Eat cheap? or watch those calories?

Actually, it is bad for your calorie budget, and your regular money budget, and your nutrition budget. Very few of the fastest and cheapest things include fresh fruit and veggies. I need to keep an eye on this, or better yet hand it to my husband, because he thinks he is helping me out by taking me out. I like to eat at home.

I usually don't really check the price of the food that I eat for as long as they are not extremely expensive such as a lobster meal or something similar to that. I normally go for the taste and I have to admit that I am not really paying attention to the health part of it. However, I am making it a point now to watch what I am eating since I am getting any younger. LOL!

You can still eat cheap and watch your calories. It is all about your choices. You mentioned Wendy's for .99 you can get a side salad, small chili, or baked potato all of which are better than that double cheese burger.

You missed the Wendy's chili ---it is a healthy .99 option to eat. I believe it is around 250 calories and is high in fiber. So you can eat cheap... for $3 at Wendy's - small chili, side salad - easy on the dressing and a diet beverage

I chose not to read the calorie amounts in this post... Don't ruin McDonalds for me!!! I go for the meal where I can get full on less than $4! AND it's YUMMY!!!!! I didn't see if you put McD's on the list, cuz I'm not looking. See no evil, read no evil...

Yikes! I eat fast food a lot, but I eat less than 3 meals a day. (usually 2) I hate to cook, so I guess it all evens out, sort of. ;)

Isn't that unbelieveable? I mean, what are they putting in those burgers to make them so high in calories? If you made a cheeseburger at home it would not be that high in calories, even if you did not use low calorie mayo and cheese! I like the Wendy's chili idea but it would be hard to eat that and drive your car at the same time. I try to stop at Subway if I need to pick up a quick meal. That tends to be a bit more expensive though. It is not just fast food places that encourage us to make the wrong food choices. The last time I went to the grocery store to buy fruits and veggies I was shocked at the bill. I can see why some less fortunate people choose to feed their children chips and hot dogs. It is much cheaper. What a shame!

Ugh! I hate the price of healthy foods. Its like they set you up to be fat! Its soo much cheaper to eat at say McD's than get a healthy meal. Its disgusting to think you can eat all that crap for 99c but fruits and veggies and healthy foods are soo expensive!

Thank you Estherlou for this information. It is amazing how many calories one can consume by sticking to fast food. Not only that but also meals in so-called family restaurants contain unbelievable amounts of calories, fat and sodium. One of the TV programs here in Canada did some investigative reporting and found some meals in well known family restaurants contained as many as 4000 calories. The restaurant associations have strong lobby groups who prevent changes in laws that would require the restaurant to post calories, fat, sodium and sugar content. Obesity is now the number one health concern in Western countries. The United States has the most obesity in the world, Canada is not far behind it but it seems people want to stick their heads in the sand (or into milkshakes) and really get annoyed if the subject comes up for discussion. So it is good that we can access information from the links that you gave and make our choices based on it. But the drawback is if we become unhealthy overweight and obese we must blame ourselves and no one else.

That list is really an eye opener! Just look at the grams of fat in those items! It is no wonder so many Americans have a weight problem and that heart disease is so rampant! I remember now why I avoid eating fast food!

Thanks esterlou! I really need to stop picking up the fast food for good! I don't eat it much but I never really noticed how many calories there are in some of this stuff. Better to eat at home. Very good research, thanks a bunch!

hehe :) I like junkfood it taste good but I don't like the effect on me on the long run.. can someone just make a junkfood thats healthy, or maybe create a healthy vegetable recipee that taste like meat burger :D

Yeah sure is something the cheaper you eat the worse it is overall healthwise for you. To eat healthy it is much more expensive. I live alone now, and it is sometimes much easier just to go through the drive through and pick up something, as opposed to cooking something just for one. Though I do cook, I am usually eating on it for several days! UGH!!!!

It is possible to eat cheap and consume less calories. You could go to the grocey store and buy fruits and vegetables for less than a dollar.

You do not have In N' Out on there, there burgers are not that bad.

thats why I really hate to do fast foods for they can realy put the pounds on if ya dont watch it and the meat in the burgers are getting to taste like sawdust. So I tend to stay away as much as possible lol

Thanks for the links and information on eating fast food esterlou. When you see in writing the amount of calories and fat content in each food item, it makes you realize just what you are putting in your body. Thankfully, I am not a fast food junkie (I would rather cook at home, then I'm in control of what I'm putting in my body). Anyway, it tastes better! But I do worry about my kids and grandkids, as they all love fast food. They need to re-educate themselves I think. I should send them these links so they can see for themselves. Thanks again for the info.

Then its to my benefit that I'm getting old... we do eat fast food frequently because there are just the two of us, and sometimes cooking a meal is more than we need. When I say getting old is good... what we have for lunch also serves as dinner. We don't have the capacity to finish an entire sandwich. We also get our french fries unsalted and add a bit at home... that way we can share them with our pups. So we also eat fewer fries... and we are VERY good at reheating, so things taste fresh... the secret is a few second on medium in the microwave, and take the lettuce and tomato, etc., out before storing it 'for later'... after heating, put them back in.

you can eat cheap & healthy from for example mcdonalds................... chicken snack wrap instead of the fattening burder. also, there are more pita pits beiog build i absolutely love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and also things like shwarma are healthy & cheap chicken in a wrap .. better yet make it a whole wheat wrap make it even healthier!