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”.

Labels: food