Fast food
We live a fast paced life these days, we no longer have the time to sit and enjoy a meal with our family on a daily basis, more likely we have a sandwich or a snack in a pub or cafeteria near our workplace. The fast food industry tries to meet this need, it tries to give people what they want and when they want it.
The earliest forms of fast food can be traced back to Ancient Rome, with street stalls selling fritters, pancakes, little cakes and beverages, typically wine. Also in the Middle Ages, in large cities like London there were stands selling all sorts of food, from pancakes to cooked meat to pies.
In the early 1950s, in the US, the “take home meal” appeared; it was a type of ready-made meal that families would buy and have at home in front of the TV. With this new type of meal, the fast food industry was born.
Today fast food consists of sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, fried eggs, chips served with a soft drink, notably cola. It is served very quickly, usually prepared with precooked ingredients and can be eaten on the premises or on the go.
Fast food restaurants are mostly frequented by teenagers, students and office staff and all those people who need a cheap and quick lunch.
Fast food with its large quantity of ingredients rich in carbohydrates, fat and salt is not very healthy and often referred to as junk food.