In the five years that I have been considered an adult I have come to the realization that I have lived a very very ignorant (yet blissful) life when it comes to the world of fast food choices.
I attribute part of this to my upbringing but also a large part to geographical inconvenience.
The closest thing to my house growing up was a McDonald's...and let's be real, who doesn't live close to at least one McDonald's.
Sure there were a couple of other fast food places in other parts of town, but none close enough to offer any reasonable convenience.
Even when it came to grocery shopping our choices were Winn-Dixie or.....Winn-Dixie. I remember when we eventually got a Publix in town, and I thought it was so clean and fancy....I also remember my mother saying that it was too expensive, and that we were going back to Winn-Dixie.
You should have heard everyone when they found out we were getting a Walmart....it was a major achievement.
I know that I am not of the norm, considering by eighteen years old the list of fast food joints I had tasted food from was far shorter than the ones I hadn't. If it hadn't been for a certain someone (cough cough Kevin cough cough) encouraging me to try some of them, I might still be completely oblivious.
(I almost named this post "How my boyfriend is making me fat" but I thought I might not push the blame onto someone else)
The truth is that I truly feel sorry for a lot of kids today.
The fact that they are bombarded with so many unhealthy yet convenient options is setting them up for unhealthy future.
A scary reality, despite what any studies may or may not say, is that fast food can be very addictive...it tastes good, so why couldn't someone become addicted to it?
I thought I was immune to this addictive feeling until last night while eating my one and only fast food vice. I don't want to name names but they make delicious burritos and are open late :)
Well the point is, that I drove to this particular location, went through the drive-thru only to get home to find that my "Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes" (ok that might give it away) were not in my bag.....and then I felt like crying.
I kid you not, I am one hundred percent sure that I acted like a two year old for a full ten minutes before coming to my senses. I was just so looking forward to eating those cheesy, crispy potatoes that it made me physically upset to not have them!!! To be honest, once I realized how stupid it was...it scared me a little.
If this sort of thing could happen to someone who hasn't grown up on fast food, and has only one fast food vice, imagine how an adult who has made it a part of their diet since a small child would feel if they no longer could make this a part of their regular eating regimen.
I am truly grateful that I was not exposed to so many of these unhealthy choices before I was an adult because by the time I was, it was at an old enough age to realize that I shouldn't be eating them all the time. But what about those kids who have it provided to them consistently because it may offer a desirable convenience for them and their parents. Those kids who grow up only to realize that they shouldn't be eating these things but can't help making the wrong choice over and over because it has become ingrained in their habits.
Now I'm not saying I'm an angel....and I'm sure I will still eat those tasty little potatoes occasionally but the next time they are left out of my bag I'll try to remember that it's really not that important...and that I'm probably better off without them.
P.S. Mom, thanks for always saying "you can wait until we get home and make a sandwich" and packing snacks to go, instead of giving in to something maybe a little easier....I can see your motives now.
P.P.S. Since moving away, there are a couple of added fast food places to my old neighborhood....right across from that beloved Walmart.
You should have heard everyone when they found out we were getting a Walmart....it was a major achievement.
I know that I am not of the norm, considering by eighteen years old the list of fast food joints I had tasted food from was far shorter than the ones I hadn't. If it hadn't been for a certain someone (cough cough Kevin cough cough) encouraging me to try some of them, I might still be completely oblivious.
(I almost named this post "How my boyfriend is making me fat" but I thought I might not push the blame onto someone else)
The truth is that I truly feel sorry for a lot of kids today.
The fact that they are bombarded with so many unhealthy yet convenient options is setting them up for unhealthy future.
A scary reality, despite what any studies may or may not say, is that fast food can be very addictive...it tastes good, so why couldn't someone become addicted to it?
I thought I was immune to this addictive feeling until last night while eating my one and only fast food vice. I don't want to name names but they make delicious burritos and are open late :)
Well the point is, that I drove to this particular location, went through the drive-thru only to get home to find that my "Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes" (ok that might give it away) were not in my bag.....and then I felt like crying.
I kid you not, I am one hundred percent sure that I acted like a two year old for a full ten minutes before coming to my senses. I was just so looking forward to eating those cheesy, crispy potatoes that it made me physically upset to not have them!!! To be honest, once I realized how stupid it was...it scared me a little.
If this sort of thing could happen to someone who hasn't grown up on fast food, and has only one fast food vice, imagine how an adult who has made it a part of their diet since a small child would feel if they no longer could make this a part of their regular eating regimen.
I am truly grateful that I was not exposed to so many of these unhealthy choices before I was an adult because by the time I was, it was at an old enough age to realize that I shouldn't be eating them all the time. But what about those kids who have it provided to them consistently because it may offer a desirable convenience for them and their parents. Those kids who grow up only to realize that they shouldn't be eating these things but can't help making the wrong choice over and over because it has become ingrained in their habits.
Now I'm not saying I'm an angel....and I'm sure I will still eat those tasty little potatoes occasionally but the next time they are left out of my bag I'll try to remember that it's really not that important...and that I'm probably better off without them.
P.S. Mom, thanks for always saying "you can wait until we get home and make a sandwich" and packing snacks to go, instead of giving in to something maybe a little easier....I can see your motives now.
P.P.S. Since moving away, there are a couple of added fast food places to my old neighborhood....right across from that beloved Walmart.
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