ZACHARY INGRAM | Staff Writer

Don’t you love the smell of bacon in the morning?

Eating is a natural desire that we can all agree is an enjoyable pastime.

The on campus City Gill offers healthy options that are sure to fill your tummy and satisfy those taste buds.

A salad bar, sandwiches, whole wheat bread options, yogurts, veggie burger, veggie pizza and the list goes on with more and more vegetarian (aka, healthier) choices.

So if all this healthy food is readily available, why is it that we fall, knowingly, into the snares of the unhealthy food choices?

The answer is simple and frightening.

We like our meat.

According to Riverside City College’s Food Service Director, the most popular food item is the chicken tenders with fries.

But what about the health menu?

“We offer it, but I will tell you, they are not eating it,” said the Food Director.

So this age old adage that the consumer is at fault true?

There are healthy options out there but we have just opted to devour the grease of fast food instead?

As young people we trap our minds into a “pointing the finger” mentality.

Always wanting to blame it on the other guy.

And when it comes to making the right food choices and eating hamburgers 6 days a week, it is the same.

People line up in the City Grill, waiting for their hamburgers, pizza and fried chicken, not at all even recognizing the fresh salad bar immediately off to their right.

This problem is not only confined to campus either, most people fail to get whole grain bread at Subway, or the chicken teriyaki bowl at Jack-in-The Box or even getting water instead of a soda at different fast food joints we visit a month.

“You can get fruit instead of fries and milk instead of soda,” said RCC Food Director.

There is nothing wrong with having a hot dog and in combination with other healthier foods.

It ultimately comes down to the individual.

What will you choose bacon or bananas?