About National Junk Food Day
Many of the holidays we see, encourage us to eat healthier and think about the effect of food on our bodies. This is one day in the year, when Americans can celebrate their love as a nation for tasty food irrespective of its long-term effect on our bodies.
The origin of what we call junk food began with the popularity of packaged foods in the late 19th century. While home-cooked meals were considered the standard until World War 2, junk food started to take off after the war.
Since people started traveling and eating out more after the war, there was a rise in the number of fast-food chains. Even the frozen food aisle became quite popular, and grocery stores would see their frozen food items sell out in no time. There was also a huge variety of fast food available for people to choose from.
A microbiologist named Michael Jacobson is credited with coining the phrase in the 1970s. He wanted to reduce the demand for high-sugar, high-salt, and high-preservative foods that Americans were consuming at an alarming rate.
