Cheetos, Lays, Fritos (sometimes). Everyone likes to snack here and there, but at what cost? Literally and metaphorically, how much is one willing to pay for a quick pick-me-up? America is known for its gluttonous tendencies, but who’s to blame? The citizens, or the availability of their resources? People often put aside the risk of health and the price of items in exchange for convenience. 

The National Center for Health Statistics reports over 36% of Americans consume fast food in a given day. It’s become a normality in this culture to eat junk food due to what’s around. 

The easier the item is to access, the higher the chance of being bought. For example: illegally selling snacks in school.

If it’s a big snack, or a wanted snack, people will pay like 5-6$” “Everyone’s really hungry. You can’t get snacks unless it’s from the vending machine, and that’s closed during lunch, so…Nadeem Maayah, Lakota West High School

Ever wonder why the food at the airport is so expensive? Well, it’s because they can be. With no competition, business owners can make their prices as high as they want because they know at some point consumers will let their hunger take control of their wallets. Paying $11 for two slices of pizza seems ridiculous when the gas station down the road charges $5. But it’s different at places like an amusement park. Priorities shift. Suddenly, the $11 doesn’t appear to be so bad when there’s nothing else to munch on.

Oftentimes, one’s well-being will also be compromised. One minute someone’s on a diet of fresh fruit, whole grain, and everything sugar-free…until they realize how difficult it is to maintain that lifestyle. Although there are obvious downsides, snack consumption doesn’t have everything to do with how good the product tastes, or how well it’s made. Most times, convenience and attainability are what bring consumers in to buy a said item.