A new national survey shows that even if groceries stores with healthy foods are available, people (especially men) will still eat more fast food if the fast food places are nearby (within 2 miles). The authors state:
Greater supermarket availability was generally unrelated to diet quality and fruit and vegetable intake
Before I committed myself to healthy eating, I passed numerous supermarkets and produce markets on the way to McDonalds. Of course, the local pizzerias were also only too happy to deliver as well.
Fast food may truly be addictive! It took about 2 weeks of not eating high sugar/fat/salt foods for me to start to enjoy simple foods. Today, I enjoy an apple; pineapple tastes incredibly sweet. But if you eat cake or muffins everyday (even if they come from Starbucks), those same fruits will not taste very sweet to you. This is why I don’t “cheat.”
BTW, do you know when and where your local produce markets are?