I had been wanting to read Fast Food Nation for a very long time, and I’m happy that I finally did it. This book covers many different aspects of fast food. It starts with examining how the fast food trend started and grew in the United States as automobiles became the primary mode of transportation. It also looks at how Americans have grown more sedentary and have been eating more unhealthy foods which has had a huge impact on our overall health and our health care industry.
This book also looks at the different components of fast food such as the meat industry, farming (potatoes/french fries). I am not a vegetarian but after reading about the slaughter house industry I have to admit I’m looking at my meat a little differently…and thinking more about the people who need to work in those jobs. One interesting thing I did learn (for those vegetarians out there) is that McDonald’s french fries were cooked in vegetable oil with beef tallow until just recently. Even though they were described as being vegetarian.
This book made me think a lot more about the food that we choose to put into our bodies and the price that cheap, affordable fast food comes at. I do have to admit that through a lot of the chapters I was craving french fries, but that also shows how strong those associations are that I only need to read the word McDonalds and think about french fries. I’m glad that I read this book and I hope in a little while I will be able to say that it has effected my food choices in more of a long term way.
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