Living In a Fast Food Nation

What is Fast Food? A “fast food” restaurant is a

restaurant that prepares food quickly and offers minimal service to its customers.

Fast food franchises often ship standardized foodstuffs to each restaurant location where the food is cooked in bulk and kept warm.

It was estimated that in 2006 alone Americans will spend $142 billion dollars in fast food restaurants.

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Some Fast Food Food Facts

•Recommended calorie intake per day is roughly 2000.

RESTAURANT MEAL TOTAL CALORIES

CHOLESTEROL

Burger King Double Whopper Sandwich

900 175 mg

McDonalds Breakfast Deluxe

1220 480 mg

Subway Foot Long Pastrami Sub

1140 20 mg

KFC Chicken Pot Pie

770 115 mg

Highly accessible Less accessible

Convenient Less convenient

Great tasting Not as good tasting

Promoted heavily Not promoted

Inexpensive More expensive

Fast Foods Healthy Foods

Percent of adults who are Percent of adults who are overweight or obeseoverweight or obese

45%

50%

55%

60%

65%

70%

2/3 of adults are overweight orobese

67%

Life Expectancy in the U.S.Life Expectancy in the U.S.

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

2-5 year declinein life expectancy

25% of all vegetables eaten in the U.S.are fries

8 oz 12 oz 16 oz 20 oz 34 oz

16 oz 32 oz 44 oz 52 oz 64 oz

48 Teaspoons Sugar

French Fries

20 Years Ago Today

210 Calories2.4 ounces

610 Calories6.9 ounces

Who Eats It?Who Eats It? People who live near fast food People who live near fast food

restaurants are more likely to eat restaurants are more likely to eat more fast food.more fast food.

People who have more fast food People who have more fast food restaurants in their neighborhood restaurants in their neighborhood are more likely to have heart are more likely to have heart disease and die early.disease and die early.

States with the most fast food States with the most fast food outlets per square mile have the outlets per square mile have the highest rates of obesityhighest rates of obesity

Calories.. Who’s counting?

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

McDonald’s hamburger

McDonald’s Big Mac

O’Charley’s chicken tenders dinner

Shoney’s deluxe pancake plate

Lone Star Steakhouse Lone Star wings

Denny’s mini burgers w/ onion rings

Chili’s awesome blossom

Nathan’s Famous seafood sampler

So What Can You Do?

Start Walking

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

McDonald’s hamburger

McDonald’s Big Mac

O’Charley’s chicken tenders dinner

Shoney’s deluxe pancake plate

Lone Star Steakhouse Lone Star wings

Denny’s mini burgers w/ onion rings

Chili’s awesome blossom

Nathan’s Famous seafood sampler

hour

s

Fast Food AlternativesFast Food Alternatives

1. Plan ahead1. Plan ahead

Many times we get fast food because we're hungry and we have Many times we get fast food because we're hungry and we have no alternatives. But if you plan your day each morning (or the no alternatives. But if you plan your day each morning (or the night before), you can figure out better alternatives. night before), you can figure out better alternatives.

2. Cook in bulk.2. Cook in bulk.

Along those lines, you could take an afternoon and cook a few Along those lines, you could take an afternoon and cook a few different foods in bulk. A big pot of soup or chili, for example, is different foods in bulk. A big pot of soup or chili, for example, is easy to make, and you can put single-serving containers in the easy to make, and you can put single-serving containers in the freezer to grab when you head out the door freezer to grab when you head out the door

3. Sandwiches.3. Sandwiches.

Make a sandwich in the morning to take with you (they're very Make a sandwich in the morning to take with you (they're very portable), or order one to go from a restaurant. Cheaper than a full portable), or order one to go from a restaurant. Cheaper than a full entree, but filling and tasty. entree, but filling and tasty.

Fast Food Alternatives….Fast Food Alternatives….

4. Always pack snacks.4. Always pack snacks.

Keep a bag full of snacks to take with you on the road, as they can keep Keep a bag full of snacks to take with you on the road, as they can keep hunger at bay and thus keep the need for fast food to a minimum hunger at bay and thus keep the need for fast food to a minimum

5. Bring bottled water.5. Bring bottled water.

Often what we think is hunger is actually dehydration. If you drink water, Often what we think is hunger is actually dehydration. If you drink water, you feel less hungry. Always have a bottle of water with you on the road, you feel less hungry. Always have a bottle of water with you on the road, along with your snacks, and keep yourself hydrated (and less hungry) all along with your snacks, and keep yourself hydrated (and less hungry) all day long.day long.

6. Grocery stores.6. Grocery stores.

Another great alternative to fast food is a grocery store, which contains all Another great alternative to fast food is a grocery store, which contains all kinds of food that doesn't cost much but is healthier than fast food. Often kinds of food that doesn't cost much but is healthier than fast food. Often grocery stores have hot or prepared food as well. Just run in, grab some grocery stores have hot or prepared food as well. Just run in, grab some fruit and a prepared sandwich with bottled water, and you're good to gofruit and a prepared sandwich with bottled water, and you're good to go. .

If You Must Have Fast Food If You Must Have Fast Food ….….

• Get grilled instead of friedGet grilled instead of fried• Get small instead of largeGet small instead of large• Get water instead of cokeGet water instead of coke• Get potato instead of fries Get potato instead of fries (if possible)(if possible)

• Get Subway instead of McDonaldsGet Subway instead of McDonalds• Try and avoid extras like cheese Try and avoid extras like cheese

mayo and bacon on sandwichesmayo and bacon on sandwiches

Good Luck!!