<P> A survey in 1984 attributed over one - third of funds spent by consumers for food in Great Britain to be for convenience food purchases . </P> <P> Several groups have cited the environmental harm of single serve packaging due to the increased usage of plastics that contributes to solid waste in landfills . Due to concerns about obesity and other health problems, some health organizations have criticized the high fat, sugar, salt, food preservatives and food additives that are present in some convenience foods . </P> <P> In most developed countries, 80% of consumed salt comes from industry - prepared food (5% come from natural salt; 15% comes from salt added during cooking or eating). Health effects of salt concentrate on sodium and depend in part on how much is consumed . A single serving of many convenience foods contains a significant portion of the recommended daily allowance of sodium . Manufacturers are concerned that if the taste of their product is not optimized with salt, it will not sell as well as competing products . Tests have shown that some popular packaged foods depend on significant amounts of salt for their palatability . </P> <P> In response to the issues surrounding the healthfulness of convenience and restaurant foods, an initiative in the United States, spearheaded by first lady Michelle Obama and her Let's Move! campaign, to reduce the unhealthy aspects of commercially produced food and fight childhood obesity, was unveiled by the White House in February 2010 . Mrs. Obama has pushed the industry to cut back on sugars and salts found in many convenience foods, encouraging self - regulation over government intervention through laws and regulations . Despite Mrs. Obama's stated preference on self - regulation, the Food and Drug Administration announced that it was looking into quantifying the guidelines into law while other groups and municipalities are seeking to add other preventative measures such as target taxes and levies onto these products . </P>

Where did quantity food service get its start