Would you like a side of fries with that?

For all you fast food junkies, please don’t stop reading, yet.  This is not going to be a lecture on giving up fast food.  I consider myself some what of a connoisseur of the American cuisine we call “Fast Food”.  I won’t turn down a tasty box of fried goodness and what crazy person would say no to a chocolate shake?  The U.S. has a plethora of boxed restaurants sitting on every corner, serving up something fried, sweet or spicy.  And for only $1 these too could be yours.  Besides how the heck would I remember how to give directions if I couldn’t tell someone to Run for the Border, turn left at KFC, go past the Double Arches and then when you see my friend Wendy turn left.  Having said all that…

One of the things I was impressed with the most when I first arrived in Costa Rica was how earthy people were.  They got up early in the morning and went to the bread store, they cooked meals at home, they and they went every Saturday or Sunday morning to the the feria (farmers market).  I had seen very few obese people here and somehow that felt right.  They seemed to be very health conscious… or at least that is what I thought.

I have been seeing more and more morbidly obese people since I first arrived here.  I just read an article in Tico Times that expressed concern about a growing health problems in Costa Rica because of the amount of Fast Food places popping up.  Now let me remind you that I enjoy my 2 all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun, just as much as the next guy.  But when I was on the bus this morning,  I saw a mom pull a Jelly packet out of a McDonalds bag and give it to her slightly chunky little girl (to eat by itself) and I started to be concerned.  My concern, however, turned to horror when I watched this mother pull out an a hash-brown, already  seriously doused with grease and proceed to slather it with “butter”.  I truly almost gagged!!!!

All I could think about was the amazing amount of trouble this little girl was going to be in, because of bad habits created by her mom.  Fast Food is good, NO, great even.  It can make getting dinner done a whole lot easier, the play centers can entertain your kids for a while and can bring a symphony of delight to your mouth!  But now that I have had a reprieve from the constant bombardment of the Fast Food frenzy, I found that I am a pretty good cook, that I save a lot of money and that when I do get the urge for an IN-N-OUT burger, it is a special treat that I can truly enjoy without guilt and say… “I’m lovin’ it!”