Fast Food, Good Food?

Fast Food, Good Food?

Wed 20 Apr 2011

Story by The Food Revolution Team
 

They say knowledge is power, and that is never truer than when speaking about food. If you know how to cook a few simple dishes, then you will never go hungry. If you know what cuts of meat are the cheapest and what vegetables are in season, then you can eat like a king very cheaply.

The Food Revolution is about saving America's health by changing the way people eat. But we don’t want to be the food police. Educate yourself about food and cooking, and find out what your child is eating at school. Make only a few small changes and magical things will happen. Switching from processed to fresh food will not only make you feel better, it will also add years to your life.

Our philosophy to food and healthy eating is about enjoying everything in a balanced and sane way. Food is one of life's greatest joys yet we've reached this really sad point where we're turning food into the enemy, and something to be afraid of. We believe that when you use good ingredients to make pasta dishes, salads, stews, burgers, grilled vegetables, fruit salads, and even outrageous cakes, they all have a place in our diets. We just need to rediscover our common sense: if you want to have a burger once in a while, then do it! Just make sure it’s from good quality ingredients and have a sensible portion next to a fresh salad, and don't eat a big old helping of chocolate cake afterwards.

Knowing how to cook means you'll be able to turn all sorts of fresh ingredients into meals when they're in season, at their best, and cheapest! Cooking this way will always be cheaper than buying processed food, not to mention better for you.

We aren’t saying that all fast food is bad for you; there are some fantastic people like Chipotle who are leading the way as far as the provenance of their meat and dairy, and local, organic farming. They are making positive changes to the fast food industry, and all because they believe their customers deserve the best product they can deliver. Take a look at their food ethos and see what you think.

The Food Revolution worked with Patra’s Charbroiled burger restaurant in LA during Season 2, and Dino, the proprietor, was convinced to make changes to the menu to bring in higher-welfare ingredients and to ban unnecessary junk. We really hope he continues the good work he put into place when we were with him, and we wish him the very best in the future.

The Food Revolution Team