Stop N Shop to Stop Quickly at a Store, Usually a Convenience Store Or Gas Station, And

Vocabulary and Expressions

· stop n’ shop
· a McJob/McMeal
· eat and run/eat on the run
· to eat at the drive-in
· fast food chain
· empty calories
· health foods vs. healthy foods
· it’ll be ready in a jiffy/minute
· coming right up! / Fast Foods and You
· When you eat “fast food”, what restaurant chain do you usually go to? What’s your favorite thing to order?
· How many times a week do you eat fast food?
· Do you enjoy fast food or do you eat it because you’re in a hurry?
Fast Food Names
· Name some fast food chains popular in your first country, then in Canada.
· What are some specific fast foods available in your first country? Are they different from those available in Canada?
· Is it possible to have “healthy” fast food? If so, what? / Children and Fast Foods
· Why do you think children like fast food so much?
· What can happen if you give children too much fast food?
· What can happen if you give adults too much fast food?
Quick, Healthy Meals
· What are some meals you like to cook/eat which are quick to prepare, but healthy to eat?
· What was your favorite meal growing up?
· What is your favorite meal now? / Culture and Fast Foods
· Do you think “fast foods” are more important in Canada/the U.S. than in other countries? What does this say about Western culture, if anything?

· stop n’ shop – to stop quickly at a store, usually a convenience store or gas station, and buy something you need. “When you pull into a gas station on the highway, there is often a “stop n’ shop” store where you can buy things like aspirin, socks, and cough medicine, as well as food.”

· a McJob/McMeal – a McJob is a job at a fast food outlet which is easy to get but has low pay and long hours. A McMeal is a fast food meal from a fast food chain. “Many university students worry that they will not be able to find good jobs when they graduate, and they don’t want to work at McJobs.” “It’s important to eat healthy foods – if you eat too many McMeals, you might get sick.”

· eat and run/eat on the run – to eat and run is to eat very quickly and then leave to go somewhere, although you might sit down and eat something. To eat on the run is to eat standing up, on the bus, or in your car/while walking to your destination. “Mike usually ate lunch on the run – while driving in his car. Sue liked to eat and run – she stopped in at McDonald’s, ate quickly, then went to her next appointment.”

· to eat at the drive-in – at many fast food restaurants, you can drive up to a window and order your food, then drive away, all without leaving your car. If you eat at the drive-in, you might order your meal and then drive away, eating your meal in the car.

· fast food chain – a group of stores selling fast food – for example, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, or Burger King.

· empty calories – food that provides energy (calories) but little nutrition in the form of vitamins, minerals, or fibre. We also call food filled with empty calories “junk food”. “French fries and Coke are filled with empty calories.”

· health foods vs. healthy foods – health foods are foods that are specially chosen to meet some dietary need, and are often found in a health food store – for instance, special cereal meant to help your digestion. Healthy foods can be any food, from any store – but food that is healthy to eat rather than filled with empty calories. “If you eat high-energy sports granola bars, you are eating health food. If you eat salad, you are eating healthy food.”

· it’ll be ready in a jiffy/minute – something will be ready quickly. “When you order food at McDonald’s, you expect it to be ready in a jiffy.”

· coming right up! – something will be served to you quickly, or done quickly. “When you go to McDonald’s and order french fries, they usually say the fries are “coming right up!”. In a few minutes, you will be sitting down, enjoying your french fries.

McMeal

Mom: Boy, I’m tired tonight. Let’s take the kids to McDonald’s.

Dad: Okay, it’s been a long day. Besides, they’ll enjoy it.

Mom: Normally, I’m not in favor of feeding them empty calories, but I guess once in a while won’t hurt.

Dad: Now, if we were going out to eat at the drive-in every day, that would be a different story. But you usually make healthy meals.

Mom: I’d rather the kids get vitamins from fruit and vegetables than from specially processed health foods.

Dad: Well, you are our family nutritionist! Thanks for making sure none of us eats on the run…like I used to do when I met you!

Mom: As I recall, you used to work at a McJob and eat McMeals every day.

Dad: Working at a fast-food chain was no picnic!

Mom: It’s great to have convenience stores, though. They do make life easier! I love being able to stop and shop.

Dad: Where are the kids?

Mom: They’ll be ready in a minute.

Dad: And where’s my warm welcome-home they usually give me?

Mom: I hear them coming downstairs…so I bet it’s coming right up!