Fast food chains nowadays become very convenient especially for people who have busy schedules, and on tight budget. They offer cheap, tasty, and ready-to-go food selections that meet the taste of young and aged customers alike. Fast foods become so popular that it would be a rare, if not impossible, case if you met somebody who has not yet been to any fast food chain in his/her lifetime. Of course, with the exception of those who are of different civilization (ex. Indigenous groups).
The documentary “Supersize Me” has been an eye-opener for the damage fast foods can do to consumers who have them on regular basis. The creator of Supersize Me did a courageous, bold, and direct approach on unraveling the truth behind these popular fast food chains, particularly McDonald’s.
Without realizing it, fast foods play a role in building and maintaining relationships: between parent/s and child, between a couple, among friends, and among families as a whole. One of the happiest memories I had is when my mom brought as a Happy Meal as a “pasalubong” after she had gone for the whole day. My friends and I usually hang out at McDonald’s, exchanging endless stories. My siblings and I usually have bonding moments at a local fast food chain. Need I say more?
Looking back on your childhood, have you ever experience your mom or dad treating you to Jollibee or McDonald’s whenever you behave well during a mass every Sunday? Or rewarding you with a trip to Jollibee or McDonald’s for a job well done? The practice of rewarding kids with a treat to fast food chains might have a long-term effect as these kids would prefer foods serve in these establishments rather than those home-prepared foods which are more nutritious as they grow older. Remember the TV commercial with a kid who prefers to eat only fried chicken? How about the one which shows kids who love to eat spaghetti prepared in fast food chains?
Notice how small kids would excitedly hug Jollibee’s statue outside the entrance. These kids seem to be fascinated to the very enlarge red bee with a half-suit and bow tie. Once I did compare these kids to those aged people who make “pahid” to their patron saints. If this is the scenario, Jollibee could be called a saint as well. May be Jollibee is as popular as Jesus Christ to these kids. However, blaming these kids alone for their attitudes toward the enlarged red bee would be imbecile.
The said documentary did not only pose various threats facing addicted fast food consumers but it also presented that neglecting fast food consumption is not far from being possible. Surely, the owner of Baskin & Robbins did prove it was possible. Moreover, not all fast food are evil. The example for the “good” one would be Subway.
Here in the Philippines, while many of us could not really afford to fill-up in Subway, patronizing the big red bee would be the quickest solution. If budget could not still fit to any big bee house, the most convenient resort to run into is the street foods. Proven, fried chicken skin, would contain as much cholesterol and fats than anything on the menu of McDonald’s or Jollibee. Along with proven are calamares, kwek-kwek, fishballs, kikiam, day-old chick…just to name a few.
These options, whether or not it poses threats to their regular customers, would always be the popular choice. They’re clean, fast, and tasty as opposed to many “lutong-bahay” where sanitation and taste is always a question. However, this popular choice would always have a corresponding consequence. It is up to us whether we are to follow the cravings of our taste buds or should we opt for a wiser choice. As the popular cliché goes “Lahat ng bawal, masarap”.
*Nutrition reaction paper, submitted to Prof. Luy.Labels: food
So the box was in my cart. Honestly, I wasn't so excited in eating it.Earlier this afternoon, I was in the verge of hypoglycemia. Remembering my recent purchase, I grab the posh box out of the fridge and 'awesome' moments followed.Posh box flap opened...
Golden wrapper came out...
Golden tray came out of golden wrapper, containing 12 dark mints...
First bite...
I LOVE IT!
You wouldn't believe it's a local! That's why when I try to searched for the company in the net, many blogs already talked about the chocolate. Dark Mint is really a bomb. Hahahaha.But somehow, I thought it would be better if Goya would use locally produced cocoa beans. Since Goya is now a part of Nestle, perhaps it should make a move in helping the local farmers and in reviving the cocoa industry of the country. Just like what Nestle did to the local coffee.I miss our cocoa tree.Check it out yourself.Try it even if you're not a dark chocolate lover.Treat yourself real good once in a while. Just remember, quality does not always depend on the price.You deserve it.*Photo grabbed from http://riajose.wordpress.com/2008/05/23/goya-dark-mint-chocolates-and-more-goya/#comment-1765Labels: chocolate, food, love
Tatot is really a sweet dog. She would rush into me every time I call on her. If I am at home on weekends, it seems she is so excited to see me and really would take an effort to cling on me. She's a unique dog, too. After Ming was "sent" away, she left behind a nursing kitten. This kitten sought refuge with Tatot and see her as her mother. One day, to our surprise, Tatot was breastfeeding the kitten even though Tatot never bore any puppy! She would also licked it like one of her own specie.PeachesLast year, January, a kin of my Tito Rey need to get rid some of his 13 dogs in his condominium unit in Manila. As he knows he can trust us to take care one of his beloved dogs, he gave us Peaches. An adorable name for a dog, though. Since she came here at weekday, I was so excited to get home that weekend. While reading my books, I was thinking what kind of a dog Peaches is like? I can't explain how excited I was back then.
Arriving here, I first looked for the new dog. And there she was. White fur with brown spots. She's a beauty, I thought. She's still frightened, so she's still untamed.
I want to cuddle her immediately but that was impossible. So the whole weekend was spend on taming her. My patience paid off. By the time I was leaving for another school week, she's already licking my hands.
Peaches, along with her powerful barks and growls, is afraid of things normally a dog would not mind. She's afraid of the sound of fire crackers or anything that sounds like it. She's afraid of smoke. Every time she hears a fire cracker, even the faintest sound would send her whimpering and puking and tossing her bowl wildly. She whimpers at the sight of smoke.
One thing that really puzzled me is that Peaches really really HATES cats.
Every time she sees one, she'll bark madly. If unleashed, expect her to be in a killing spree. So far, Peaches has killed five kittens, descendant of our first cat Ming.
Peaches did not grew up with us. I don't know what the dog has gone through to experience such trauma. All I know is that she's very lovable dog, with her being playful, hyperactivity, and soft fur.
Even if each of them requires individual attention and care, I wouldn't mind. Even if Peaches annoys me with her soft pink tongue, I wouldn't mind. Even if Tatot always give me a hard time when it's time to give her a bath, I wouldn't mind. These two dogs are like my angels. They never let me down or get me upset for so long. They make me feel things will go fine. I just wish I they could be with me as long as forever.
Have you seen the movie "All Dogs Go to Heaven"? Being with them makes me feel I am in a bit of that.
MORAL: Big things come from little, and sometimes, unattractively wrapped packages. Big packages does not mean big things inside.
Labels: arf