Junk Food & Fast Food History | B1–B2 English Lesson on Food Choices, Advertising & Responsibility

We choose what we eat—but who shapes the choices?

Take students beyond the usual “healthy versus unhealthy” discussion. This thought-provoking English lesson explores how fast food became a global business and how neighbourhoods, prices, busy routines and advertising influence what people eat.

Students investigate the responsibilities of families, schools, food companies and governments, then design changes that could make healthier choices easier.

Inside the resource:

• Original reading on fast-food history and food choices today.

• Vocabulary and reading comprehension activities.

• An advertising task exploring persuasion and pressure.

• Two fictional neighbourhoods to compare and investigate.

• A school food council challenge with a limited budget.

• A guided proposal-writing task and transfer activity.

• Separate teacher guide with answers, teaching suggestions, a model response, assessment rubric and linked sources.

Level: B1–B2
Suitable for: Teenagers aged 13+ and adults
Timing: Two 50-minute lessons, with homework options
Includes: 8 student pages + 8 teacher-guide pages
Format: Printable PDFs; no internet needed for student tasks.

A lesson that builds language, invites debate and helps learners question the world behind the menu.