What's definition of fast food?

Food is considered fast food if it can be made quickly, easily and relatively cheaply. Both the popularity and the negative effects stem from the nature of fast food. Cheaper ingredients are usually not healthier and the methods and ingredients that make the food taste good and cook quickly are not always healthy either.

The popularity of fast foods is due to the fact that it is a quick and easy meal as well as...

Food is considered fast food if it can be made quickly, easily and relatively cheaply. Both the popularity and the negative effects stem from the nature of fast food. Cheaper ingredients are usually not healthier and the methods and ingredients that make the food taste good and cook quickly are not always healthy either.

The popularity of fast foods is due to the fact that it is a quick and easy meal as well as the fact that many people find it to taste good and most fast food companies have brightly colored child sized meals that contain toys or other items that appeal to children. Brightly colored commercial during children's television programming make it a top request among kids. Also, for the current environment where many people are working long hours, fast food is seen to be preferable to having to cook a meal after work.

While the extensive use of fats, salts and frying makes fast food far from healthy, the negatives of fast food are not limited to nutrition. Due to the demand for large quantities of agricultural items from chicken and beef to potatoes, the agricultural industry has changed significantly. Large scale agricultural operations now manufacture waste products at an unprecedented level. Instead of the picture that many people have of farms with animals roaming free in fenced in areas, the demand means that farmers end up going for the most possible animals per area. Because of the squeeze, especially in animal production, extra measures have to be taken to take care of E. coli and diseases that were not common contaminants. These measures include the use of antibiotics and ammonia and kerosene washes for meats before they get shipped out. 

Fast food is a popular and delicious food option for many Americans. It is convenient and fits easily into a fast paced life. When used as a staple meal, the increase in calories and the lack of proper nutrition in the meals can cause health problems such as obesity, but when used as a treat, the bad effects are not visible. While significant, the agricultural and environmental negatives are easy for consumers to miss because the agricultural aspect of the industry is so far removed from their lives.