The Healthy Drive-Thru
The Healthy Drive-thru
Contrary to popular belief, fast food can be a healthy, on the go alternative to home cooked meals, and restaurants are giving consumers better choices.
It is just after 5 o'clock, a mother just got off of work, and her kids are in the backseat yelling that they are hungry. Her son has a basketball game at seven, her daughter wants to go to a friend's house, and she has no idea about what to make for dinner. With no time to go home, thaw something from the freezer, have it cooked and the kids ready before you have to leave, she asks, "Kids, what do you want for dinner?" She decides it is easier to get some fast food, and they are on their way again. They will be on time, the kids will be happy, and now she will not have a pile of dishes to do later and can relax for a while. We live in a busy, fast paced society where the traditional, home cooked meal is not always an option. With work, family, and social obligations, we are often sitting in a fast food restaurant's drive thru, being asked, "Do you want fries with that?" We often choose fast food because it is convenient, usually cheap, fast, and there is something for even the pickiest eaters. There is practically a fast food restaurant on every corner, therefore, finding one in a hurry is easy, but, making healthy choices is often the hard part.
Traditional fast food is usually considered unhealthy because it contains high amounts of fat, salt, and preservatives. The average McDonald's value meal with a Quarter Pounder with cheese, medium french fries, and medium Coke contains 1110 calories, 47 grams of fat, and 1430 mg of sodium. (McDonald's USA Nutrition Information, 2007). Nutritionally, fast food is not always the best choices because it skips the highly needed fruits and vegetables that our bodies require to function. Frequent stops for fast food is not recommended because many of the ingredients used, such as grease, breading, and excess sugar that may...
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