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PilotNews > Opinion
> Convenience over nutrition?
Convenience over nutrition?
Fast food becomes a bad habit among students
Hannah Wiese
Oct 26, 2007
When running late and pressed for time, the dilemma of what to eat for dinner faces students. While driving along Lindbergh Blvd., a White Castle, the ‘golden arches’ and the ‘king of burgers’ are beckoning.
“I eat Subway, McDonalds, and Pizza Hut because I work late, my mom doesn’t want to cook, and it’s cheap and easy,” said Brittany Tate (12).
Pulling in and ordering via the squawking box has become a routine way for famished and over-taxed students to get their meals.
From childhood, fast food joints have attracted kids using gimmacks, such as colorful toys in their kids’ meals.
“I have at least one-half of the 101 Dalmatian Christmas set from McDonalds in the garage in a box labeled ‘Olivia’s McDonalds toys,’” said Olivia Smith (9).
Now many drive-thrus offer all white meat chicken nuggets. So the question arises, what was included in those, “little chickens” before?
Highways bombared drivers, with billboards highlighting clowns, Play Places, and of course food.
“The purple plush dinosaur, Grimace, was my favorite. I guess driving by as a kid, you’d see the Play Place and want to stop,” said Elijah Moore (11).
Watching Morgan Spurlock (2004’s Super Size Me) consume three meals from McDonalds for 30 days should be enough to make students semi-grateful for the Wellness Plan. Spurlock gained weight that took him 14 months to take off and sustained liver damage.
Now healthier options are being offered, such as baked potatoes and yogurt for sides in place of fries.
Of course, choosing these options doesn’t automatically make a meal healthier. Adding butter and sour cream can make a baked potato just as unhealthy as fries.
A Snack Size Fruit & Walnut Salad from McDonalds has 210 calories, with one third from fat. Government guidelines stipulate that, at the most, only 30 percent of the total calories should come from fat.
“I don’t eat fast food on a regular basis because it’s unhealthy and makes me feel gross,” said Justine Bollmeier (11).
So, while an occasional fast food meal may be inevitable when on the run, choosing healthier options, such as Subway’s Fresh Fit Meals that comply with the American Heart Association’s guidelines, can lead to a meal that is not only quick, but healthy as well.
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