Spring Break
Vegetables served fast
Jason M. Wallace
Issue date: 12/2/08 Section: Opinion
The United States is the fast food capital of the world. Burger King and McDonald's will forever be the two leaders in the fast food franchises. Arby's, Wendy's, Jack In the Box, Subway and Zaxby's are all in competition for second and third. While all of these fast food chains have served billions around the world, vegetarians still have limited options. Vegetarian fast food restaurants would not only serve those marginalized by the bigger chains, but would also reach out to those who can't stomach another burger or chicken nugget.
Vegetarian options at most fast food chains range from fries to a meatless salad with a possibility of a veggie burger, a dessert or a baked potato. You can make a meal out of those, but there is still so much missing. Fruit servings and other vegetables like peas, baby carrots and cabbage are almost unheard of on drive-thru menus.
The problem is that the burger is so fast. It takes almost no time to heat up a patty, squeeze some mustard and mayonnaise, add some lettuce, onion and tomato and then presto--a meal is ready. The salads and veggie burgers are popular because they are either already prepared or go through the same process as any other burger. For a vegetarian fast food restaurant, the same kind of speed would be necessary for competition.
Portobello mushrooms can be prepared into mushroom burgers, or can be sliced to make wraps. Salads, like the Waldorf salad, aren't limited to lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and cheese. Tofu can be used as any kind of meat substitute and also tastes wonderful when marinated. Soy products are another easy application, and for those who don't know, there are several types of veggie burgers.
Finally, servings of single vegetables could stand in for French fries. Let's not forget that anything can be fried and put into a box for easy access when driving. That would be a decent way to sell fried okra or fried green beans.
For those reading this, it may be shocking to know that I'm not a vegetarian. I still love greasy cheeseburgers and fried fish sandwiches. However, a constant diet of fast food doesn't suffice. Has anyone else ever bought a hamburger because it felt like the only option? If I could go out and buy a decent vegetarian wrap with two side orders of cooked vegetables at least twice a week, it would help to balance out my eating habits.
People want to eat healthy, but when there are no options or appeal for it, then we're all trapped in wishful thinking.
This writer can be contacted at opinion@theeastcarolinian.com.
Vegetarian options at most fast food chains range from fries to a meatless salad with a possibility of a veggie burger, a dessert or a baked potato. You can make a meal out of those, but there is still so much missing. Fruit servings and other vegetables like peas, baby carrots and cabbage are almost unheard of on drive-thru menus.
The problem is that the burger is so fast. It takes almost no time to heat up a patty, squeeze some mustard and mayonnaise, add some lettuce, onion and tomato and then presto--a meal is ready. The salads and veggie burgers are popular because they are either already prepared or go through the same process as any other burger. For a vegetarian fast food restaurant, the same kind of speed would be necessary for competition.
Portobello mushrooms can be prepared into mushroom burgers, or can be sliced to make wraps. Salads, like the Waldorf salad, aren't limited to lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and cheese. Tofu can be used as any kind of meat substitute and also tastes wonderful when marinated. Soy products are another easy application, and for those who don't know, there are several types of veggie burgers.
Finally, servings of single vegetables could stand in for French fries. Let's not forget that anything can be fried and put into a box for easy access when driving. That would be a decent way to sell fried okra or fried green beans.
For those reading this, it may be shocking to know that I'm not a vegetarian. I still love greasy cheeseburgers and fried fish sandwiches. However, a constant diet of fast food doesn't suffice. Has anyone else ever bought a hamburger because it felt like the only option? If I could go out and buy a decent vegetarian wrap with two side orders of cooked vegetables at least twice a week, it would help to balance out my eating habits.
People want to eat healthy, but when there are no options or appeal for it, then we're all trapped in wishful thinking.
This writer can be contacted at opinion@theeastcarolinian.com.
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