In this day and age there are many problems that American families with children face. As a nation Americans are so busy in chasing the "American dream" that sometimes other important issues fall to the wayside and the children are the ones who suffer the consequences. In Bittman's article "Is Junk Food Really Cheaper?" he writes that there are "five fast-food restaurants for every supermarket in the United States" (Bittman 3). A common assumption among the greater population is that "junk food is cheaper than real food". It is no wonder why Americans are opting for meals that contain "unhealthy" calories. Bittman also claims that our assumptions about fast food's cheapness, high-calorie content and convenience are false (Bittman 1). He urges that a cultural change needs to occur in order to improve the health of America (Bittman 3). I agree with his claim and we as a nation need to start making changes. Fast Food has become more convenient and attractive to busy families. This image of fast food is false. There are too many health problems like obesity, heart disease, and diabetes at risk. One of these health problems, obesity, has become a critical health issue and an extremely popular discussion topic in many forms of social media. One of the major problems society is dealing with is childhood obesity. More times than not food choices are unhealthy and loaded with fat. This has both short term and long term effects on children of today. There are solutions families can initiate and incorporate into their daily lives to avoid health risks.
Adults are always on the go and look for quick, easy and inexpensive ways to feed their families. Fast food from restaurants or prepackaged meals from the supermarket is usually what is served to children. I am guilty of making these unhealthy and poor decisions at times. Bittman successfully disputes the assumption that "junk food is cheaper than real food" by contrasting a typical order for a family of four at McDonald's, which costs $28, to a home prepared meal for a family of four from the grocery store, which costs $14 or less (Bittman 1).
