Fast food news round up week of 2/8 – Wendy’s for V-Day, Healthy Fast Food Options, and a Lost Wallet
By Jesse | February 16, 2010
Happy Valentine’s Day! Let’s catch up on some news in the world of fast food.
Already looking for some ideas for next year’s Valentine’s Day? Why not skip the fancy dinner out with that someone special and opt for a trip to the Castle? White Castle that is. Apparently White Castles take reservations on V-Day. I’m not kidding. People actually take their significant others to White Castle. The reservations include a special promotional dinner including ten sliders, two sodas and fries for only $10.49. Some 423 couples went to White Castle last year in Louisville, KY, with over a 100 on the wait list.
Hilarious. You can’t make this shit up.
Next up is a list of the top ten healthiest fast food options from Chef Eric Paul, a contributor on Chicagonow.com. Panera, Jason’s Deli and Au Bon Pain top the list. Always good to know what the good options are when you are out and about. Check out the article here.
In past round ups, I’ve featured news and information on beef contamination, fast food, and school lunches. In light of all the recent information and food worries, the USDA will be completing its largest safety overhaul for the school lunch program this June in over a decade. Specifically, they will be examining the safety of the food that they purchase for their school lunch programs. They will be upping the bar significantly on testing standards to make sure that the food that’s bought for America’s children is up to the same quality standards as high end buyers. Bravo USDA. Its about time we stopped buying that mystery meat for school lunches.
Read more about it on USAtoday.com
Our last news item involves some fast food kindness. An employee at a Wendy’s in Aurora, CO returned a lost wallet complete with $1,200 in cash. The wallet was found in the parking lot and returned to the losers, a young couple who had been in the area to buy furniture. Its always good to hear about someone doing something nice for their fellow man. That employee deserves a raise.
Read more about the lost wallet here.
Fast Food Super Bowl Commercial Round Up
By Jesse | February 8, 2010
This week I’m replacing the usual news round up with a special, Super Bowl commercial round up from last night’s big game. I was happy to see a victory by America’s new favorite team, the city of New Orleans deserved it.
I had prepared myself for a night of fast food commercials to go along with my heaping pile of football. However, I was disappointed by the lack of spots. While there was a boat load of food commercials, there were only two pure fast food spots. I knew the industry was down this past year, but I didn’t realize how much.
Let’s take a look at our spots.
McDonalds:
Our first spot, a dunk competition over lunch, is a rehash of those old Michael Jordan and Larry Bird “nothing but net” commercials from the 80s. This time, its two current NBA stars, LeBron James and Dwight Howard. The commercial has some nice CGI enhanced aerials by the two superstars. In the end, Larry Bird makes an appearance to steal the show, and the lunch.
The Perfect Super Bowl Food Spread
By Jesse | February 4, 2010
By Guest Blogger:
While watching the season 6 opener of Lost I saw an M&M commercial that told viewers to have M&Ms at their Super Bowl party. This got me to thinking about what else I would have at a Super Bowl party, that is, if I was going to have one. I am not a big football fan, so for me, the Super Bowl is more a time to enjoy good food and watch creative advertising than it is to watch football.
I began trying to think of the perfect Super Bowl spread. Naturally, I turned to Google. I started googling phrases similar to “the perfect Super Bowl spread” and “best Super Bowl spread.” The following is what I discovered.
The spreads I stumbled upon on Google images varied from the classic…
Fast Food at Home
By chriscoyier | February 2, 2010
I’ve attempted to recreate a number of popular fast food items at home in the past few months. Check it.
Big Macs
Crappy white buns, the middle one being a “bottom” with the bottom sawed off. I couldn’t find seasame seed ones with the sufficient level of crappiness, but I should have looked harder. I used “Shreds”, prepackaged shredded lettuce which I actually think is a sweet product. American pasteurized processed cheese food slices, of course. Then painfully thin beef, pan-fried, cheesed, and tossed onto the bun with the shreds, diced onion, thinly sliced pickles, and the “secret sauce” (thousand-island salad dressing).
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Fast Food News Round Up week of 1/25 – Fast food and depression, “Superfans”, and Michael Pollan on Oprah
By Jesse | February 1, 2010
Welcome back to another Fast Food News Round Up.
Fast food consumption may be linked to depression, according to a study published last week in The British Journal of Psychiatry. British and French epidemiologist analyzed the mood and food data of 3,486 men. They found that after five years those following the “processed food pattern”, a diet rich in fried foods, sugary desserts, and processed foods were more likely to be depressed than those eating healthier options. While there are many factors in depression, healthy foods like fruits and vegetables can contribute to increased levels of serotonin in the brain.
Interesting stuff, but not completely surprising. It makes sense to me that eating foods that we were evolved to eat, like fruits and vegetables, would result in bette functioning, including mood. To read more about this story, click here.
Next up is a great piece from the Wall Street Journal Online about Burger King’s declining sales and the targeting of “superfans”, young men between the ages of 18 – 34. While initially this strategy paid dividends for Burger King, with sales growth in 20 consecutive quarters, the last two quarters have posted declines. Speculation is that the “superfans” are changing both their eating and spending habits, resulting in less frequent trips to The King. Visits to fast casual chains like Panera and Chipotle are on the rise, while burger are on the decline. It looks like the Superfans are going for healthier options, or at least perceived healthier options and the trend may not reverse. I found this pretty damn interesting, and being in the “Superfan” demographic, I have noticed a subtle shift in my peers’ eating habits away from burgers and fries towards slightly healthier options. With movies and books like Fast Food Nation and Supersize Me its becoming difficult for us to ignore the health effects of a highly processed, fast food diet.
To read more at WJS online, click here.
Last week the Chicago Tribune posted an article on the multiple methods of making meat safe for consumers. The article explains such scientific cleaning processes as irradiation – yes radiation, ammonia and chlorine cleansing, and the carbon monoxide that gives our meat its pink finish. I know, not the most pleasant article, but if you are going to eat it, you should know where it comes from. Check it out here.
Lastly, Michael Pollan, the author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma which I reviewed last week, made an appearance on Oprah. In it he talks about his food rules with America’s favorite television personality. I did not get a chance to catch the whole episode, but I did find an article and video on The Huffington Post. Definitely check it out. I think Pollan’s rules are easier to follow and make a lot of sense.
Check it out here at The Huffington Post.
That’s it for this weeks news round up. Check back next week for another exciting installment.
Food Book Review – The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan
By Jesse | January 27, 2010
In previous reviews and articles, you’ve heard my opinions on the industrial food system and the problems associated with it. Many of the evils of industrial eating have recently come to the front of the media, even in an era ripe with social, political, and economic concerns. On the forefront of this food movement is Michael Pollan, a journalist and educator by trade. Mr. Pollan is often cited in news articles, books, and even documentaries like Food INC.
I recently finished reading Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma. The book traces the creation of four different meals, consumed by Pollan, along our food system. The meals range from a fast food McDonalds drive through to a wild hunted California Boar, tracing their path of production. The book’s journeys down the varied food systems are both enlightening and entertaining.
Pollen begins by reflecting on America’s collective eating disorder. A disorder mostly consisting of a people obsessed with healthy food that eats largely unhealthy. The United States, as a big melting pot of a variety of cultures and food traditions has lost touch with eating over the last fifty years or so. Much of what we see in the grocery store or eat at the table is drastically different from the food that we’ve been eating for thousands of years due to processing. This has led to major food related health issues like obesity, type 2 diabetes and my personal favorite, food bourn illnesses.
Contrary to what one would assume, Pollan’s descriptions are not preachy. He doesn’t tell the reader what to eat, but rather focuses his own musings and “dilemmas” facing the simple decision of “what should we eat”.
I really enjoyed the book. I was both entertained and informed. Pollan’s adventurous along the food system were surprisingly entertaining due to his informative and humorous prose. Some parts dragged, like the long scientific explanations of corn development or the personal accounts of picking wild mushrooms. However, I really recommend this book to anyone that eats food. As a nation, we need to pay better attention to something as intimate as where the food we put in our bodies every day is comes from. Many of you may actually significantly change how you eat.
Pick up a copy at Amazon.com, your local library, or trade for one on Swaptree.com.
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