Chewing The Cud

Chew On This, has some good points: Americans eat too much fast food, we are an obese or overweight society, and that fast food joints have become a normal part of the American lifestyle. The first chapter was interesting in the history of fast food and the details of how it all got started.

However, listening to Schlosser speak on the Today Show (view the interview) proved many things about his take on food in general. He has a point that people abuse fast food by ordering the large fries, chicken strips, and jumbo shake, but on the contrary, Eric misses the mark entirely on the agriculture industry. In the interview, they reveal a clip of his fictitious movie, Fast Food Nation. The movie clip portrays a converstion of the two main characters about a "slaughter" house. Details like "chopping the cattle's heads off and standing ankle deep in blood"are mentioned. These grousome and false accusations on the beef industry are insulting and a bit humurous. I believe if one were to witness the harvesting of a beef animal, one would truly understand that it is a humane and necessary process.

If you want information based on fact not fiction visit a new web site called Best Food Nation. And organizations like the National Minority Health Month Foundation and The Heartland Institute have stated Chew on This is inaccurate and inappropriate. Take a look at the commentary by Elizabeth Whelan of the American Council for Science and Health in Saturday's Washington Times for a more balanced view.

I LOVE DISNEY!!!

Who cannot honestly say they have not watched those classic Disney movies: Cinderella, Little Mermaid, or Aladdin? This chapter from, Chew on This, discusses the ins and outs of how Disney made it big, how McDonald's found success, and how other aspiring businesses use these two franchises to promote their products. What is wrong with successful advertising? What is wrong with business appealing to kids? I was a little kid not too long ago, and personally I had strong opinions on the kinds of things my parents bought and exposed to me. I feel no offense at commercials being targeted to a younger age group. It's simply good advertising and good business.

The "Chew on This" chapter entitled, "McJobs", revolves around testimonies from real fast food employees. They complain of long hours, low pay, and no benefits. That is what defines a McJob. I myself had a McJob, and I would like to share a real testimony of what working at this kind of job is really like.

Well, after another insightful read with our buddy, Eric Schlosser, I learned more about how my brain, tongue, and nose detect flavors and fragrances than I ever wanted or needed to know. In all actualitiy, I did learn alot of useful things, but it makes me wonder where this innocent science lesson is leading to. Sure, McDonald's got in a tight spot by cooking their fries with beef fat, and maybe the fast food industry survives off of having a great taste you'll never forget....but isn't it all in the name of good business? Again, that's what it comes down to. McDonald's runs a business. This is the fast food industry. Of course they want you to LIKE their food! Schlosser is trying to blame the whole obese and overweight epidemic on fast food. Give me a break! I agree that fast food may not always be the most healthy of choices, but it's just that, a choice. We as Americans don't have to CHOOSE to eat fast food, we don't have to CHOOSE to eat unhealthily at home, and we don't have to CHOOSE to not exercise and take care of ourselves. Yet in this society, it seems that more and more people are choosing to make poor decisions when it comes to our health. I don't agree when people sue McDonald's blaming them for becoming fat because I believe we only have ourselves to blame. You want fast and easy? Try an apple and a deli sandwich on the go. We are not limited to fast food for the quick and easy, but it's up to us to start making conscious decisons about what goes in our mouths. To learn more about what foods to incorporate in a healthy lifestyle, check out this USDA website, My Pyramid . Through this we can learn how to "chews" wisely!