Friday, September 28, 2012

German Junk Food

An American can run into an interesting discussion item when the topic of junk food comes up with a German.  The conversation will typically lead off with all the various terrible junk food available in America.  The weight and size of Americans will fall into place quickly.  It'll seem like a one-side conversation for several minutes, and then you might casually ask....if Germans have junk food?  There's going to be this pause, and your associate will say 'yes' but not nearly the amount as Americans have.

So, you walk around in grocery stores in your German village or town, and then begin to build a list of German junk food.  There's usually sixty different types of chips at your normal big-name German grocery, with various flavors.  There's probably over one hundred different cookie options in your local German grocery, all loaded with calories.  McDonalds and Burger King?  Almost every town of 10k residents in has a McDonalds, and Burger King keeps on expanding as well.  After a while, you kinda realize that junk food is pretty much at the same level in Germany.  Your associate may not like to admit that.....but it's truth.

The various bad health issues that Americans have?  Well....Germans might be a decade behind....but if you walk around and gaze at what folks eat while on the go....they are progressing toward the same health issues.  German kids are in the same boat as American kids.

Walk into any German train station, and gaze at the folks waiting for a train.  One out of ten are probably drinking a Coke, or eating some chips they bought out of the machine.

The junk food topic may start off down a one-way street....but the facts may invite more discussion.  Germans end up facing a moment of shock....that they might living on the same junk food level as Americans.

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