In the United States, we tend to disregard negative connotations about our reputation because America is known as “the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.” Our beloved nation also happens to be, America, Home of the Whopper^©. The need for convenience, specifically regarding food, is vital to how the U.S. functions, but it can also work to the detriment of our society. 

To exacerbate the issue, our patriotism can cause us to be oblivious to our faults. It takes great effort to change this prideful narrative in a country so rooted in national pride. 

There is a seemingly endless stream of documentaries related to the food industry in the U.S., and they steadily paint a bleaker and bleaker image of the American diet. Domestic obesity rates are currently the 12th highest in the world, and our country surpasses any other in the number of fast food chains. The standards of regulation for our food are also exceedingly lower in comparison to the European Union.

Deeply ingrained and normalized within our culture, this association will be challenging to remove. However, the dominant brands and businesses in the food industry that profit from this exploitation have demonstrated no initiative in amending the wrongs they have inflicted on our nation.

The food culture of the U.S. stems from the need for convenience, especially in lower- and middle-class America. An obvious, but increasingly relevant example, is fast food, which is designed to be attractive to the American working class. It’s enjoyable, it’s incredibly cheap, and above all else, it’s fast. These on-the-go meals are highly tempting for busy, working people, and this is precisely what fast food chains capitalize on. 

Consequently, the drawbacks of these institutions have caused irreparable harm to our nation. It is indisputable that fast food is poor in nutritional value. Moreover, a plethora of studies has shown that fast food consumption is directly linked to obesity. There has even been speculation of fast food having an addictive effect on the consumer.

This is not to say that food convenience is not prevalent in affluent America. Delivery services like Grubhub and Doordash are not especially cheap, but they are revolutionizing the customer experience by introducing an entirely new level of convenience.

In addition, warehouse clubs, such as BJ’s Wholesale Club, Sam’s Club, and Costco, have expanded across the country. These buy-in-bulk enterprises typically require expensive memberships and subtly manipulate shoppers into purchasing more than necessary. The ideology of large-scale buying encourages the mindset of food scarcity. It’s particularly harmful in the food industry because it creates an abundance of waste.  

Major brands that are actively contributing to America’s nutritional crisis have stayed idle, so that the push for change has fallen upon the consumer—and the results have not been inspiring. Under a system that actively works against consumers’ best interests, the consumer is helpless in the absence of affordable and readily available choices.

Recently, however, the arrival meal kit delivery plans, such as Hello Fresh, may bode well for the American diet. These subscription services contain the ingredients and instructions to make a healthy, home-delivered meal. At an average of $9 per serving, though, consumers accustomed to a $4 Big Mac at McDonalds may find Hello Fresh and similar services to be cost-prohibitive.

As long as convenience remains a focal element in the structure of the American food industry, there will remain discrepancies between cost and quality, with damning implications on the nature of class in the U.S. When our dependence on convenience takes precedence over the health of our people, our environment, and the very reputation of our nation, it is time we step on the scale and admit to ourselves that we have a serious problem.

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