End Fast Food Addiction

Like most health-conscious Americans, I shy away from fast food. Desperate times, however, call for desperate measures. Facing a long flight during a layover at the Denver Airport and unwilling to cough up $8 for a packaged in-flight "snack", I queued up to the airport Burger King and ordered a Whopper. The savings weren't all I anticipated. The Whopper price was a whopping $4.40. Oh for the days of $0.15 hamburgers, $0.10 fries, and $0.20 milkshakes at the McDonald's of my youth. In fact, oh for the days of a $3 Whopper at a non-airport Burger King.

Still, the Whopper was a tasty and comparatively economical choice. If I had run to the local grocery store and purchased 1/4 lb of ground beef, lettuce, pickles, onions, mayo and a large bun, could I have done it for less than $4.40? Or, health-conscious person that I am could I have substituted arugula, chopped anti-oxidant vegetables, and a low-cal vinagrette for that price? Probably not. And I received that birthright of all Americans - instant gratification - a burger in my hand within minutes of ordering without the time and mess associated with preparing it myself.

We bemoan the fattening of America due to our fast food addiction. According to the Nutritional Information poster at BK, my Whopper comes in at an impressive 690 calories. Eat two of those rascals and I've made my recommended daily caloric intake. But I've only spent $6 to $9 depending on where I bought the sandwiches and there are no pans to scrub or plates to wash. Fast food may kill me, but it is cheap and convenient.

There is only one way to end America's fast food addiction and it is not Nutritional Posters or scary medical updates on the news. Force customers to prepare their own fast food and clean up after themselves. The prospect of standing over a hot grill, fishing gunk out of the deep fat fryer, and doing the dishes at Mickey D's or BK will cause us to think twice about impulsively picking up a burger on the way home. Nutritional home meals will return and we Americans will once again be svelte and healthy.

The cheap aspect of fast food is a harder nut to crack. Burger King is offering "buy one, get one for free" on Whoppers this weekend. Maybe the money I save on burgers will pay for insulin.