Indulging

For those who shouted, “Happy Fry Day!” yesterday, it meant more than the usual TGIF celebration given National French Fry Day on July 10th. (source)

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It’s not surprising that fries have their own special day given how popular they are:

• Nine in 10 U.S. consumers report loving French fries.
• All kinds of demos (gender, race, region, and age) rank fries equally high on their list.
• “Fries are in the 99th percentile for consumption, meaning they are more regularly consumed than 99% of all other foods, flavors, and beverages.” (source)

With so many varieties to choose from, including curly, waffle, shoestring, crinkle-cut, steak, loaded and sweet potato, there’s something for everyone. Not to mention that chains like McDonald’s and Wendy’s offer free fries on the national “Fry Day.” (source)

And one fun fact: French fries likely originated in Belgium. Although France hotly disputes that claim, Belgium petitioned UNESCO to recognize the French fry as a part of Belgian’s cultural heritage. Indeed, “Many Belgians insist that the name ‘French fry’ is a misnomer, coming about because the wider world cannot differentiate between the different Francophone cultures.” (source)

French fries definitely qualify as a “comfort food,” characterized by loaded fat and/or high sugar content. There are many reasons why this type of food gets the label “treat.” First, it interacts with the brain much like a drug, activating the pleasure center. Second, comfort food brings memories of nostalgia (e.g., those delicious butterscotch meringue pies Grandma used to make). Finally, it can add an extra sprinkle of love to a celebration (e.g., a homemade birthday cake). (adapted from source)

Comfort foods serve a fabulous purpose. While indulging in them daily might cause some health issues, moderate consumption can bring a little joy to an otherwise gloomy day. Enjoy!

“Surround yourself with people who are the ketchup to your french fries-they make you a better version of yourself. Yes french fries are amazing on their own, but combined with ketchup they are a force. Spend time with people who bring out your true flavors, but don’t overpower you.” ~ Grace Helbig