French Fries and Orange Drink
I believe I grew up in a lower middle-class house. My parents were firmly in the middle-class range but near the lower end. As such, we mostly ate at home and the occasion going out to dinner may have been a trip to McDonalds.
As young children, my sister and I would get the pre-happy kids meal (cheese burger, small fry and drink - no toy). Like most young children, we could not finish our food and my dad would graciously finish our meal. I am fairly sure that as my sister and I grew up and could finish our meal, my dad expressed some disappointment and sadness (he would have to get a bigger sandwich for himself and that would cost him more money.)
What most people don’t know or remember was that McDonalds fry’s used to be cooked in beef tallow. The urban legend was that they put something in that tallow that helped carry the smell of cooking French fries for miles to attract business. Sometime in the 1980s, I think, they stopped using beef tallow to make them “healthier.” All I know is that I loved them before the change and since them I am indifferent to them.
The other item I used to love from McDonalds was their orange drink made by Hi-C. I have never liked orange soda but the Hi-C drink was more like a Kool-Aide type and I liked it, especially with breakfast (as an adult because breakfast was not available when I was a kid). Sometime in the early 2000s, at least at the McDonalds near our house, they switched to Fanta orange soda and that guilty luxury was taken away from me.
“Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you. Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.” - James 5:1-7 ESV
My parents always took care to prioritize their charitable giving before they splurged on guilty luxuries. In my opinion, and in the circles my parents operated in, this was the expectation and responsibility that they embraced. We may have gone out to eat only a few times a year. This had the side benefit of making my sister and I look forward to and appreciate these treats.
This morning, I wanted to grab a breakfast sandwich from McDonalds on my way to a meeting and used the online app to order. As I ordered, I noticed that they added back Hi-C as a drink option. It was great to have this drink that I had associated with positive memories. Now if they would only fry their French fries in beef tallow again.
