McDonalds 'cheapest, most nutritious and bountiful food' ?
Replies
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Living in Norway you probably experience a very different life compared to poor people in america.
You cant just extrapolate your own experiences and apply them to everyone in the world, this is really short sighted.
It is a life skill, but like all life skills they take learning and cultivating, something that requires time, which some people just do not have. It also gets easier with the help of someone else with expertise (like you say you got from your grandmother), which some people do not have.
Maybe instead of sitting on your high horse thinking that you are so awesome and worked so hard to be there you should thank your lucky stars that you had so many shoulders to stand on to get you up there in the first place.
I'm not poor, and I can afford to eat well all the time. I do work hard to reach my goals but i recognise that I am DAMNED LUCKY to be where I am now and have the choices I have.
Some people are NOT so lucky and I'm not going to judge them for choosing a quick and easy option to fill their families bellies
And in the same way you cant extrapolate to EVERY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.
My point has been from the start that its possible to eat cheap meals that are healthy.. I was never saying you have to buy fresh vegetables straight from the farmers market.
Also I live in Norway now.. hasnt always been that way and certainly not for my grandmothers who were the people I was referring to of finding a way if there is will.
I do know I am lucky for being born in Scandinavia.. but that doesnt mean I havent worked for what I have. Not everyone here is born with a silver spoon in their *kitten*.
When did I say anything about a farmers market?
Certainly you can eat cheap meals that are healthy. My point is is that it takes much more organisation and time to do so than getting fast food. Time that some people don't realistically have. There are people in here that have made some very good points and given some very good examples of how it just doesn't work for everybody yet you still insist that everyone can do it and if they aren't doing it, well they are just lazy or don't want it enough.
I'm not taking away the work that you have done but the likelihood is you have been more lucky and have had more opportunities than many of the people we are talking about. And saying that they can do what you do, even though they may not have had these same opportunities is insulting.
Have you ever had to work two jobs? Live in non permanent housing and have to move your family all the time? Not have access to a fridge or a cooker?
Maybe you have, I don't know and if you have lived this life, kudos to you. But everyone's situation and every person is different and we cant just assume every person has the capacity to not have to make use of fast food to have a hot meal.0 -
Living in Norway you probably experience a very different life compared to poor people in america.
You cant just extrapolate your own experiences and apply them to everyone in the world, this is really short sighted.
It is a life skill, but like all life skills they take learning and cultivating, something that requires time, which some people just do not have. It also gets easier with the help of someone else with expertise (like you say you got from your grandmother), which some people do not have.
Maybe instead of sitting on your high horse thinking that you are so awesome and worked so hard to be there you should thank your lucky stars that you had so many shoulders to stand on to get you up there in the first place.
I'm not poor, and I can afford to eat well all the time. I do work hard to reach my goals but i recognise that I am DAMNED LUCKY to be where I am now and have the choices I have.
Some people are NOT so lucky and I'm not going to judge them for choosing a quick and easy option to fill their families bellies
And in the same way you cant extrapolate to EVERY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.
My point has been from the start that its possible to eat cheap meals that are healthy.. I was never saying you have to buy fresh vegetables straight from the farmers market. Excuses like "supermarket is too far away" or "I dont have time" is what I am against, not "I cant even afford to pay medical care for my kids". There is a difference there and I am not attacking the poorest people.. rather the people who make excuses but could.
Also I live in Norway now.. hasnt always been that way and certainly not for my grandmothers who were the people I was referring to of finding a way if there is will.
I do know I am lucky for being born in Scandinavia.. but that doesnt mean I havent worked for what I have. Not everyone here is born with a silver spoon in their *kitten*.
there are people here that work 60 hours a week and are still very poor. Our waitresses dont even have to make minimum wage, and often what wage their check should be gets taken away to go towards taxes. Waitresses can get a 0 dollar paycheck. So, having no time is a valid reason. Also storage. I've lived in a place with a small camp fridge and a less than half size camp over and five people to feed. No freezer, no pantry or area for food storage beyond a cabinet under the sink.No car. Its not possible to stock up on frozen items then.
And before I hear the "well, go to school and get yourself an education and live a better life" oi have a few things to say:
1. Not everyone is smart enough. Its a fact. There are beautiful, amazing, kind people who can barely comprehend what they read in the newspaper. there are a ton of people who are great but need menial, repetitive work.
2. I have an AA and a BS in psychology and I'm still well, well, well below the poverty line in a state with one of the highest costs of living. I didnt choose to live here, I was raised here. And I can't just leave. My SOs job is here and we dont have a car or the massive funds it takes to move out of state, let alone abandon the meagre family we have who help occasionally w life things.
3. The way society is set up, for every president there are 5 executives, for every executive there are ten managers, for every manager there are 50 min wage working men. (obv just examples) The point is its a pyramid, and for every good job out there there are 100 minimum wage ones. Society is not constructed to give everyone a liveable wage.0 -
You have to remember that when considering cost, time cost is also a thing.
Yeah, cuz preparing homecooked, healthy food for one's family is such a waste of time. OMG.
Speaking from experience, when I switched to healthy, nutrient dense food my Binge Eating Disorder vanished. So while my food items all cost more, I eat much less. I'm saving 15-20% by eating more expensive, healthy food. Go figure.0 -
You have to remember that when considering cost, time cost is also a thing.
Yeah, cuz preparing homecooked, healthy food for one's family is such a waste of time. OMG.
Speaking from experience, when I switched to healthy, nutrient dense food my Binge Eating Disorder vanished. So while my food items all cost more, I eat much less. I'm saving 15-20% by eating more expensive, healthy food. Go figure.
I was implying that it was an extra expense to consider, not a waste.
Like money, time is a limited resource.
Sorry if you didn't understand that.0 -
Of course it's cheaper! The rich people want the poor people to get fat sick and die!
Well I guess the "rich people" love my community. For our family, it's much cheaper to eat at home.0 -
I believe everything should be eaten in moderations. There is nothing wrong with going to McDonalds for a meal as long as one don't eat there every day. I am new to MFP, these message boards have been so helpful. Thanks to everyone who posted.0
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You have to remember that when considering cost, time cost is also a thing.
Yeah, cuz preparing homecooked, healthy food for one's family is such a waste of time. OMG.
Speaking from experience, when I switched to healthy, nutrient dense food my Binge Eating Disorder vanished. So while my food items all cost more, I eat much less. I'm saving 15-20% by eating more expensive, healthy food. Go figure.
When we make burgers at home, it takes about 20 minutes. I'd rather spend the 20 minutes than the $30 or so for a single meal. Homemade burgers and fries for four of us runs no more then $5. Easy choice to make, imo.
I also agree that it's easier to eat less when you have to get up and make it than if you just have to open a package and grab.0 -
Problem with McD is the meals.
Something like a double quarter-pounder with cheese by itself is ok - 47g protein, 46g carb, 40g fat.
But the medium fries + drink add 4g protein, 105g carb, and 20g fat. And a lot of people really like their fries+drink (and upselling prices encourage this), getting larges on those... for an extra 6g protein, 156g carb, 30g fat.
Protein is really low. Starch+sugar injection.0 -
It IS more expensive in some parts of the country (US) to eat healthier things. I've noticed when I lived in NH, it was much more expensive than here in NC. I can see how someone in the south can have no issues eating healthier for less, but in New England, it's costly, especially in the winter.
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I live in NH right now. It is not too bad as long as I shop at Market Basket. The rest of the grocery stores..forget about it lol! I miss Food Lion from when we lived in VA.0 -
Just because someone went to college doesn't mean they know what they're doing.
Just because someone got hired doesn't mean they know what they're doing.
All it means is that they went to college and got hired, and says nothing of whether their employer is getting their money's worth.0 -
23 grams of protien for a dollar is a pretty good deal.0
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At 390 calories, 23 grams of protein, 7-percent of the daily value of fiber, 20-percent of daily calcium and 19 grams of fat.
Those are good numbers, you add a salad to that and you have a great meal that will fill you up and keep you moving.
My mouth just started watering. I've been proudly McD free since last Halloween though.
19grams of fat is NOT a good number.
McDonalds=YUK
Wow, everyone's worried about the fat. The fat and the protein are the ONLY healthy things in there. (Time for a few of us to brush up on the latest info about fat. Fat is healthy, especially natural sources of saturated fat.)0 -
I think the fact that the poorest counties in the United States have the highest incidence of obesity is strong evidence that getting enough calories isn't the problem.
I also argue with parts of their premise. I eat plenty of produce - although I rarely buy organic - and don't spend anywhere near 36 dollars a day to eat. Anyone who thinks a McDouble is more nutritious than a salad is crazy. Vitamins, minerals, and fiber from whole foods are always going to win over enriched white bread and an entree high in saturated fat. I'll take my mixed greens with chicken and chickpeas over the McDouble any day.
You are so right! The southwest grilled chicken salad costs about the same as the Big Mac meal but it gets you much healthier food.
I bought a big pack of fresh boneless skinless chicken breasts a couple of days ago at the grocery store for $10 and it turns out we are getting 3-4 dinners out of it! Healthy food seems to cost more but generally it is because you get many more servings in it, so when calculated by servings or meals it will cost about the same as any other foods.0 -
I think the fact that the poorest counties in the United States have the highest incidence of obesity is strong evidence that getting enough calories isn't the problem.
I also argue with parts of their premise. I eat plenty of produce - although I rarely buy organic - and don't spend anywhere near 36 dollars a day to eat. Anyone who thinks a McDouble is more nutritious than a salad is crazy. Vitamins, minerals, and fiber from whole foods are always going to win over enriched white bread and an entree high in saturated fat. I'll take my mixed greens with chicken and chickpeas over the McDouble any day.
You can't just make that claim with any salad. There are plenty of salads out there with little nutritional value (or too much nutritional value if the consumer doesn't burn that many calories ;P)
Honestly, with the salads I tend to eat, it would be. I'm not big on salads. I'd rather have roasted, steamed, or baked veggies. My salads usually consist of lettuce, tomato, cucumber and balsamic vinegar. It's a lot lower calories than a McDouble, but there's no protein, no fat, few vitamins. Certainly not a significant amt more vitamins than the McDouble with it's lettuce, tomato, pickle and onion. It's basically a source of fiber and a carbs (filler) and that's it.
On the other end of the spectrum, think of a typical chopped salad. Diced deli meats and cheeses, hard boiled egg, usually a ranch or creamy dressing with lettuce, tomato, onion, maybe bacon. Easy to get more calories than the McDouble, more fat, more protein, more fiber.0 -
I have lived your travel like and know your pain. Oatmeal packets were my friend.0
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Ever wonder how they make the food look so good? It ALMOST looks worth eating. I haven't eaten at a McDonalds for years, but if you get an experienced food stylist (yes, a FOOD STYLIST) and art director to work with the best food photographers, even McDonalds food doesn't look bad. Check out this link and the accompanying Youtube link:
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/mcdonalds-ad-food-photos/story?id=16621290
HERE is the link to the Youtube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSd0keSj2W8 0 -
Ever wonder how they make the food look so good? It ALMOST looks worth eating. I haven't eaten at a McDonalds for years, but if you get an experienced food stylist (yes, a FOOD STYLIST) and art director to work with the best food photographers, even McDonalds food doesn't look bad. Check out this link and the accompanying Youtube link:
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/mcdonalds-ad-food-photos/story?id=16621290
HERE is the link to the Youtube video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSd0keSj2W8
$150 a hour?! Dang, I know what I want to be when I grow up :laugh:0 -
In the way they define it (it's specifically limited in scope to cost-per-calorie), it's pretty hard to argue against it. Unless you're willing to call single ingredient fats "food" as they choose to define it -- for instance, lard would likely have a significantly lower cost-per-calorie -- the McDouble likely wins.0
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At 390 calories, 23 grams of protein, 7-percent of the daily value of fiber, 20-percent of daily calcium and 19 grams of fat.
Those are good numbers, you add a salad to that and you have a great meal that will fill you up and keep you moving.
which was just my lunch.0 -
I agree, i was like, wow pretty offensive to basically say poor people can afford McDonalds but nothing else
I wouldn't call that offensive. What I would call offensive is a comment that says poor people go to McDonald's because they're too stupid to want anything else.0 -
I agree totally! Unless.....they slept at a holiday inn the night before;)Just because someone went to college doesn't mean they know what they're doing.
Just because someone got hired doesn't mean they know what they're doing.
All it means is that they went to college and got hired, and says nothing of whether their employer is getting their money's worth.0 -
Not sure what planet you live on man! Then again...im not sure why I wasted my time commenting on such a ludicrous post...Of course it's cheaper! The rich people want the poor people to get fat sick and die!0 -
Not gonna rehash all the prior "cost per calorie, good; cost per nutritional value, not-so-much" posts. However, I do wish that there was a public service campaign to show that eating healthy doesn't have to be more expensive than eating junk food. I wish that public schools taught it as part of curriculum, but the powers-that-be can't even see how funding education has a bigger bang than funding incarceration. I wish that the Food/Cooking channels had more shows to show how to cook simple, quick, inexpensive meals that are healthy, balanced, and taste good; however, the competition and gluttony shows are all the rage now.
Oh, well, head out of the clouds now. I just make sure that I teach me and mine and spread the word as I can without getting all kinds of preachy! </soapbox>0 -
Also, just because healthy food exists, doesn't mean people immediately have access to it.
http://www.policylink.org/atf/cf/%7B97C6D565-BB43-406D-A6D5-ECA3BBF35AF0%7D/FINALGroceryGap.pdf0 -
McDonalds is nasty, I'm a big girl and I hate it but it has NOTHING to do with people being obese. No one forced it down my gullet, and no one told me to keep feeding myself, even when I was well past full.
For some, McDonalds is an every day affair, and they are healthy in appearance, and quite possibly even on the inside. They're usually active and are just on the go.
Also, I must say, not everyone has time to prepare bulk meals for a family of five while waking up at 4 in the morning to go to work! My mom will probably keel over from her workload alone. So please, don't go saying 'EVERYONE' can cook a fresh, good for you meal and still get the groceries, the prep, cooking and cleaning done in their super busy days. I felt like that was an insult at my mom who can work 10+ hours sometimes and then comes home and gets to babysit her granddaughter while taking care of everyone elses needs in the household. (No, I do not live there anymore, thus why it is hard on her to find time for bulk prep).0
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