Fast food: How much is too much?
In a perfect world, we'd all eat fresh fruit and veggies, low fat, high protein foods and fast foods would be non-existent.
But since we all live in the real world, fast food is a reality for nearly all of us.
Simply stated - Americans love fast food.
To answer the question of how much is too much, many nutritionists would say any amount is too much. Fast food is an overly processed collection of salty, saturated fats that offer little in terms of nutrition. And for the most part, the nutritionists are right.
Because of this, McDonalds has had healthier childrens' meals with apples and all white chicken, along with milk to drink. Burger King is now unveiling it's new childrens meals with "apple fries" (which are slices of apples shaped like french fries), mac and cheese and low fat milk. Not great, but better than a fatty cheese burger and fries. Burger King plans on spending millions in advertising, especially (and not surprisingly) geared at mothers.
I can say that my children have never eaten inside a fast food restaurant to date. Being vegetarian is one reason, and wanting better nutrition for them is another. But lest I sound like Ms. Perfect Mom, I will say that they are allowed to have french fries from Wendy's (drive through) about twice a month and they take them home and have them with a veggie burger. I'm not that paranoid that I'd refuse all fast food but we keep it very limited. Fast food is tasty because it's deep fried, fatty and salty (and alternatively sweet and sugary, depending on which part of the menu you are looking at!)and that kind of diet can be addictive. Thinking about the sanitation levels of some of these restaurants is also enough to keep me out of them and keep drive-through visits very minimal. Movies like Supersize Me and Fast Food Nation also serve as dire warnings! Not to mention the environmental consequences of the fast food industry.
So the motto in our home is for as much healthy foods as possible, with fast food (pizza, fries, mac and cheese) on occasion. I don't think the odd slice of cheese pizza is going to hurt our kids, and they enjoy it and I enjoy watching their enjoyment! Soda pop, however, is still completely banned.
To see the nutritional content of major fast food chains, click here
And tell us -
How do you feel about fast food? The average American claims to eat it at least once a week. Some eat it every day. Do you indulge often, just occasionally or do you avoid fast food altogether? Do you allow your children to eat fast food?
Comments
It is absolutely incredible that your children have never been inside a fast-food restaurant. I really admire that. You are very committed. I, on the other hand, am a little more conflicted and have a love/hate relationship with fast food. I have cut waaaaaay back in my consumption of fast food over the years. In college, it was a staple and when I was working as a busy reporter, drive-thrus were Godsends, but these days, I might make it into a fast food restaurant maybe once every few months ... Not too bad.
And if I'm with my nieces or nephews, we always try to get them involved in making their food -- whether it's make your own pizza night or something else. A few times we've tried to take them out for more exotic food like Thai or tapas, but they both bombed. Should've known. And while we're trying to be healthy, they just think we're weird.
Tina, don't feel bad, my kids are the same way!
Last week I sauteed firm tofu in olive oil with chopped tomatoes and onions and it was pretty good! My kids looked at it like it came from another planet and only one would even try it. And she spat it out. Talk about insulting the chef!
Then they asked for veggie nuggets instead. As much as I try, they are just not interested in anything too 'different'.
How fast food has changed since I was a kid munching on a dried squid tentacle (Japan), or gleefully marching down to the Wharf with my mom or grandparents to feast on freshly caught crab steamed in pots along the pier (San Francisco). Our neighbors owned a taqueria and made tacos with shredded roast beef that they slow-cooked themselves (to die for). "Fast food" to us was street food of a much different sort than hamburgers, fries and a milk shake.
My kids love tofu, sashimi (the real raw fish) and sushi (the rice-wrapped foods), and things I won't describe to you because you'd probably faint (let's just say Pacific Asian), like "chocolate meat" (it's not chocolate). They use only chopsticks to eat their Asian foods, as though it makes a difference. Well, I do, too, haha!
These are kids raised right here in river city in Central Texas, not transplants from another planet (although we've convinced our older son that he is an alien - he requested escargot for his 10th birthday party). My husband is an Anglo-Saxon meat-and-potatoes afficionado. What our kids have learned to love in foods comes largely from being a part of a multi-cultural family. I think that's what makes the difference.
Sure, they like fast food, too - preferably if it's stir-fried, steamed or tossed about on a huge iron griddle. They're likely to go for veggie burgers, but real fries.
Funny how kids can be about their foods!
As mentioned above, there are some healthier options for fast food. We eat it once a week, but don't feel guilty because it is either a deli sandwich shop (no dressing, only veggies and wheat bread, with apples on side and water), or Wendy's has great chili and baked potatoes, and we have a few mexican/tex-mex joints that serve "healthier" versions of soft tacos with grilled meat, veggies and pico de gallo.
The other "fast food" that I will get for our family if we're having a busy week is from our grocery store. They have a walk-in market with pre-prepared grilled meats, fish, sides, veggies, casseroles, etc. Some are organic, but not all healthy. I pay a premium price for someone else doing the cooking, but it's worth it on an occasional basis!
The produce department has bagged veggies that you steam in the microwave, and the freezer section has complete meals that you just heat up...you can see the ingredient list; some actually don't have too many preservatives and are better than the deep-fried, saturated fat alternatives in fast food restaurants.
Anyways...for us, it is all about moderation and "indulging" once-in-a-while! (I have a difficult time going to Wendy's without getting a frosty! :-)
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