Adult and childhood obesity rates are at a high, and we don’t seem to be slowing down when it comes to big portions and the pride of fast food in America.
Yet something strange appears to be happening: Last year, McDonald’s sales plummeted in their third quarter. In the first quarter of 2015, McDonald’s sales in the U.S. fell by 2.6 percent, and the company cited difficulties in staying relevant as one of the main factors behind it.
That’s possibly because fast food may be on its way out, and sustainable, healthy food may be on its way in.
More and more, the average consumer is becoming educated about what’s in their food: from hormones and antibiotics, to trans fats and preservatives. The genetically modified organism (GMO) debate has also sparked controversy, and spurred major chains like Chipotle to remove GMO-laden ingredients from their menus. More and more research shows that drinking too much soda is killing you, and Dairy Queen is just one example of several fast food chains that have pulled soda from their kids menus, replacing it with healthier options.
I – Word Understanding
plummeted – dropped (decreased) sharply and abruptly
chipotle – smoked and usually dried jalapeno pepper
Chipotle – a chain of restaurants specializing in tacos and burritos, they use organic ingredients
and serve more naturally raised meat than other restaurant chains.
II – Have Your Say
1. More people seem to be increasingly concerned about the quality and safety of their food. What are your concerns when it comes to food especially when you go to the supermarket and restaurants?
2. “Fast-casual” is a new type of restaurant that might take over “fast foods”. These would provide healthier food for a similar price to the current fast food chains, still relatively quick and without the need of a server.
3. When it comes to food, what are the healthier alternatives? Are you familiar with these?
– free range
– hormone-free
– natural
– organic
