Quote:
Originally Posted by Jelena
Is chocolate bars, crisps and coca cola a normal lunch for an average american?
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That depends on socio-economic position and lifestyle choice. Many Americans eat a great deal of junk food (I call it garbage), and for a number of reasons. One of them is the chosen lack of time due to work schedules and, if they're parents, the inconvenience of cooking at home (which takes time). So they're more likely to go to McDonald's or order in from Domino's Pizza. And it's faster to simply open the cupboard and grab a big bag of Cheetos or Pringle's Potato Crisps than to steam vegetables. This is exactly what I observed when I used to live with my sister and her husband and kids. There was always garbage in the fridge and in the cupboards for them when they come home after school, or their dad would bring home cheeseburgers and fries after work because he was too tired to cook (my sister never really learned from my mom how to make dinners, and she herself is a terrible role model for her own kids, constantly sucking on chocolates and whatnots). Needless to say the kids are overweight and the parents don't exactly have bodies to be proud of.
Another reason is economics. The less affluent you are (especially if you live on welfare or fall in the category of low income) the more likely you eat junk. This is because healthy foods like fruits and vegetables and dairy are more expensive, and so you're forced to buy 'filler foods' such as macaroni & cheese, white bread, donuts, potato chips (crisps), and soda pop (soft drinks), all of which are very cheap. In the long run they contribute to the insane rate of obesity the U.S. is known for.
Still another reason is what I call the culture of instant gratification, fueled by t.v. commercials for Taco Bell or Pizza Hut, especially when many of us are online, watching the game on t.v., or whatever, and we're too damn lazy to get off our asses and actually cook a meal from scratch or at the very least grab a bag of fresh baby carrots or celery from the fridge. We've developed a taste for garbage and the convenient way it's delivered to us.
