by Joseph Malek

Created on: June 15, 2009

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that fast food is food that can be purchased and subsequently eaten within a reasonably short period of time. Such was the case before the United States of America became the United States of America.

On any given day during the warm seasons of the year one could stroll down the walkways of any market place and buy and eat enough food to fill ones stomach before one reached the other side of that particular market place.

Fresh fruits and vegetables, currently harvested, together with pickled fish, cheeses and other meats and vegetables were always in abundance within our Country. If you were a farm person you could simply and quickly pick right off the wine, stalk or the branch of a tree something good and healthy for you to eat. Street vendors of all kinds of food were always there for your eating pleasure. In regard to food, our Country was and is still known as "The land of plenty."

Yes, there still is plenty of food available to those who are able to pay high prices for the food that they eat. One can be very healthy for many years to come if one avoided the purchase of processed and ready made foods that are available within one or more of the fast food restaurants. Food that is cooked and/or sold by street vendors is less costly and you do see what you purchase before you decide to purchase that particular food item and/or meal.

More often than not, the purchase of such food from a street vendor came a whole lot faster than the time it takes for a person to place a food order, using the drive through window method of food purchase. Between you and me, I would rather purchase a meal within the restaurant.

These days most of the fast food that is sold ready to eat is provided to the Public by the many huge fast food restaurant chain store corporations. It should also go without saying that those other fast food items that you still can purchase within a market place is not much different than it was a few hundred years ago. Sausages, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, nuts, pickles, fish and many kinds of breads, pastries and candies can still be purchased and ate without buying the food items within a fast food restaurant.

Years ago there were specialty stores for nearly any kind of food that you can think of. Today one can buy most of those items within just one supermarket. Yes, you can buy a fully cooked and well balanced meal within nearly every supermarket within our Country. You can also buy and eat food items that are not required to be cooked, like nuts, dried or fresh fruit and vegetables, processed dry cereals and soft drinks. Enjoy!

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