McDonald’s is flying high. In just three years, sales are up by 33 percent. Its stock price has skyrocketed 170 percent. How did they do it? For one thing, their famous “Dollar Menu” gives you the option of buying a double cheeseburger along with fries and a shake – for just a dollar each.
But in terms of nutrition, are you really getting a bargain? In today’s Health Alert, we’ll look at the real cost of good health and how to make your own “dollar meals.”
Making Fast Food look Fun
A few years ago, McDonald’s introduced salads and fruit to fight the criticism of their famous food. Food that is high in carbs, bad fat, salt and sugar. Books and movies like “Fast Food Nation” and “Super Size Me,” didn’t help much either.
But their surge in profits isn’t coming from salad lovers. It’s coming from people who love fast food at bargain prices. They’re responding to commercials that make this food look fun, exciting and social. And at one dollar a pop…
The average McDonald’s store sells 50 to 60 salads a day. Compare that to the 300 to 400 double cheeseburgers from the Dollar Menu. What may seem fun and exciting is actually contributing to high rates of obesity and diabetes nationwide.
Connie Schneider, a nutritionist for Fresno County in California put it this way: “If you’re looking at the Dollar Menu in terms of how much food you get it really appears as a good bargain. But if you’re looking at it as how many nutrients are you getting for a dollar, it’s the least economical.”
Make Your Own Dollar Meals
Okay, so you got two double cheeseburgers, fries and a shake for 4 dollars. But if your heart looses its ability to pump blood through your body, did you really get a bargain?
With a slight change to your routine, you can get a bargain for lunch and get all the nutrients your body needs for good health. By setting aside a few minutes to prepare your meals, you’ll get the best of both worlds.
Instead of a double cheeseburger, how about some tuna salad and cottage cheese over a bed of romaine – with a side of red grapes? Even if you get creative with your tuna salad and add stuff like onion, carrots or black olives, you’ll get a nutritious lunch for pennies on the dollar.
And if you make a larger quantity, using several large cans of tuna, you’ll get enough to make 4 or 5 meals. Total cost for the entire lunch? About a dollar.
Just because you make your own lunch, doesn’t mean you have to eat alone. Plan your lunches with friends or co-workers and choose a meeting place that’s pleasant and exciting.
You’ll have more fun than going to McDonald’s. What’s more, you’ll be healthier, happier and will live longer…
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD