government Protections, and Cheese Pies"
Monopolistic Competition “Monopolistic Competition and Peanut Butter Cookies”
Competition between Firms "The Colorful Fight Between Margarine and Butter"
Monopoly to Monopolistic Competition "Raisin Bran was Once a Monopoly (Bran Muffins)"
Advertising "Driving Demand and Saving Soda"
Trade War & Tariffs “Banana Bread and Trade Wars”
Brexit & Tariffs "The Impact of Brexit on Oranges" (Orange Scones)
Trade, Tariffs, Export Bans, Etc. "COVID-19: How COVID-19 gave an unexpected boost to Thai Rice Exports (+ Rice Pudding)"
Blueberry Imports "Are Imports Bad? The Case of the Blueberry"
Econometrics
Randomized Control Trials "Nobel Prize, RCTs, and Cookies in Class" (Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies)
Crossing State Borders "COVID-19; Crossing State Borders & Homemade Vanilla Extract"
Money "Chocolate is Money" (M&M Cookies)
Coin Shortage "One a Penny, Two a Penny, Where are all the Pennies? (Hot Cross Loaf)
Blueberry Imports "Are Imports Bad? The Case of the Blueberry"
"Rising Inflation" (Focaccia Bread)
Financial Literacy
Importance of Keeping Track of Spending "Cookie Jar of Money"
Little Expenses can Add up "Coffee (Angelfood Cake) Expenses"
Changes in Demand & Elasticity of Supply "COVID-19; Flour, Yeast, and Milk; Elasticity of Supply"
Negative Prices "COVID-19: Negative Oil Prices & Girl Scout Cookies"
Inputs & Foreign Labor "COVID-19: Foreign Labor & Strawberries"
State Laws "COVID-19; Crossing State Borders & Homemade Vanilla Extract"
Shifts in Supply "COVID-19: Meat prices are high but farmers are hurting (+Texas Kolaches)"
Trade, Tariffs, Export Bans, Etc. "COVID-19: How COVID-19 gave an unexpected boost to Thai Rice Exports (+ Rice Pudding)"
Trade War & Tariffs “Banana Bread and Trade Wars”
Brexit & Tariffs "The Impact of Brexit on Oranges" (Orange Scones)
Shifts in Supply and Demand “Honey: Shifts in Demand AND Supply"
Price Ceilings “Croissants and Butter” (Chocolate Croissants)
Collusion "Collusion in the Milk Market + Tres Leches Cake"
Visas and Trade Wars "Covid-19: Maryland Crabs versus Maine Lobster: Two Crustaceans, Two Different Problems."
Increased Demand "COVID-19: Lumber, Pools, NYC Suburbs, & Gingerbread Houses: Unexpected Winners during a Pandemic"
Coin Shortage during COVID-19 "One a Penny, Two a Penny, Where are all the Pennies? (Hot Cross Loaf)
Blueberry Imports "Are Imports Bad? The Case of the Blueberry"
Increased Demand, Slow Supply "What's up with (Micro)chips?"
Food price inflation - Russian Response + Greek Orange Cake
Food price inflation - U.S. Response + Maple Bacon Doughnuts
Food Prices at Thanksgiving in 2021. Complements, Substitutes, and Giving Thanks + Sweet Potato Casserole
If you didn't go to the coffee shop for a year how much money could you have at retirement