Ignorance of Fast Food Is Not Bliss Every Friday night my mother would pick me up from dance class and I would go upstairs in the car, hungry and tired. Most weeks I would immediately beg for a delicious “McChicken” sandwich and fries at McDonalds. At the end of a long work week, the last thing my mother wanted to do was make me dinner, so she usually hesitantly agreed. McDonalds has always been the go-to, quick and easy meal option. I could spot the golden arches from a mile away and the smell of fried potatoes made my mouth water. My mother and I did not know the reality of fast food ingredients or the preparation process; that's why we simply bought the food for convenience and good taste. Many individuals and families face similar mealtime dilemmas. When you're driving on an empty stomach, the familiar and always available fast foods are tempting. However, if more people knew the ingredients and preparation of the foods they eat, many would shy away from them. Due to misleading advertisements, fast food attracts people to make purchases, but this can seriously harm their health while leading to diseases such as cancer and obesity. To prevent many people from falling victim to the fast food market, increased education should be implemented, aimed at improving young people's knowledge of advertisements and the ingredients used. There should also be healthier options to compete with the fast food industry in restaurants and schools. Children are known for their naivety and easy-to-convince personalities. Fast food markets take advantage of this fact to market their products to this malleable audience. According to acclaimed investigative journalist Eric Schlosser, children are the targets of many fast...... middle of paper ...... less frequently, their desire and dependence on these unhealthy foods will be reduced. Instead, advertising and media should be used to promote healthy eating habits and lifestyles, such as the Lets Move! by Michelle Obama. campaign. This initiative aims to take steps to encourage children to adopt healthy habits. Michelle Obama created the “MyPlate” icon to educate and help parents make better lifestyle decisions for their children. Since its launch (Letsmove.gov), another of its programs called Society would be much healthier if the advertisements currently used to support the fast or processed food industry were instead used to promote better health choices to the public. The ultimate goal of society should be to develop and encourage healthy eating habits from a young age by being mindful of what one buys and eats, thus building a healthy and stable relationship with food.