Cheap. Fast. Easy.
I’m not talking about the female applicants for next season’s The Bachelor, I’m talking about the food at McDonald’s, although arguably both are considerably greasy and potentially disease-causing.
McDonald’s reports that their sales are up 4.3% this month, and they’re contributing the rise to budget conscious consumers looking to get a fast and filling meal without breaking the bank.
It’s always been a frustrating situation for those trying to make healthy choices for their families: whole foods from the grocery store cost more than the mass produced meals at fast food chains. However, this is just a convenient excuse to pull through the drive-thru, rather than crunching numbers and planning ahead to make healthier and cheaper meals at home.
A day in comparison:
McDonald’s:
- Breakfast: McGriddle sandwich and hashbrowns: $3.09
- Lunch: Cheeseburger Happy Meal (cheeseburger, fries, soda): $2.99
- Dinner: Chicken Nuggets Value Meal (6 piece McNuggets, fries, soda): $3.99
- Total: $10.07
At Home:
- Breakfast: Oatmeal (rolled oats w/raisins, milk and honey): $1.33
- Lunch: Bean burrito (tortilla, beans, lettuce, salsa, avocado and cheese): $1.91
- Dinner: Chicken stir-fry (chicken, brown rice, mixed vegetables): $1.72
- Total: $4.96
While cooking healthy meals at home requires a little forethought and prep time, you’ll not only reap the health benefits, but the economic benefits as well. So do your family and your bank account a favor: skip the Golden Arches, hit the store and head to the kitchen. At the least you’ll save a buck, and as an added bonus you’ll avoid scary clowns and filthy ball pits.
