MDBCs 21 Jul 2024

Junk food is a term used to refer to food that has a lot of calories but very little or no nutritional value. Popularized in the United States in the 1950s, the word is widely used for foods that are heavily processed, and have high amounts of sugars, fats, and salt.

Studies have shown that consuming junk food once-in-a-while does not have a negative effect on health - it is only when one eats junk food for a majority of their meals that their diet can be considered unhealthy. Consuming large amounts of foods considered to be junk, can lead to several health problems, including a high risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart issues.

Different Definitions

Different cultures have their own different definition of what constitutes junk food - what may be junk food in one culture, may be considered nutritional food in another. Many people believe that fast food is usually junk food, though some kinds of fast food are prepared in a healthy way and can be very nutritional.

How to Celebrate?

Have junk food for all your meals!
Start the day with your favorite junk food – may we suggest several slices of bacon and an egg omelet wedged between two slices of a glazed donut washed down with a big glass of orange soda? If someone questions your choice, you can always point out to the fact that eggs, bacon, donuts, and orange juice are all breakfast items.
Have a potato chip sandwich for lunch and a waffle burger – a burger between two waffles – for dinner.

Did You Know...

...that the first cotton candy (candy floss or fairy floss) machine was invented by a dentist? Dentist William Morrison and confectioner John C. Wharton created the machine in 1897 and introduced it to the public at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis, Missouri. Made out of pure sugar and some flavorings, cotton candy is widely considered to be a junk food.

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Ice Cream Day

Cool down with a scoop (or two) of refreshing ice cream on Ice Cream Day. Celebrated annually since 1984 on the third Sunday of July in the United States, the unofficial holiday celebrates everyone’s favorite sweet treat.

The holiday was created by an official proclamation by President Ronald Reagan in 1984. At the time, the holiday was supposed to be only celebrated once - on July 15, 1984. The ice cream industry, however, decided to continue the tradition every year since. In addition to observing a National Ice Cream Day, the proclamation also designated July as National Ice Cream Month. This too has now become a tradition.

Chinese Origin

Traditionally made by freezing a mixture of cream or milk, sugar, and some kind of flavoring, ice cream is often eaten after a meal as a dessert or as a mid-meal snack. As a treat, ice cream has a long and varied history, though very little is known about its origins. Some historians believed that the Chinese were responsible for inventing the earliest versions of this dessert, while others suggest that the Romans mixed snow with honey and fruits to create the first prototype of ice cream. Either way, the early types of ice cream were nothing like the ice cream we are familiar with today.

Only for Royals

In the old days before refrigerators became common kitchen equipment, ice cream was a food reserved for the royals and the rich and it was only eaten during special occasions. The development of refrigeration technology quickly made ice cream a commonly enjoyed dessert around the world. Today, people can easily make ice cream at home with the help of portable ice cream makers.

How to Celebrate?

Many ice cream parlors and stores have sales and specials on their products on this day. Visit one of them to celebrate this fun holiday.
Have ice cream for all your meals. It can be considered as a nutritious food group for this one day.
Don’t live in the United States? We suggest that that shouldn’t stop you from celebrating this awesome holiday. After all, ice cream is a delicious treat in every culture. Make your own ice cream and serve it to family and friends.
Tired of the usual vanilla or strawberry ice cream? Get creative with your flavorings. What about adding mint to your strawberry ice cream? Or bacon bits to your caramel ice cream?
Don't like to have just plain ice cream? What about making some ice cream sandwiches or an ice cream cake instead?

Did You Know...

...that some studies have shown that people buy and consume more ice cream on a Sunday than any other day of the week?

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My friend has a bad habit of overdrawing her bank account. One day before we went shopping, I complained about my lack of funds and lamented, “Guess I’ll use plastic.”

Unconcerned, she whipped out her checkbook: “I’m using rubber.”

***

After an enthusiastic recommendation from my wife, I began listening to the audiobook version of Frank McCourt’s Teacher Man.

“I love it, but his writing style is so disjointed,” I complained. “He refers to characters I don’t know and introduces them a half hour later.”

My wife was as confused as I was, but I soldiered on, disoriented by the jumpy story line.

It wasn’t until the end of the book that my dilemma was explained—

I had set the iPod to Shuffle.

***

While my parents were making their funeral arrangements, the cemetery salesman pointed out a plot that he thought they would like.

“You’ll have a beautiful view of the swan pond,” he assured them.

Dad wasn’t sold: “Unless you’re including a periscope with my casket, I don’t know how I’m going to enjoy it.”

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