When you think of “American food”, what is the first thing you think of? For most, it is a big, juicy cheeseburger paired with a mountain of fries. This is a staple meal in many American diets and is a cheap way to feed the entire family. While a single “southwest salad” costs roughly $4.79 at McDonalds, four cheeseburgers cost roughly $4.00 in total. It is becoming increasingly difficult for the average U.S. citizen to maintain a healthy diet all while not breaking the bank. This is because consumers, in most cases, reach for the cheaper, less healthy option.

Fast food is quick, easy, and cheap. What’s not to like? With its simple sweet, fatty, and salty flavors, these establishments are a picky eaters dream. Shereen Lehman points out that while fruits and vegetables have textures that take some getting used too, the fast food industry has mastered those satisfying textures such as smooth ice cream and crunchy potato chips. Everything about the fast food industry screams “why not buy me?”

Are we loving it?

Eating out is a quick and easy way to feed an entire family. With a variety of options, there is something for everyone. One of the biggest appeals of a fast food restaurant is the large selection of food items. Most fast food restaurants menus include items such as burgers, chicken, and fish. They also offer sides such as french fries and ice cream. Along with a large variety in food, these chain restaurants have many different drink options. From soft drinks to tea, they have it all. 

While most Americans are content with these options, some of us are left asking, “where are the healthy options?” Looking through the menus of popular restaurants such as McDonald’s and Wendy’s, customers are greeted with a very underwhelming amount of healthy options. Over atWendy’s, the “healthy” options consist of 5 salad options while at McDonald’s there are only 4 salad options.

Looking at the nutrition facts, customers will be pleased to see the 320 calorie salad option, but according to David Zinczenko in his essay “Don’t Blame the Eater”, these meals might not be as healthy as they seem. He states that once the customer has added the dressing, the salad still seems like an ok option, even when it adds 280 calories. Coming in at about 600 calories, most customers would still be satisfied. But if you read the small print on the salad dressing, the packet comes with two and a half servings. After crunching those numbers, Zinczenko says that the once “healthy option” has turned into a 1,020 calorie meal, almost as bad as eating a cheeseburger and fries. This number is extremely alarming and it does not even include the sugary soft drink that comes with the meal.

Without doing extensive research on each meal, the customer could be blindly eating about half of the recommend number of calories per day in just one meal. Fast food restaurants are finding loop holes to convince their clientele that their healthy options are indeed healthy, but will consumers be convinced? In most cases the answer is yes.

The fast food industry is a master of persuasion. Their nutritional facts are just one part of a large more elaborate design. Another huge part of the industry’s success is their prices. By using the less expensive ingredients in their food such as processed, frozen meat instead of fresh meat, they are able to sell their food for rock bottom prices. For most lower and middle class families this is very important. 

Food price plays a very important role in many Americans lives. For most, a $20 meal is not a sustainable price. After two to three meals at this price, they would be over their budget for the week. In some cases that cost would put the person over their budget for food for the entire month. Because of this, people constantly choose to purchase the full and unhealthy meal verses the small healthy meal.  

You know you want it 

If fast food is so terrible for customers, why even eat there? This is a puzzling question. For some the answer is simple: “It’s cheap and I need to feed my family.” For other’s the reason’s not to eat there are just as simple.

There are plenty of other ways to eat healthy on a budget. Fast food restaurants are not the only places that serve cheap food. They are simply the most well known. There are plenty of small businesses throughout America that sever healthy and reasonably priced foods. These establishments all compete with each other and the big chain restaurants to have a competitive price while at the same time having good food. Because of this these smaller restaurants are very concerned with the quality of their food.

Small businesses are local and in most cases family owned. This means they have a higher focus on customer service. You will almost never find a grumpy teenager serving you at one of their establishments. While at a fast food restaurant most of the workers don’t want to be there and aren’t afraid to show it.

Home Sweet Home

Another great and reasonable alternative to eating at a fast food restaurant is cooking your meals at home. What better way to eat healthy than this? You have total control of what goes into each meal and the options are endless! While at a restaurant you have to pick a specific dish that they have at home you can pick virtually anything under the sun. 

Another great plus to cooking at home is built in family time. While grabbing a quick meal from the nearest fast food restaurant is rushed a home cooked meal brings the family together. While sitting around the table the family has time to catch up and talk about how their day is.

Along with family time and options, another great plus to cooking at home is the prices. You are able to choose exactly what you buy which allows you to choose between the name brand products and the off brand products. The price differences can be shocking. In some cases name brands are almost 50% more than their off-brand counterparts. This affects the cost of the overall meal. If you shop smart you can make a healthy version of a chain restaurant meal for virtually the same price.  

That’s a Wrap

Fast food is a staple in most American’s diets. It’s inexpensive, fast, and convenient. While all these things are great, it is not the healthiest choice out there. Restaurants are a good alternative if you are looking for a healthier option. By going to a locally owned restaurant you will find reasonable prices for quality food. The final choice is home cooked meals. These have the most potential with their unlimited options and health benefits.  They can be inexpensive and bring the family together. 

With all of this in mind, Americans need to find a balance between all of these food options to create the cheapest and healthiest food palate available to them. The food industry is not to be blamed for an individual’s struggle to eat healthy. By balancing how much fast food you eat verses restaurants and home cooked meals all Americans are capable of creating a healthy diet. 

Zinczenko, David. “Don’t Blame the Eater” They Say/ I Say with Readings, edited by Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst, W.W. Norton & Company Inc., 2018, pp. 674-650

Lehman, Shereen. “The Reasons Why Americans Consume a Lot of Junk Food.” Verywell Fit, 19 Nov. 2018, www.verywellfit.com/why-you-eat-junk-food-2507661.