" This quote transitions into Bittman's next argument, which is cooking is becoming a chore. He provides logos by stating there are 50 million Americans on food stamps, which is about $5 per day, and that the average American watches about an hour and a half of television per day. These examples tie into his argument that cooking is becoming a chore, because, like he says, the time and the money are there. However, the statistics are in favor of fast food restaurants, being that they outnumber supermarkets 5:1. Fast food is just easier and more convenient for some people who may be working all day, one or two jobs, and simply don't feel like taking the time to cook. .
The author's next argument is basically how ingrained fast food has become in our culture. He provides logos that fresh produce has increased by 40 percent in price, while soda has decreased by 30, and that the fast food industry spent an astounding $4.2 billion on marketing in 2009. These numbers are staggering and only make it more difficult on America's fight against obesity. Bittman includes a study from 2009 by Scripps Research Institute that basically indicates overeating fast food leads to a form of addiction in the brain. This pleasure addiction from processed food has been the result of hard work from the fast food industry. To further his stance against the fast food world, Bittman describes the explosion of fast food restaurants in recent decades a carnival. A food carnival is the world in which we live, he says, basically because of the convenience and availability of food at our fingertips. The author talks about "the smart campaign" and how it is not about McDonalds's serving better food, but instead integrating cooking back into the norm of everyone's everyday life. He says it starts with parents teaching their children the importance of good eating, good cooking and ultimately good living.