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baronessekatI’ve been putting off this post for a while. Mostly because I was trying to let my emotions settle into a cohesion that would let me be coherent and logical. But I’ve come to realize the basis of the disgruntlement is not logical at all.
As most people are now aware, Americans are getting fat and not at all healthy. I know, I know, it’s a shocker. I blame this on a lot of things. The strongest is the fact that American society has taught us all that the more the better. We are a culture of excess. When we can have something, we want LOTS of it. Money, power, material objects, food… the mentality is MORE, MORE, MORE.
So when it comes to food we want lots for our buck. America, thy name is Gluttony.
For years people have been trying to make the restaurant industry the scapegoat for the fact that people are unhealthy, overweight pigs. “I wouldn’t be fat if Micky D’s didn’t serve Ultra Super Supreme Mega Sized Fries”. “KFC sold me the 24 piece family bucket of fried chicken and I ate it all by myself. I’m obese because they sold me the food”.
People do not want to take responsibility for their own health, eating habits and choices. It’s easier to blame someone else. It’s easier to complain about it as they head to the drive in for the bacon double cheeseburger and fries rather than go home and make a salad or a sandwich. (I’m just as guilty about doing BK rather than seeing what I have at home, but I don’t blame anyone but myself when I put on a couple pounds because of it)
So, the restaurant industry has tried to appease the slobs of the world. McDonald’s started out by eliminating their super-size portions. But that wasn’t enough.
Now many eating establishments, mostly fast/convenience foods but now other fine dining and sit down establishments, are facing pressure again. Some jerk actually sued KFC because he said it was their fault he had a heart attack. They fried the chicken in “bad oils” and that clogged up his arteries and he nearly died. I’m sorry…. Who put the gun to his head and told him to eat it all to excess? I’ve not heard of any terrorist organizations that are kidnapping people and saying they have to eat nothing but Fast Food or their family gets shot.
But rather than take responsibility for their own actions, people have called for the restaurants to change their ingredients to “healthy oils” and eliminate trans fats.
KFC announced a little over a month ago that they are going to soybean oil to fry their food in. The only thing that will still have the old recipe will be their biscuit – because they need to work on the recipe so that the flavor remains while being healthier.
The Wendy’s corporation went to soybean and cottonseed oils in their food without making a public announcement about it (or at least one that neither I or another person I know who watches ingredients as well).
McDonalds has said that they are going to be going to soybean oil throughout the country by 2008.
New York City has actually put legislation into existence (or is at least trying to) to eliminate trans fats in all restaurants in the city. This of course is making the restaurant owners in the city just [sarcasm] slightly miffed [/sarcasm]
When this all was coming to light I was pretty pissed off. All these people seem to think that the answer is SOYBEAN oil. The country will be healthy again if we all switch to soy.
But… *hand raises from the voice of the dissenting public*… there are other healthy/good oils out there besides soybean.
I can understand them not going to peanut oil. That’s one of the largest food allergies out there. And of the food allergies, those folks who are allergic to it tend to be VERY allergic to it.
Olive oil is expensive. I get that.
But I hate to point out to the world that there is a large group of people who are rather seriously allergic to soy. I, myself, am one of them. Take a look at an ingredient list on something some time. They now tend to list the major allergens : nuts, milk, wheat… SOY!!! If it’s listed amongst the possible bad things obviously its more than just me who can’t have it.
What about canola oil? It actually doesn’t change the flavor of things that I at least have noticed. And the amount of people who cannot have it are far less than peanut and soy.
I had started to write a letter to the major fast food chains to say this. Point out them/ask them to look towards canola and other oils rather than soybean. Tell them that by going healthier, they have made it such that if I do eat at their establishments, I am going to have to eat BURGERS, rather than the chicken sandwiches. I always went for the fried only because the grilled tended to be marinated and I could never guarantee the marinades were soy free. But I never got farther than getting the addresses of the places.
I was going to thank them for helping to ensure that I stay on my “lifestyle re-adjustment” (aka diet) for the rest of my life.
I used to think that the world that author J.D. Robb came up with was ridiculous… everything was soy dogs and soy fries. Surely that wouldn’t happen. But….
So, what finally got me to getting around to writing this rant? I saw on the morning news today that Darden Restaurants (the owners of the Olive Garden and Red Lobster) have announced that they are joining the anti-trans fat crusade.
This I have issues with. I really like Red Lobster. I really, really like Olive Garden. The problem with these places is NOT the trans-fat. The problem with them is portion sizes. Have you ever noticed how much food you get at the Olive Garden? You start with an endless bowl of soup or salad. Then you get the entrée which is big enough to feed a family of 4 easily. When I was a poor college student, my friends and I would save up and go to the Olive Garden once a month. We would fill up on the soup or salad and take the entrée home. And the entrée would feed us for at least 2 if not three meals. I still tend to do this (as I am now a poor working stiff rather than a poor college student)
Portion sizes are an issue because most of us were taught at a very early age to “clear your plate” or “you must eat all that is put before you”. But seriously… there is only so much a person can eat at one sitting without getting sick.
If places like the Olive Garden halved the price, halved the size, people would still come back (if not more so), they would be serving healthier. There is no need to go to eliminating something. Just make smaller portions.
It’s time for the American eating public to be grown-ups and take responsibility for their actions. Stop blaming the restaurant that serves you the four helpings you ordered. It’s not their fault you can’t control yourself.
Give me back my animal fats and proteins. Some of us can tell when we are full and will put the fork down. To those who can’t I say - step back, put down the soydog and take a walk around the block.
If you would like to join me in the campaign to get soybean oils out and other healthier oils in I have added below the contact information for the major fast food chains as well as the Olive Garden and Red Lobster.
You don’t need to, but I’m providing the info if you would like.
KFC's Corporate Address for Comments
P.O. Box 725489
Atlanta, GA 31139
McDonald’s Corporation
2111 McDonald's Dr
Oak Brook, IL 60523
Wendy's Consumer Relations
Wendy's International, Inc.
4288 W. Dublin-Granville Rd.
Dublin, OH 43017
Wendy's Restaurants of Canada
Consumer Relations
240 Wyecroft Road
Oakville, On
L6K 2G7
Arby’s
http://www.arbys.com/
Roy Rogers Franchise Company, LLC
321 Ballenger Center Drive
Suite 201
Frederick, MD 21703
Burger King Corporation
5505 Blue Lagoon Drive
Miami, FL 33120
Taco Bell
1-800-TACO BELL
Darden Restaurants (owners of Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Smoky Bones, Bahama Breeze)
P.O. Box 593330
Orlando, FL 32859-3330
407-245-4000
Red Lobster
Corporate Address
Red Lobster
5900 Lake Ellenor Drive
Orlando, FL 32809
1-800-LOBSTER (800-562-7837)
Olive Garden
Guest Relations
P.O. Box 592037
Orlando, Florida 32859-2037
Fax: 407-245-5189
Phone: (Monday – Friday) 800-331-2729
