In conversations about the worrying obesity epidemic in the US, we’ve heard many theories as to the reasons our waistlines are ballooning. Whenever a marketer from the food industry is asked, a plethora of explanations are provided to show that junk food and beverages are not the main reason. A sedentary lifestyle and lack of exercise are cited as the top causes. Smoking, or rather quitting smoking, is also brought up as a reason for weight... 

The sandwich as cartoon — the KFC Double Down.  Read More →

U.S. soldiers at the big military base in Kandahar, Afghanistan, will no longer be able to buy lunch at Burger King , Pizza Hut , or T.G.I. Friday’s once the restaurants’ concession contracts run out. As Reuters reported yesterday, Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Hall, in a blog post “earlier this year,” wrote that this is because the soldiers are in “a war zone—not an amusement park.” The undated post is on the... 

Take a good look at this picture. A real good look. Notice anything different? Look again. At the burger. The fries. Give up? What you need to know: This Happy Meal recently celebrated its first birthday. Says its owner, Joann Brusso: My Happy Meal is one year old today and it looks pretty good. It NEVER smelled bad. The food did NOT decompose. It did …  Read More →

March is National Nutrition Month . It was created in the 1970’s by the American Dietetic Association as a means of raising awareness of nutritious eating and promoting the role of registered dietitians in helping us stay lean and healthy. The ADA website has a special section dedicated to “NNM”. In it, some  interesting features, including an interactive history of fad diets and a rather lame interactive quiz . Plus a ton... 

Think of a healthy fast food chain. Which one comes to mind? If you chose Subway, you’re not alone. According to a recent survey by market research firm Decision Analyst , Subway is the fast food franchise consumers trust the most for nutrition information. Subway is the leader in consumer trust with almost one-quarter (24.2%) of consumers saying they “completely trust” its nutritional claims…42% of Subway customers choose... 

Here’s a variation on a theme we’ve long known. Calorie counts on fast food menu items shortchange us, with a twist. In a study recently published in The Journal of the American Dietetic Association , researchers found that calories stated on fast food menu items tended to be inaccurate, averaging 18% MORE CALORIES per item than listed in the menu. Example: Wendy’s grilled chicken wrap listed 260 calories, but was found to have... 

Nearly half of all the fast-food soda fountains tested in a recent study dispensed coliform bacteria —that’s feces, folks—along with the pop. The study, published in the International Journal of Food Microbiolog y, is being widely picked up in the blogosphere today. I kept clicking from one blog to the next , but none of them raised what to me is the obvious question: How does the fecal material make its way into the soda? CBS News... 

Respect. Not the first word that comes to mind when we think about food. Hunger, guilt, diet, and calories are more common thoughts that pass our collective American mind when we contemplate what goes through our mouth three or more times a day. But respect for food, meals, and mealtimes is crucially missing from our modern and instant culture. A fast food culture. Fast preparation, fast consumption, always on the go.  Eating has become a quick,...