Homemade potato chips are a great way to celebrate National Junk Food Day. Image: Flickr/edgarzuniga

July 21 has long been the unofficial “National” Junk Food Day. The very hazy origins of this holiday don’t prevent many people from celebrating it. The way it is celebrated, though, can vary widely.

Straight-up National Junk Food Day celebrations

The celebrations for National Junk Food Day are, in general, very simple. Junk food, defined as any food that has very little nutritional value, is very pervasive in most first-world countries. Many people are using National Junk Food Day as an excuse to pig out on chips, soda, and candy bars. There is a lot to be said for that, too — being too strict about your diet all the time can be exhausting.

Anti-celebration of National Junk Food Day

Nutritionists and good-food advocates are most likely having a heart attack over National Junk Food Day. The reality is that most people already eat plenty of junk food every day. A day to celebrate junk food seems to be pedaling backward on progress improving the American diet. Some dietitians are calling for National Junk Food Day to become a day to eat anything but junk food.

Why junk food is attractive

Though many agree that junk food is not good for you, it is incredibly popular. There are several reasons, but the first is usually cost. It’s a simple calculation – a 400-calorie bag of potato chips can be $1, while a 400-calorie chicken breast is $3, and 400 calories of broccoli is easily $5. When food budgets are stretched thin, it seems much less expensive to eat junk food. Nutritional value often comes second — for everyone from the regular consumer to school lunch programs.

Make your own National Junk Food Day

Making a pan of your own homemade Snickers on National Junk Food Day avoids the additives and stabilizers necessary for a shelf-stable candy bar. The full instructions for this confection can be found all over the Internet – but Instructables is the best we’ve found. Making your own potato chips is much easier. Just slice potatoes very thinly, and bake at 450 degrees on a well-oiled sheet. Flip, salt, and you’re ready to go. You could also try making your own doughnuts, your own coffee or your own candy-coated popcorn.

Connect the dots between empty calories and an empty wallet.

You may often hear the adage “at least you have your health” when a person’s financial state is dire. We often make a distinction between our physical well-being and our financial well-being. However, there are more similarities between keeping our bodies and our bank accounts healthy than may appear on the surface.

Many people who struggle with weight tie food to emotions. They eat a lot to make themselves feel better, often opting for foods that make them feel warm and full but are not really healthy. In the same way, people use money to make themselves feel better, often taking out payday loans and buying items such as clothes that they know they don’t need. They buy them to make themselves feel better about something. Perhaps they want to feel more powerful and in control. Both of these approaches lead to bad habits for physical and financial health.

Bad Habits Lead to Bad Decisions

Many people just get into the habit of doing counterproductive things. They grab their favorite snack that is high in “feel good” but low in nutrition and pop it their mouths without thinking. They buy the same $5 coffee because it is the purchase that makes them feel like it is going to be a good day even though they could make their own coffee for almost a month for the same price.

These thoughtless, poor habits add up to bloated waistlines and bloated expenditure sheets. Further, impulsiveness can become a bad habit, as well. Impulse eating or buying is just a way someone can circumvent their better judgment. People know that stopping and thinking would lead them to a choice better for their cholesterol and their bottom line, but they would rather feed their habits than satisfy the need to improve their health.

No Quick Fixes for the Soaring Scale or Escalating Debt

Every calorie adds to your weight problem. Every dime you spend can’t be used to reduce your debt and bring financial security. Just like every bite of food goes into the calorie counter, each expenditure goes into the financial formula no matter how small.

People do not become obese overnight, nor do they become financially insolvent that quickly. It happens little by little. It took years to get this way, and it will take years to fix it. Many think more money is the quick fix, but 3 out of every 4 lottery winners end up in worse financial shape within 5 years of winning their fortunes. They all thought more money was the answer, but better spending habits and discipline are the only real answers.

Out With the Bad and in With the Good

You have to eat, just like you have to spend money. Trying to live in constant denial and restraint only leads to binges in eating and spending. You need to focus on creating new habits to replace the old ones.

You need to remove yourself from temptation, as well. Clear the house of junk food and put your cash in a CD or savings account where it is not easily accessed. Training yourself to view food and money differently will help you manage both of them better. They are not the cures for your emotional needs. They simply enable you to keep needing them. Turn your mind around and use food as fuel and money as a vehicle to a healthier lifestyle.

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