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Shazzam wrote: I do agree with you that when you think of American cuisine you think of their fast food outlets. However they do have some defined classic foods in America. For example home-made southern fried chicken (obviously Colonel Sanders ran with this one hence we now have KFC). I have heard of only a few recipes that remind me of America (like corn bread). Lenny maybe you could tell us some other traditional American food. 8)

LennyeTran wrote:

Shazzam wrote: I do agree with you that when you think of American cuisine you think of their fast food outlets. However they do have some defined classic foods in America. For example home-made southern fried chicken (obviously Colonel Sanders ran with this one hence we now have KFC). I have heard of only a few recipes that remind me of America (like corn bread). Lenny maybe you could tell us some other traditional American food. 8)

I can only think of the Thanksgiving dinner as the traditional American cuisine. I searched it at wikipedia and look at it,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_cuisine

LennyeTran wrote:

shokin wrote:Encourage people to think about their health instead of only about time and money.

The purpose/goal/aim is not to do the most things.

I did not know that it was in any culture to cook nothing but to be given a ready meal. That is the great pity.

Shokin

Although time and money play a big factor to the cause of fast food's growth, but there are important factors go along with it as well. I, myself, don't eat fast food on a regular day. I don't eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner like others because it's not healthy; however, sometimes I have to give myself to it. Why? It's because most fast food restaurants open late at night. Whenever I go out late at night with my cousins and friends, we would stop for In-n-Out burgers (this is the best, by the way), Wendy, Burger King, or Mcdonalds, etc afterwards. It's good to eat something after hanging out with people you love. You might ask why not coming home and cook a meal since it's better and healthy? Well, it's about the mood and convenience. If you wait for a meal to be cooked at home, you're probably too sleepy to eat or not in the mood to eat anymore. Thus, that's why fast food restaurants are crowded at night because they're right on the way whenever people need to stop by. At 1 in the morning and the In-n-Out burger place we went last time was still crowded, in the store and at the drive thru. When we were in line, it was 10 cars ahead of us.
Additionally, it's also the reason why it's a part of a culture. We didn't have fast food restaurants in the past, but maybe people who saw this "man, I wanna eat something, but nothing is open late at night." They saw it as a way of doing business; therefore, fast food restaurants were open. It was a big change in our society. That's why I said it's an innovation and diffusion since we created it ourselves, and it's diffused to our culture without force.
Moreover, fast food restaurants in the States have playgrounds and toys for kid's meals. When you're on a trip and you don't want your kids to make a mess, you'll give them fast food meals. They love it, they'll eat it and they won't nag since they'll be full. Also, they could play with the toys in the car. Eating home-cooked meals in the car is just too messy. Don't forget to mention you have to wash the dishes afterwards. For fast food meals, you just throw the wrappers away.
Anyway, it's easy for you to say not to do something since you don't have trouble of not doing it yet. Just wait when.... well, just wait and you'll see .

Shazzam wrote:There are heaps of healthy alternatives that you can make at home. For example I love my homemade Shurwarma's and they are healthy and you only need one hand to eat them. Lots of salad and turkish bread. Yummmmo

Dixie wrote:

Shazzam wrote:There are heaps of healthy alternatives that you can make at home. For example I love my homemade Shurwarma's and they are healthy and you only need one hand to eat them. Lots of salad and turkish bread. Yummmmo

What's Shurwarma?

Shazzam wrote: I probably didn't spell it write but basically it is a lebanese food; it is a mixture of meats wrapped up in lebanese bread, with tabouli, salad, homus, chilli, cheese etc. They are so yum and you can pick what you want on them. :)