Do You Know What You're Eating? Fast Food Trivia, Food Fest 2012

For those of you that visited us for Food Fest 2012 yesterday (Wed. Mar. 28), you may have guessed how old our fast food display of a burger and fries is. That meal was purchased on July 11, 2011, making it 261 days old on Mar. 28!!!  Surprisingly, both the burger and fries looked nearly the same as the day they were purchased! Does this alarm anyone?

With such a high amount of the typical American diet coming from processed foods, there has been a growing concern about what all that processed food means for our health. You might be wondering what constitutes processed food? Here are some facts:

Processed food...

  • Is infused with chemicals and preservatives (AKA: food additives).
  • Is meant to prolong the shelf life of foods & keep them from spoiling.
  • Comes in many forms: fast food, packaged, canned and frozen foods, deli meats and cheeses, sugary cereals and breakfast bars, cookies, pastries, breads and more! 

Food additives...

  • Take many forms.
  • Are hard to digest (which can lead to issues such as indigestion, upset stomach, etc.).
  • Have been linked to some negative health consequences, including cancer and heart disease.

Example of ingredients in a processed fast food:

French fries: Potatoes, partially hydrogenated soybean oil (trans fat), natural flavor (beef, wheat and dairy sources), dextrose (added for texture), sodium pyrophosphate (preserves color), and salt. The "fries" are then cooked in partially hydrogenated oils and citric acid (another preservative).

Now do you wonder why the French fries you saw in the display hadn't gone moldy or really changed in appearance after 261 days?!


Here's a tip. Choose fresh, unprocessed foods more often since these are loaded with health enhancing ingredients, like vitamins and minerals, phytocehmicals, fiber and complex carbohydrates. Choose foods like fresh or frozen produce (without added sugar or salt), raw nuts and beans, unprocessed meats and seafood, and unprocessed whole grains (like rolled oats and brown rice).

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Comment by Tyler Joyner on April 18, 2012 at 1:41am

Fast Food is the only option sometimes.  Seeing how this food stays the same over time proves how unhealthy it is for us.  I am going to try and make my on food on days I know I will be in a rush from now on.  Fast food restaurants do have healthier option to choose from though.

Comment by Preston T. Joyner on April 9, 2012 at 5:43pm

I didn't go to food Fest but that burger and fry staying almost the same after 260 days is nuts.  Shows that there is a lack of nutrition in fast food and if it can stay like that for that long how long do you think it stays in your body?  I have to grab fast food every now and again but after seeing this I think i'll find another source of food.  I love fruits and veggies and cooking, so hopefully the fast food thing will not be an option.

Comment by Tiera Beale on April 2, 2012 at 12:08am

This is so true. I have experienced the consequences of eating fast food in high school. I do not eat it much now except when there is no time. However I have even gotten past that lately by carrying an apple, or carrots as a snack to hold me over until I can get past Bojangles to a healthier food choice. The old fried are proof of how hard that stuff is digest. I cannot believe people are worried about swallowing gum when fast food lasts this long. More fruits and veggies are a must.

Comment by vannesa aguirre on April 1, 2012 at 11:05pm

First, I definitely would like to say that I think it is so AWESOME that the burger that was shown was bought on my birthday!! Secondly, it was really interesting as to how it didn't look any older than a couple of days old. I am most certainly going to start eating more fresh food then processed after reading this. Thanks for helping me become a healthier pirate!!

Comment by Kelley Johnson on April 1, 2012 at 8:57pm

Wow I attended Food Fest on Wednesday of last week and I was curious to how many days old the food was. My guess was one day and I see now that that number was completely off.  Although the explanation of why it looked as if it was a day old made me feel better about my guess, my mind was still shocked as to how old it actually was and not molded.  It makes me not want to eat another french fry again.  I doubt with my schedule I will be able to sneak away from the fast food industry completely but I will think twice before I go through the drive thru at zaxbys or one of my other popular choices. 

Comment by Tylisman Armstrong on April 1, 2012 at 8:52pm

Yea fast good is a horrible source for nutrients.

Comment by Kaiulani Clark on April 1, 2012 at 7:05pm
That's gross! I saw that burger and to think it is 200 days old is gross. I did not know that there were so many different types of food considered processed. Yeah, you always hear that fast food is bad for you because it's processed but, what other foods are you eating that have the same effect. This kind of makes me throw up in my mouth knowing that a 200 day old burger can look almost just as good as if it were only a few hours old. Just saying.
Comment by Desmond Brown on April 1, 2012 at 3:46pm

I had know that fast food was not good for you, but it had never dawned on me that it was that bad. I always find myself in a bind for time during the day so I usually result to fast food. I know that I should not eat it as much but the fact that it is so convenient does not help. I would love to make meals with fresh, unprocessed foods but I am frequently short on time. In the future I will be sure to keep this information on fast foods into consideration when looking for a meal.

Comment by stephen hales on March 29, 2012 at 11:11pm
I went to the food fest on Wednesday and it was very benifical to me because it made realize there are a lot of different ways to eat healthy. I also was shocked to learn about. What we were eating in our fast food resturants
Comment by Damon Magazu on March 29, 2012 at 10:21pm

The fact that the fast food looks almost the same after 261 days is very alarming.  Sometimes between classes all day and then rushing to practice, I have no choice but to pick up something quick.  Most of the time I pick up something unhealthy such as fast food, every once in awhile I have time to run into Subway.  I knew fast food was bad for you, but thinking about the food in the jar not changing makes it even worse to me.  I will definitely stay away from fast food more times than not.

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