Assignment:
Supersize Me is an award winning documentary film released in 2004 that followed the filmmaker, Morgan Spurlock, as he ate nothing but McDonald's® food for a month. His subsequent increase in weight and decline in health is documented in the film. This film put McDonald's squarely in the spotlight.
McDonald's Corporation had already been in the spotlight when a lawsuit against them was filed in New York alleging that McDonald's food was contributing to children's obesity. A judge dismissed that lawsuit. Several others also initiated similar lawsuits, but in March 2004 the House of Representatives approved a bill that would ban such lawsuits. At the same time, McDonald's announced that it would remove its supersize fries and drinks by the end of the year.
Topic 1: Nutritional Scavenger Hunt
You are planning to go out to lunch with a coworker and want to find a healthy fast food option. To plan, go to the website of two restaurants - one that you think will provide you with the healthiest meal and the other that will be the unhealthiest. Using the websites chosen, put together one proposed lunch menu from each restaurant.
1. Create one healthy meal and one unhealthy meal for a total of two lunch menu options.
2. Include the following nutritional information for the meal:
• total calories
• grams of fat
• saturated fat
• cholesterol
• sodium
Discuss how you would convince your coworker to choose the healthier menu. Be sure to include what health benefits would be gained by choosing the healthier meal.
Describe the role of fast food in your everyday life and if you foresee a change after this class of how much, how often, or what foods you choose.