3 Things I Wish All Fast Food Places Had

Juicy burgers, crispy onion rings, and saucy mozzarella pizza... mmm...

It's hard to deny that these foods hold a special place in people's hearts. But even so, we all know that these delicious comfort foods cannot be eaten everyday. Fast food restaurants don't seem to have gotten the memo, though. Fast food is a $570 billion dollar industry; a feat achieved not by providing nutritious food, but by making it convenient for the masses to stuff their faces with exorbitant amounts of salt, sugar, and fat.

And we can't help but come back for more.

But friends, no longer must we subject ourselves to the dire monopoly of convenient, yet unhealthy fast food. No longer will we look at our waistlines and wonder what in the world happened! No longer, will we eat another loaf of damp, smelly bread!

That's right, I'm looking at you, Subway!

And to the rest of the fast food restaurants: take out a notepad and pen, for I am about to drop dirty (or rather, clean) tips on how you can keep your customers coming back for more, without sending them to the hospital with a stroke!

1. Salad Bars with actual greens
You all know what I mean.

Not that no-nutrition iceberg lettuce crap! I'm talking the real stuff: kale, spinach, swiss chard. And no more ranch dressing! Give us some lemon olive oil, balsamic vinegar, anything other than the same boring old ranch dressing over limp lettuce!

I assure you, if fast food places could maintain an attractive, nutritious salad bar, they would definitely turn tables. How would they pay for this, you may ask? If they don't already, they could implement one of those lunch combo deals from 12-2pm that includes a main dish, salad and water. Boom, profit. The crunchy kale salads alone will keep people coming back again, and again, and again...

2. Locally sourced, or quality ingredients
Don't let me find out my hamburger meat is actually the unwanted remains of a cow pumped full of hormones... oh wait...

Yeah.

I like to cook, and this helps me know where my food comes from. Unfortunately, it's a bit hard to know everything that's in your food when you're ordering at a restaurant. My eyes might see breaded chicken, when in reality it's a slab of mystery meat injected with sugar, dye, chemicals, and a whole lotta hoopla designed to be addictive.

In short, keep out unnecessary ingredients!

3. Transparency
I noticed that a lot of places try to be all sneaky with the reality of their food. They hide their calories and ingredients, claiming that "all that information can be found online". Yeah, let me just whip out my phone and scour the interweb to find the micronutrients of this chicken patty I'm trying to order.

Or, they can make all our lives easier and have a pamphlet of all that information readily available as soon as a customer walks in.

Unless... they have something to hide? Hmm...
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Of course, if fast food places had all these things, people would finally have a much easier time eating healthy food on the go. But, alas, that is not the case. Though these changes would be great, it would probably hike up the costs of the food on the menu. But I think a few extra bucks would be worth the transparent, quality food you'd be getting.

Feel free to leave your thoughts on this topic!

3 Ways to make TV-Watching More Productive

For a long time, watching television has always been looked down upon, and for considerable reason. For one, it is a mostly passive activity; your brain just isn't actively engaged when binge-watching your favorite series on Netflix. Due to this, it is largely seen as a waste of time.

Surely, you could spend those late night hours doing something more productive! you hear your subconscious mind scold. While this is true, what if I told you that you can create more value from your TV-watching time? Grab your popcorn and settle in on your favorite cushion, while we get into 3 ways you can make watching TV a more productive activity!

1. Watch Documentaries, or other educational content
Now, I'm not talking about some boring old documentary about the extraction of 200 million year old dinosaur fossils (unless you're into that sort of thing, in which case, do you!) There are thousands of documentaries you can choose from a variety of different platforms. The topics range from cooking lifestyle, to astronomy, to historic wars of the 1900's. Even if there's nothing that interests you from the jump, take a chance and dive into a topic you're not familiar with! There's so much to learn, and it can make you more aware of the world you're living in.

This leads me to my next point...

2. Be Analytical; Be Appreciative
I did this recently after watching Season 6 of Orange is the New Black. From afar, it's a raunchy series about dirty-mouthed women that like to slap each other over commissary pudding. But from another perspective, it's a heart-wrenching story about the mass incarceration of minorities in the U.S., the ever-presence of white privilege, and the harsh truths of the old adage, "an eye for an eye".

There is something to take away from any form of entertainment, if you look hard enough. If you want, you can even take a moment to appreciate the writers for crafting their story. Sit through the ending credits in a moment of silence for the great work you just experienced.

3. Make the main character a source of inspiration
This is probably the case of most plots: the protagonist is living their ordinary life, when they run into a big problem. This problem exposes their flaws, and the protagonist battles against themselves before they can tackle the problem that shook their world in the first place. In the end, the day is saved and pigs can fly (Unless your main character doesn't end up with a happy ending...but even then, my point still stands). 

The protagonist of your favorite TV show likely goes through many struggles; and this in turn chisels them into a better version of their previous selves. You see this transformation while you watch the screen from your couch! (or bed, or floor... or however people like to Net their Flix these days...)

So, I challenge you to live your life like the main character of a TV show. Learn from your mistakes and challenges, and use this invaluable information to craft yourself into a better you.
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Now, I'm NOT endorsing the act of watching TV all day. These tips can transcend the confines of your television box. In fact, they can be applied to pretty much any source of entertainment out there! Music, movies, video games, books... and more.

Also, don't feel pressure to follow these tips whenever you're trying to enjoy your downtime. Sometimes it's nice to just sit back after a long day and watch an episode of The Office without worrying about being productive. In fact, nothing is truly a waste of time if it adds positive value to your life.

With that being said, have fun enjoying your next show!