Food FightIn America, it would be difficult to find a city that does not support at least one McDonald's, Burger King or Wendy's. Pizza places are a necessity in college towns. The ice cream parlors are full of customers of all ages after dark. And hey, who's ever heard of a movie without popcorn? The increasing visibility and importance of food in our culture is a phenomenon. Food began as a necessity of life. It was the energy source that allowed the body to grow and thrive, and allowed hunters and gatherers to survive. In modern times, the role of food in daily life has taken on a life of its own, from the pleasures of the palate that tickle the taste buds to the political statements drawn in chocolate to the social drink. The resulting uses of foods are as diverse as the different foods they encompass and as inseparable from a person's daily life as breathing. How can something as simple as energy intake become such an important and varied part of daily life? Food as a family affair is largely determined by the family's lifestyle; conversely, knowing a family's eating habits says a lot about their lifestyle. Sitcoms present mealtimes as a quiet opportunity for the family to sit down together to enjoy freshly baked savory dishes that the loving wife has been tending to for two hours. Then reality sets in. The growing popularity of TV dinners, gourmet microwave meals and pre-packaged snacks speaks to a family that doesn't have the time to afford such luxuries. Why cook when you can reheat a frozen meal of teriyaki beef or homemade apple pie in just four minutes? As the tendency for both spouses to work full time increased from 33 percent of families in 1972 to 67 percent in 1998, according to national data...... middle of paper ...... heir lives first they can begin to overcome the problems that have arisen from it. As food has become more and more available, society has found new ways to play with it, growing brand loyalty, hobbies, programming, and cult followings dedicated to food. However, before people adopt these new food novelties, they must first, as a culture, establish the terms of their new relationships with food. Only then can we both enjoy the delights of cooking without destroying our health and self-image. Sources Citedfoodies.comforfoodies.com Fast Food Nation by Eric Schossler (2001) “Body Image Statistics” womensissues.about.com/cs/bodyimage /a/bodyimagesstats.htm “Fact sheet on overweight and obesity” www .surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/fact_adolescents.htm “The 21st century emerges” cloud9.norc.uchicago.edu/dlib/sc-42.htm.