Food: it is that precious substance that our body needs to survive. Whether it brings feelings of nostalgia and comfort, or brings families together, we can all agree that food is a vital source of nourishment. However, our definition of food has changed dramatically with the advent of modern technology, which has given rise to countless food trends. The desire for cheap, mass production of food has induced an unspoken shift from slow-cooked chicken and steamed vegetables to frozen TV dinners disguised to resemble real food worthy of consumption. As a result, food trends and technology affect how we produce, purchase, and consume food in the United States. The peaceful farmhouse of decades ago, with its green grass, red barn and scampering chickens, has been completely erased. In its place, another form of food production took root: the factory farm/assembly line. Although this system uses machines to produce food on a large scale, it has serious consequences on the health of animals as well as that of workers in this industry. On these “farms,” chickens are raised in dark, crowded coops and given growth hormone/antibiotic injections as soon as they hatch. They become so large that their bones cannot support the extra weight and eventually break. These crowded conditions also lead to the wide spread of diseases such as salmonella, which take a toll on workers, who become resistant to antibiotics after being exposed to so many illnesses. Another problem we face with the advent of various food trends is the illusion of diversity present in supermarkets across the country. Although it seems that stores offer 47,000 different products, this "variety" is actually made up of middle of paper......f freedom and the pursuit of happiness, we must exercise our right to choose. We can choose to stand up to the food industry by purchasing food from companies that treat workers, animals and the environment with respect. When we go to the supermarket, we can choose to read labels carefully and buy seasonal products. The only strength of the food industry is what we give it by deciding to buy its products. For example, rather than craving unhealthy food lookalikes, let's be hungry for change. A thirst for change, if satisfied, will lead to an improvement in our way of life and make the world a safer place to live and eat. As the saying goes, “you are what you eat”. So, if society continues to eat cheap, fatty foods, it too will become an obese, disease-ridden race with few standards for the health and nutrition of the nation...