I CANT AVOID FAST FOOD

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  • jdub2131
    jdub2131 Posts: 20
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    You CAN avoid fast food! And actually, healthy food is NOT expensive. You don't have to buy organic to be healthy. You can cook at home for less than eating out. If you eat 2 meals out a day, it's probably at least $10 a day. You can eat at home for less than that. My suggestion for your busy schedule is that you set aside some time to cook 2-3 times per week and at leftovers - for example: chicken, spaghetti, etc. You don't even necessarily have to cook either - pack a sandwich and fruit for lunch. Even though they aren't the healthiest, frozen/microwaveable meals are better options than fast food, so if you have a microwave at school or work, start doing that. Start weening off of fast food slowly: if you go 2 times per day now, start going once per day, then every other day, then choosing healthier options when you go until you only go every blue moon! It IS possible! Stop making excuses! :)
  • Bahet
    Bahet Posts: 1,254 Member
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    When I was single I worked two forty hour/week jobs AND was planning for our wedding 5 months later. I'd get up at 7:00am, get ready for work, pop 2 whole grain waffles in the toaster and eat them plain in the car on the way to work. I'd bring a lunch that I had made as a larger quantity and frozen during some time off. I had chicken parmesan, pork in the slow cooker, lasagna, etc. I'd leave that job (M-F 8:30-5) and usually went to my next job (retail so varying hours.) I'd stop at home, make a grilled cheese sandwich, and eat that in the car on the way to job #2. I'd bring an apple or raw veggies or something for a quick snack during my break. I'd get home around 11:pm and start all over the next day.

    I was so busy that once I had off Friday evening and all weekend. I was thrilled. I figured I'd go home from job 1, clean up, then chill out until Monday. I was shocked when I got to my apt. It was already cleaned. I had to do a load of laundry, vacuum, dust and clean the bathroom. That's it. I had spent so little time in my own apt that it didn't get messy. It took less than 30 minutes (+ laundry).

    So while I'm sure you do have a busy schedule know that you aren't the only one who ever had one. You can make it work if you really want to. Incidentally, I lost 20 lbs and was lower than my goal weight when we got married. That was all because I didn't have time to wait in a drive through line to eat something unhealthy and fattening.
  • Tuffjourney
    Tuffjourney Posts: 971
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    What do you mean by "cheap recipes"? Just by a couple of chicken breasts, put olive oil, salt and pepper on them, put them on a sheet pan and roast them in the oven the night before. Add some veggies like carrots, onion, brussel sprouts and red potatoes to another baking sheet in the same oven (with the same seasoning) and roast until tender. Voila! Enough food for 3 meals, and it's incredibly healthy and "cheap". You will need an internal meat thermometer or just cut and check the chicken for clear juices.

    This is exactly what we had for dinner last night and I have left overs for today... Love my roasted veggies, last night was brussel sprouts and red pototoes (for my son). Great suggestion!!!!:happy:
  • caroln3
    caroln3 Posts: 217
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    I just had the most delicious spinach and egg sandwich on 100% whole wheat bread. With 99 cents only store items and they were fresh!

    2 slices of sara lee soft and smooth 100% whole wheat bread -toasted (99 cents store) 20 cents
    2 cups of bagged spinach (99 cents) 30 cents
    1 large egg (2 dollars a dozen about 17 cents)
    2 tablespoons of chopped onion (market onions were 7 lbs for a dollar = cents)
    half a roma tomato chopped (market tomatoes were 5 lbs for a dollar = cents)

    You sautee the ingredients with a little salt and pepper a little oil or butter and and make a sandwich!
    it probably came out to a dollar (I am lazy to do the math) and it was about 300 calories and I'd say it was healthy.
  • WalkingGirl1985
    WalkingGirl1985 Posts: 2,047 Member
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    I eat fast food..ooh, I dunno..every few months...and theres days even for me that can be hectic. Sometimes i go and get the healthy choice meals at any store that sells, and have that..its a heck a lot better then a mcdonalds cheeseburger..even chicken, fish you can grab...put it in the oven for 20-40 minutes, steam yourself some veggies and vola! Thats what i learned to do. Best of luck to you. If you must go to fast food, pick the salads, get the grilled chicken sandwiches, or fruit packages if they sell..make better choices. You can do this!
  • kandrews24
    kandrews24 Posts: 610 Member
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    You can eat healthy and cheap and not even cook! I eat a lot of healthy raw food all the time:

    banana/apple/peanut butter & celery
    bags of lettuce, cherry tomatoes & fat free dressing
    pb&j sandwiches
    cheese and crackers
    canned soups

    subway and certain taco bell items can be very inexpensive and healthy

    GOOD LUCK! YOU CAN DO THIS!
  • ivyjbres
    ivyjbres Posts: 612 Member
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    OK, first, do you live in a dorm or an apartment?
    And do you have kitchen access, or are you limited to ready-to eat foods?
  • CorinthiaB
    CorinthiaB Posts: 488 Member
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    Healthy food can be expensive if you have limited funds and no proper storage for the food. I am not sure of your living conditions because you did not say. I would suggest buying in bulk those items that will not spoil fast. Then if you have a fridge buy chicken breast and other bulk-like meat items. I also suggest buying frozen veggies if you can't afford to get fresh due to spoilage issues. You can avoid Fast Food however, it will take more effort on your part. A cheap crockpot from Walmart will save you both time and money. Also, purchase a personal George Foreman grill. I hope this helps.

    BTW: dry beans are helluva cheap and they go a long ways. Best of luck!
  • Julieta17
    Julieta17 Posts: 37
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    Healthy food isn't as expensive as eating fast food all the time. If you really want to make your self healthier, you need to quit making excuses like "I can't avoid fast food" because that is a lie.. you are just too lazy to avoid it.

    Is that the way you encourage people on here??? Glad you are not my friend!!!!

    How about offering some helpful tips or ideas on how she can eat healthy & not spend too much!

    Offer helpful tips? Ok... Go to Aldi's or Walmart, they have lots of fresh fruits and veggies at good prices, ANY store has healthy food choices. Get a crock pot if you don't have time to prepare a meal. Don't buy pre-packaged vegetables that you heat in a microwave.. microwaving vegetables (or any foods for that matter) defeats the purpose of buying veggies. These are things that anyone who wants to make a healthy lifestyle change should know. I'm not saying avoid fast food all together, but to say you can't avoid it at all is nuts..

    And as far as how I encourage people on here.... sometimes the truth hurts. Ever hear of the phrase tough love? Sometimes that is what people need.

    THAT"S BETTER!!!
  • heathersmilez
    heathersmilez Posts: 2,579 Member
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    I spend $100-150 a month on groceries for 2. If we were to go on the “subway diet” for example and eat nothing but 3 footlongs a day (1.5 subs for each of us) which is one of the cheapest fast foods around thats $465 a month.

    I don’t understand why people keep suggesting groceries and healthy eating cost MORE, it’s not possible!!!
  • heathersmilez
    heathersmilez Posts: 2,579 Member
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    And as far as how I encourage people on here.... sometimes the truth hurts. Ever hear of the phrase tough love? Sometimes that is what people need.

    AMEN!
  • elysecea
    elysecea Posts: 161 Member
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    Honestly the thought of going to a fastfood restaurant isnt even appealing to me at this point, some things take time. Before you know it you wont want fast food anymore. I discovered all sorts of recipes and great things to prepare and I love cooking with all sorts of spices and natural ingredients. First and for most you make time and accommodations for the things that matter the most to you. My suggestion stop with the excuses to yourself and start being healthy and changing your lifestyle for good! You owe it to yourself and noone else!! You can so this!! Besides once you track a days worth of unhealthy eating and start to look at the calories of the things you are about to eat, your whole outlook will change and put things into prospective!
  • kschhr
    kschhr Posts: 103 Member
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    Vegetables are cheap. Organic isn't, but non-organic ones are. Potatoes are healthy and cheap, and not as horrible as people act like they are. Potatoes, corn on the cob, celery, carrots, whatever. It's all cheap. So are beans (canned or dry, dry is cheaper and healthier) and rice (brown). Buy in bulk.

    Health foods are cheap. Don't use cost as an excuse.
  • BeverageTreats
    BeverageTreats Posts: 149 Member
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    I can go to Buger King and get two sausage biscuits for $2 and get 900 calories out of it. Now tell me what whole foods i can get for $2 and get the same amount of calories?

    Butter XD
  • Lucylaser
    Lucylaser Posts: 94 Member
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    I have never had a fast food burger in all of my 33 years, I had some nuggets once about 5 years ago and actually vomited. I am also one of the cheapest mo-fos around these days because of my budget. I work 14-16 hour days. I cook all my own food. I shop on sale. Buy less expensive protein sources eggs, beans, tofu. I make large batches of things and freeze them so I can just grab and go and take stuff to work. Stews, soups, chili, risotto.

    Fast food is a choice for some and has never been for me. My parents were hippies and it just never was even a topic of consideration growing up. I have spent months working in rural iowa/rural tennessee/rural alabama and have never hit a mcdonald's etc... Walmart is a great resource for cheap veggies and cheap healthy snacks. I lived for a month in rural ohio in a hotel room with no kitchen and managed to still make my own food between the mini fridge and microwave.

    When I am working in big cities I find the asian markets because they generally have really cheap produce too. I check groupon now for lunch and dinner deals if I ever do go out.
  • Bahet
    Bahet Posts: 1,254 Member
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    I can go to Buger King and get two sausage biscuits for $2 and get 900 calories out of it. Now tell me what whole foods i can get for $2 and get the same amount of calories?

    Butter XD
    It would be about as healthy too.


    Are you really saying that in the course of an entire day you'd eat just 2 sausage biscuits?
  • msbanana
    msbanana Posts: 793 Member
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    I can go to Buger King and get two sausage biscuits for $2 and get 900 calories out of it. Now tell me what whole foods i can get for $2 and get the same amount of calories?

    Butter XD
    It would be about as healthy too.


    Are you really saying that in the course of an entire day you'd eat just 2 sausage biscuits?

    How about this... I just bought 2 fryer chickens for $8.00 2 bags of frozen broccoli for $5.00 dozen eggs for $1.39 3 zucchini for $1.00, an onion for $.28 and a bag of spinach for $1.88.

    Check it:
    Breakfast: .5 a zucchini ($.167), 1/8th of the onion ($.03) and a cup of spinach($.47) sautee'd pour 2 eggs over and mix it up ($.23) veggie breakfast scramble for are you ready for it? $.89(EIGHTY NINE CENTS) Take that dollar menu!

    Lunch: 1/4 of a roasted fryer chicken ($1.00) half a bag of broccoli about 2.5 cups ($1.25) Lunch for $2.25!

    Dinner: 1/4 of a roasted fryer chicken ($1.00) 1 hard boiled egg ($.12) .5 a zucchini (.167) 1 slice of onion (negligible) 2 cups of spinach ($.94) Dinner for $2.23!

    Don't be lazy. Go shopping, learn to cook. Since you probably don't eat JUST 2 sausage McMuffins a day you probably don't just spend $2 bucks on food. I just showed you how to eat well for $5.00. It's only an excuse if you want to eat fast food do it...
  • Alice230
    Alice230 Posts: 66
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    I just have to add you can fool yourself..maybe but,you won't fool anyone on this forum. Excuses won't fly. Everyone is very supportive and want you to succeed and be healthy. That's why excuses just won't work here.
  • Ruby11222
    Ruby11222 Posts: 114
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    Cook up some healthy freezer meals and bring them with you? It only takes 5 minutes to make a salad, then you can add whatever you want to it like a piece of chicken or fish and those only take a short time to cook also. If that's not possible, a can of tuna!

    These meals may not be what you really want to eat but i'd choose them over fast food! Plus they'd be cheaper all up.
  • cfreema
    cfreema Posts: 30 Member
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    "The only one who believes your excuses is you"

    http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/10/11/how-to-eat-healthy-without-breaking-the-bank/

    You are now my new hero!!!

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