Fast food nation
Okay, so the book starts out discussing the rise of the fast food (evil) empire. But, the parts that really get interesting to me are, of course, when the discussions come up about what is in the food and how it is manufactured. And, yes, manufactured is the right word for it...no home cooking here!
What better to discuss first than fries! After all, that's what we all think of when we think of fast food, isn't it? First of all, some numbers to get you going...these fast food giants are buying fries at about 30 cents per pound, and selling them to us at about $6 a pound!! And, to top it off, out of every $1.50 spent on an order of fries, the farmers that grew those potatoes only get around 2 cents! Hmmm...wonder where all that money goes.... And then comes the question, what are we paying for anyways? I think everyone knows by now, that the McDonald's fry got its flavor from the beef tallow they were cooked in, but how about today? Well, that 'natural flavor' in the ingredient list is what we have come to know and love...a chemical concoction made by the same folks that make perfume, household cleansers, and more! Yummy!! What happened to just potatoes...do they taste so bad without the chain of additives?
Now on to the best part...the meat!!! Where to start? How about a new breed of chicken with extra large breasts dubbed the 'mr. mcdonald' or the bovine growth hormone and anabolic steriods injected into cattle? But, this is everywhere in the processed food industry, right? Right...it's hard to avoid nowadays. Another plug for buying organic, grassfed beef, fresh farmed, etc. You should KNOW where you meat comes from and what has been put in it before you put it in you! That's my philosophy!! That, and know exactly HOW it gets to your plate too...that's what made me stop eating it. And, this book is no different in its details of a cow's journey from the corral to the little styrofoam packs you see in your local supermarket. If it doesn't make your stomach turn, you aren't human! What you do with that knowledge is then up to you and your own conscience. Oh, and let's not forget E. coli too...how does that contaminate meat anyways? Bottom line is that there is poop in your meat...mmmm..poop!
The author's last paragraph on fast food is worth sharing to round off these thoughts: "Pull open the glass door, feel the rush of cool air, walk inside, get in line, and look around you, look at the kids working in the kitchen, at the customers in their seats, at the ads for the latest toys, study the backlit color photographs above the counter, think about where the food came from, about how and where it was made, about what is set in motion by every single fast food purchase, the ripple effect near and far, think about it. Then place your order. Or turn and walk out the door. It's not too late. Even in this fast food nation, you can still have it your way."
What better to discuss first than fries! After all, that's what we all think of when we think of fast food, isn't it? First of all, some numbers to get you going...these fast food giants are buying fries at about 30 cents per pound, and selling them to us at about $6 a pound!! And, to top it off, out of every $1.50 spent on an order of fries, the farmers that grew those potatoes only get around 2 cents! Hmmm...wonder where all that money goes.... And then comes the question, what are we paying for anyways? I think everyone knows by now, that the McDonald's fry got its flavor from the beef tallow they were cooked in, but how about today? Well, that 'natural flavor' in the ingredient list is what we have come to know and love...a chemical concoction made by the same folks that make perfume, household cleansers, and more! Yummy!! What happened to just potatoes...do they taste so bad without the chain of additives?
Now on to the best part...the meat!!! Where to start? How about a new breed of chicken with extra large breasts dubbed the 'mr. mcdonald' or the bovine growth hormone and anabolic steriods injected into cattle? But, this is everywhere in the processed food industry, right? Right...it's hard to avoid nowadays. Another plug for buying organic, grassfed beef, fresh farmed, etc. You should KNOW where you meat comes from and what has been put in it before you put it in you! That's my philosophy!! That, and know exactly HOW it gets to your plate too...that's what made me stop eating it. And, this book is no different in its details of a cow's journey from the corral to the little styrofoam packs you see in your local supermarket. If it doesn't make your stomach turn, you aren't human! What you do with that knowledge is then up to you and your own conscience. Oh, and let's not forget E. coli too...how does that contaminate meat anyways? Bottom line is that there is poop in your meat...mmmm..poop!
The author's last paragraph on fast food is worth sharing to round off these thoughts: "Pull open the glass door, feel the rush of cool air, walk inside, get in line, and look around you, look at the kids working in the kitchen, at the customers in their seats, at the ads for the latest toys, study the backlit color photographs above the counter, think about where the food came from, about how and where it was made, about what is set in motion by every single fast food purchase, the ripple effect near and far, think about it. Then place your order. Or turn and walk out the door. It's not too late. Even in this fast food nation, you can still have it your way."
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