Americas pile up more French fries

Americans are piling more French fries, lettuce, and frozen vegetables on their plates than in years past. French fries consumption per capita is up to 18 pounds a year compared with 2 .7 pounds some 25 years ago, reported the Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service. Not too surprisingly, most fries are sold in fast-food outlets.

Some 23.8 pounds of lettuce are downed yearly. This figure is up from 17.5 pounds per person in 1960. Some of this increase, observers say, has been due to improved refrigerated transport used to reach big-city markets.

Frozen vegetable use has increased in the same period from 7 pounds per capita to 11.3 pounds - probably due to improved product preparation and wider variety.