Thought for the Day: “Instead of looking at life as a narrowing funnel, we can see it ever widening to choose the things we want to do, to take the wisdom we’ve learned and create something.” — Jesse
Almost every night of the week, a Domino’s deliveryman winds his way in a American home. A Future archeologists may find other clues to the nature of our civilization – Big King wrappers, hardened crusts of Cheesy Bread, Barbecue Wing bones, and the red, white and blue of a Domino’s pizza box.
During the last four decades, fast food has infiltrated every nook and cranny of American society. An industry that began with a handful of modest hot dog and hamburger stands in Southern California has spread to every corner of the nation, selling a broad range of foods wherever paying customers may be found. Fast food is now served not only at restaurants and drive-thrus but also at stadiums, airports, college campuses and elementary schools, on cruise ships, trains and airplanes, at Kmarts, Wal-Marts, gas stations and even hospital cafeterias. In 1970, Americans spent about $6 billion on fast food. Last year they spent more than $100 billion on fast food.
Americans now spend more money on fast food than they do on higher education, personal computers, software or new cars. They spend more on fast food than on movies, books, magazines, newspapers, videos and recorded music – combined.
The Dark Side of the All-American Meal
The McDonald’s Corp. has become a powerful symbol of America’s service economy, the sector now responsible for ninety percent of the country’s new jobs. In 1968, McDonald’s operated about 1,000 restaurants. Today it has about 23,000 restaurants worldwide and opens roughly 2,000 new ones each year. An estimated one of every eight Americans has worked at McDonald’s. The company annually trains more new workers than the U.S. Army. McDonald’s is the nation’s largest purchaser of beef and potatoes. It is the second-largest purchaser of poultry. A whole new breed of chicken was developed to facilitate the production of McNuggets. The McDonald’s Corp. is the largest owner of retail property in the world. Indeed, the company earns the majority of its profits not from selling food but from collecting rent. McDonald’s spends more money on advertising and marketing than does any other brand, much of it targeted at children. A survey of American schoolchildren found that ninety-six percent could identify Ronald McDonald. The only fictional character with a higher degree of recognition was Santa Claus. The impact of McDonald’s on the nation’s culture, economy and diet is hard to overstate. Its corporate symbol – the Golden Arches – is now more widely recognized than the Christian cross.
When people all over the world are looking for a quick, easy meal to grab on the go, fast food is the common solution. With the efficient service, low prices and casual atmosphere, fast food seems like the ideal “all-American” choice. In fact, over 25 percent of Americans consume fast food every day.
Fast food does not have to be unhealthy, but most of the time it is; consumers often order foods with more fat, calories, sugar and sodium, and less nutrition and vitamins than is necessary. Keep reading to find out some more about what makes fast food so common in America and how to pick healthier options.
Unhealthy Fast Food
Most people don’t consider fast food as their healthiest option. While there are some ways to eat a well-balanced, nutritious meal at a fast food restaurant, the unhealthy options are more common and more appealing. Often, someone can consume all of the calories they need for the entire day in one sitting at a fast food restaurant.
The most common vegetable served at fast food places is the potato in the form of French fries. There is no problem with eating fast food occasionally, but if you are eating it more than once a year, consider ordering some healthier options that are more nutritional. Check out these fast food comparisons. You might be surprised at what you find! For example, a McDonald’s Triple Thick Shake has 1,000 calories more than a Wendy’s Small Frosty.
All nutrition facts are listed in grams, unless otherwise noted.
French Fries Nutrition Facts
| Items | Serving Size | Calories | Calories from Fat | Fat | Saturated Fat | Sodium | Carbohydrates | Protein |
| Ketchup Packet | 1 pkg | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 3 | 0 |
| Large French Fries | 6 oz | 520 | 220 | 25 | 5 | 330 | 70 | 6 |
| Medium French Fries | 4 oz | 350 | 150 | 16 | 3 | 220 | 47 | 4 |
| Salt Packet | 1 pkg | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 270 | 0 | 0 |
| Small French Fries | 2.6 oz | 230 | 100 | 11 | 2 | 140 | 30 | 2 |
The Family Deal
Now let’s select a family – say, a family of four. There is the dad, mom, their teen girl and teen son. They are on a long trip and its time to eat. Each of them has different wants – and needs. Let’s see what each of them can have.
For Dad
He considers himself to be a sportsman, and so he is looking for something with a lot of meat. But he also, from too much work, and too little exercise – needs to keep the calories down a little bit. He’s not going to pig out.
He orders the Big and Tasty with cheese, a medium fries, and a medium Coke. Its big enough to fill him up, and conservative enough on the calories that it should give him what he needs without being in too much excess. Still, not real light, it’s just less than 1100 calories.
For Mom
She watches her diet and is careful of what she eats. She has learned what is on the lean side of the menu, and orders the Bacon Ranch Salad (with chicken), with Newman’s Own® Low Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette, and a small Sprite. Her meal comes to a total of 560 calories.
For The Teen Girl
Not a very big eater, and watching her figure all the time, she orders the Mc Chicken Sandwich, a fruit ‘n yogurt parfait, and a small Sprite. Her meal, then is a total of about 720 calories.
The Teen Son
He is definitely walking in the steps of dear old dad. He is hungry and really does not care who is watching. Definitely is not going to be influenced by his older sister, but needs to cut out a few calories because of watching the TV a little too much.
Mom limits his order and helps him to eat smart. With her advice he orders the Chicken Selects Premium Breast Strips (3pc), a medium french fry, and a small Coke. This put his meal at about 900 calories. Being a meat lover, like his dad.
Many nutritionists argue that the type of high fat, low fibre diet promoted by McDonald’s is linked to serious diseases such as cancer, heart disease, obesity and diabetes. The sort of diseases that are now responsible for nearly three-quarters of premature deaths in the western world. McDonald’s respond that the scientific evidence is not conclusive and that their food can be a valuable part of a balanced diet.
Some people say McDonald’s are entitled to sell junk food in exactly the same way that chocolate or cream cake manufacturers do: if people want to buy it that’s their decision. But should McDonald’s be allowed to advertise their products as nutritious? Why do they sponsor sports events when they sell unhealthy products? And what on earth are they doing opening restaurants in hospitals?
Why McDonald’s Fries Taste So Good
During the chain’s early years french fries were made from scratch every day. Russet Burbank potatoes were peeled, cut into shoestrings, and fried in McDonald’s kitchens. As the chain expanded nationwide, in the mid-1960s, it sought to cut labor costs, reduce the number of suppliers, and ensure that its fries tasted the same at every restaurant. McDonald’s began switching to frozen french fries in 1966 — and few customers noticed the difference. Nevertheless, the change had a profound effect on the nation’s agriculture and diet. A familiar food had been transformed into a highly processed industrial commodity. McDonald’s fries now come from huge manufacturing plants that can peel, slice, cook, and freeze two million pounds of potatoes a day. The rapid expansion of McDonald’s and the popularity of its low-cost, mass-produced fries changed the way Americans eat. In 1960 Americans consumed an average of about eighty-one pounds of fresh potatoes and four pounds of frozen french fries. In 2000 they consumed an average of about fifty pounds of fresh potatoes and thirty pounds of frozen fries. Today McDonald’s is the largest buyer of potatoes in the United States.
