Recently I found myself trapped in a secure area of the airport where the only eating options were fast food. My travelling companion isn’t as fussy as I am so he convinced me fast food was better than nothing. I’m not so sure.
Back when I still ate fast food, I enjoyed the odd onion ring so we ordered some to share along with our burgers, which at least had lettuce and tomato within the bunvelop (white and tasteless, just like an envelop)!
The first onion ring bite. Something’s not right.
Part of the delight is finding the often still-a-bit-crunchy onion inside. It’s an art to avoid pulling the entire onion strip from its crunchy cocoon.
But there was no onion. Oh well. Must be a dud. Onion ring number two.
Same unsatisfying experience.
We soon realized there were no onions in those rings. They were merely onion-flavoured paste formed into a ring shape, no doubt with a high tech gadget, then deep-fried.
I was indignant. If I’m splurging on fake food, it darn well better be Real!
In one snap decision I glided to the counter, expressed my dismay to the girl who shrugged and with the blessing of her supervisor, offered me fries instead.
I took them, feeling rather victorious: I didn’t need to get ugly to get my “refund”.
But I also walked away, feeling hollow. It was obvious they didn’t care that they were selling onion-free onion rings. With a straight face. And no apology when they were found out. It seems to be part of The Big Charade to part us with our money and our health.
It made me ponder: how sad is it that they can stay in business, knowingly selling over-priced “Food” that doesn’t have any nutrition? It’s sad because obviously, most of their customers don’t know the difference or don’t care. Or are simply trapped, like me.
I’m not sure of the solution. The best thing I can think of is to warn you to beware of the purveyors of fake food. They are firmly entrenched in our culture. You will appear to be an outcast if you go against the flow. But your body will thank you.
Simply eat the Food, The Whole Food and Nothing but the Food.
Do you have fake food stories to share with me and my readers?