Is Junk Food Really Cheaper

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In the articles “Gap In Diet Quality Between Wealthiest Poorest Americans Doubles” by Tracie McMillan, and “Is Junk Food Really Cheaper.” by Mark Bittman. We see that the overall diet quality in the United States remains poor.

In an article published in the New York Times, journalist Mark Bittman explores the common misconception that junk food is more cost efficient than buying and preparing your own food. In the article “Is Junk Food Really Cheaper?” Bittman attempts to unravel common arguments revolving around the affordability and convenience of fast food and proposes some alternatives to what he deems as a contributing factor to obesity in America. Though Bittman makes an understandable argument in the article the general tone and method in which he chooses to build his argument may seem contemptuous at times and at some points lacking in informative evidence and relevant statistics.

Every day the average american can be seen throwing money at things. This is the relationship that can be made between america and food, as seen in “What We Eat”. Eric Schlosser talks about how food in general has made a noticeable difference on the American society. He does this by referencing how the amount of money the average american spends on food has surpassed numbers unimaginable. Schlosser says that the effect of fast food in america has made it so that “On any given day, about one quarter of the adult population visits a fast-food restaurant.”

Title: The Crucible: How Reverend Parris Could Have Stopped the Hysteria. Introduction: In Arthur Miller's play, The Crucible, the character of Reverend Parris plays a significant role in fueling the hysteria that engulfs the town of Salem. However, it is important to consider how Reverend Parris could have taken action to prevent the escalation of the hysteria. Reverend Parris could have stopped the hysteria from spiraling out of control by emphasizing reason, promoting open dialogue, and advocating for justice.

Wealthy people get to go to high end grocery stores meanwhile, poorer families have limited access to grocery stores. The diets of low income Americans have worsened in the past decade, even as the diets of the wealthiest Americans have improved. The diets of poor Americans, have been bad, as the diets of rich people have gotten better. This shows the difference between the two classes, since poor people are limited to places where they can buy healthy food. The study attributed the change to the higher cost of convenient and healthy meals, as well as limited access to quality supermarkets in some poorer neighborhoods.

According to Wall Street Journal, “More than 33% of adults who earn less than $15,000 per year were obese, compared with 24.6% of those who earn at least $50,000 per year.” (Izzo 2011) Processed foods such as cheeseburger or French fries tend to be cheaper than buying healthier ingredients and making home cooked food. When people have lower incomes, they do suffer from food insecurity, which is an important connection between poverty and obesity. Two reasons can contribute to obesity: parents are working and are no longer at home with their children and therefore not able to cook balanced meals; and foods with high fat are cheaper than healthy foods.

Mark Bittman wrote the article “Is Junk Food Really Cheaper?” which was published in The New York Times in late September 2011. Bittman argues that junk food is not healthy nor cheaper to eat than home cooked meals. The author wrote this article in response to the increase of obesity in 2011. This article can be divided into six sections. In the introduction the author discusses weather or not it is cheaper to buy junk food compared to buying it from the grocery store. Bittman discusses the quantity of food and price differences for junk food and food made at home for a family of four. In the next section the author compares the differences in calories that you

102). One might impugn that it is not poverty but lack of education that affects the obesity epidemic. It does not require a mathematician to comprehend that choosing a two dollar case of Honey Buns as opposed to a six dollar bag of apples will equal more food in the refrigerator. Generally, processed foods are more “energy dense” than garden-fresh foods; they contain less water and fiber but more added fat and sugar, which make them both less satisfying and more calorific (Pollan, 2006). Provisions similar to fruits and vegetables contain high water content that permits individuals to feel satiated rather swiftly. Nutritious meals are more expensive, less tasty, and are more time consuming to prepare, fostering unhealthy eating patterns. On special occasions, parents will treat their children to McDonalds where everything is “super-sized”. Adults and children can acquire debauched consumption patterns because they don’t comprehend the quantity they have enthusiastically ingested. Pollan (2006) stated that “Well-designed fast food has a fragrance and flavor all its own, a fragrance and flavor only nominally connected to hamburgers or French fries or for that matter to particular food” (p. 111).

Eric Schlosser the accomplished author of Fast Food Nation, and Chew On This said “Fast food is popular because it is convenient, it's cheap, and it's tastes good but the real cost of eating food never appears on the menu.” He is one of the few people who will divulge into the hidden secrets of fast food and and expose the horrors behind the facade.

The main point of fast food is to be fats, easy and convenient, but sometimes we humans abuse of that option that was given to us. Yes, its true fast food are everywhere in every corner and in every place we turn to, but we cannot blame the food chains for our decisions. Obesity is like a monster and we are feeding it, we stop on every school or work break that we have to snack on some McDonalds, wing stop, and other fast restaurants that are in our path, the only issue with is that we consume it on a daily basis making it our routine and we end up putting our health in risk. A survey made by the college of agriculture, consumer and

Block, J. P., & Subramanian, S. V. (2015). Moving Beyond "Food Deserts": Reorienting United States Policies to Reduce Disparities in Diet Quality. Plos Medicine, 12(12), 1-9. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001914

Did you know that “every day 1 in 4 Americans visit a fast food restaurant? If that’s not alarming to you, then consider this, left unabated, obesity will surpass smoking as the leading cause of preventable death in America.” (Clark, Charles) Fast food has become a part of American culture. With the way the world is today who wouldn’t want to eat somewhere that can have you in and out in five minutes for fewer than five dollars? It has been made very clear that Americans love to eat as we rank number one most years as the world’s most obese nation, but it’s not just America. In his documentary, Morgan Spurlock notes that, “Popular fast food chains like McDonalds, now operate in more than 126 countries in six continents having more than 31,000 restaurants globally.” (Spurlock 2004) The most alarming part about all of these statistics is the groups they most affect. The catchy advertisements and addictive qualities of the food is what has everyone coming back for more. Fast food companies advertisements targeting the young and lower classes are the cause for the obesity epidemic in America.

While most people generally know that fast food is not good for their health, they still eat it for various reasons. Most people that buy fast food are low income, uneducated, and/or are people just trying to save a couple of bucks. However, the people trying to save money by buying fast food will eventually end up spending more money from the cost of doctor 's visits, medicine, etc.

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