Anyone else not eat Fast Food?

[Northstar]

Not sure what qualifies as fast food.

We almost never eat an actual meal (breakfast, lunch or dinner) at a fast food place. But we do stop for snacks, usually while shopping in a mall or strip mall type place... ice cream or fries... maybe once or twice a month. Oh, and Subway sandwiches also maybe once or twice a month. And Starbucks coffee, hmm, at least once a week.

I do a full grocery shopping once a week and prepare dinner almost every night. But it's not what my mom would have called "from scratch." She used to start thinking about what to make for dinner the night before and would maybe spend 2 or 3 hours cooking. Me, I usually spend about 1/2 hour tops, whether that's in the morning stoking up the slow cooker or in the evening chopping up veggies and stir-frying them to go on some rice.

So I guess I don't do either fast food or slow food... just kind of in-between food.

 

[disneychrista]

Does Panada Express count as fast food?

 

[kirbydog48]

Once in a while Panera or Subway. Rarely McD's. I once saw a documentary on the meat industry and the "meat" that gets sold to fast food restaurants is mostly fat. It is then processed and additives are included to make it look and taste like ground beef, but it is nothing like ground beef that you'd buy at the grocery store. Totally disgusting, and really alarming that some people eat this "food" on a regular basis. I let my son get a happy meal maybe once every few months, while trying to educate him on how we really should eat. I want to give him choices and come to terms with food on his own. I really like the idea that we should be eating like our grandparents (well, my grandparents, LOL.....I'm in my 50's); minimally processed, as close to the natural forms as possible.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

can't remember the last time we went to BK and we only stop at McD's for an occasional coffee. (though I would grab a salad there if on the road or something) We used to go because DD wanted to, but then they showed the documentary in her elem. school - and she never wanted to go back!

we do take out pizza once or twice a month and subs from Wegmans about once a month. If we are in a big hurry and Dd needs something, we will sometimes get her a Taco BELL burrito.

would rather spend the money on better places. We love Panera! We do eat out about once a week at sit down restaurants.

 

[Magpie]

I mostly cook at home. However, when we eat fast food, my husband and son both have to avoid carbs and keep their blood sugar level, so we pick the healthiest choices we can.

For instance, my husband and I had lunch at McDonalds the day before yesterday. We ordered salads - he had the Southwestern Chicken salad and I ordered the Apple Walnut Chicken salad. We drank water. Our salads were very tasty with loads of fresh veggies - a little high in sodium, so I certainly wouldn't eat them every day, but table service restaurant salads aren't any better for sodium anyway.

I don't have any issue with my family eating fast food, as long as we make good choices.

 

[Tiger926]

If people watch the documentary "SuperSize Me", I can't imagine how they would ever eat fast food again - especially McDonald's. Yuck!

Tiger

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

For health and money reasons, we are cutting back. The last 10 days prior to relocation...most lunch and dinners were eaten out and I strived to limit the fast food to once per day.

In our new home--the layout of the home and the kitchen lends itself to eating at home. We arrived 19 days ago and we hit McD's on the day we arrived for fruit smoothies...Panera Bread on an errand day that week and then Chik Fil A on an errand/logistics day that took longer than expected as we ran to the Board of Education offices to drop off homeschool notifications...childfind to drop of DS's IEP and then a nice wait at DMV to get my driver's license. I am quite shocked that is all we have done, but after so many months of instability and a new larger home--I find that I don't feel tempted to run off and do the quick/easy option. And surprisingly, though we live in a bigger area,
it seems everything is within 5 to 10 minutes of home. So it is easy to swing by and get something that has less sodium and fat and calories thN a value meal.

It is nice. Especially since my kids have had far more happy meals than I care to admit in the past 10 months.

 

[Planogirl]

I eat fast food very rarely but occasionally I will stop and pick up a salad. I don't feel bad about doing that.

 

[PattnFmly]

We eat fast food occasionally, but it's usually when we're "en-route" to somewhere else and haven't had or don't have time to eat elsewhere. We don't make it a destination restaurant. We do truly enjoy what we eat there (my absolute fave is a quarter pounder with cheese!) but we just don't make it a habit. In fact, we don't really eat out at all, not even table service, because it's just too pricey to be a regular occurrence in our budget. I must admit though, sometimes I wish we did eat out more - I get awfully sick of washing dishes! My lunch dishes are still waiting for me on the table now ... must finish my iced coffee first though!

 

[Bilberry]

I eat a low carb/paleo diet, for weight and heart disease control, so I rarely dine at fast food places. I prefer cooking my own meals.

I watched a good movie not that long ago though called, FatHead. It's about the director, Tom Naughton, being able to eat select low carb fast food and with that being able to loose weight along with improving his heart disease risk factors - like cholesterol.

So when I'm on the road, I'll sometimes eat low carb at McDonalds.

Tom has an entertaining, humorous blog sight at:

http://www.fathead-movie.com/

 

[PaulaSB12]

The fast food restaurants are at least a 15 minute drive to get to. The nearest we have to fast food is the local fish and chip shop.

 

[eliza61]

If people watch the documentary "SuperSize Me", I can't imagine how they would ever eat fast food again - especially McDonald's. Yuck!

Tiger

I watched it. Is that a realistic view though? That guy ate every meal
for a couple of months at fast food joints.

Fast food, like ice cream, steak or soda is fine in moderation.

Is fast food healthy? No not at all.

Will a big mac and fries 2x a year kill me? Doubt it.

 

[Kath2003]

We don't eat it if there is an option (we will eat it on a long car trip, for example). I don't consider it good value for money. The only one we will occasionally (2-3 times a year) visit is Subway because it's less greasy. I can't remember the last time I bought a "meal" anywhere; I bought some fries at McDonalds the year before last...

 

[PixieDustandEeyore]

I lost 30lbs doing a fast food diet over 4 months as a challenge by my dietician (i was doing alot of travelling and hotel rooms so we tried a fast food diet)
I stuck to salads, chili from wendy's, chickfila (has some wonderful healthy sides) subway, fruit as a side, grilled chicken etc.

As far as the greasy calorie laden stuff I would eat it as a guilty pleasure but now it makes me sick...but a large bowl of chicfila chicken noodle soup and a large fruit salad im full , didnt intake alot of bad food and mm.

I prefer a nice sit down meal anyday

 

[overlyspoiled4sure]

I admit it; I'm a fast food MickeyD's junkie. I've been going there a lot lately but only for their dollar large sodas. Not so much their food these days to save a few bucks.

When I do eat there, though, I ask for the fries without salt. I've been doing that for a long time just so I could get "fresh" fries & not the cold ones sitting under the light. Now I'm even asking if the burger can be cooked without the seasoning too. It's amazing how much seasoning is on their burger patties. I don't ask this during peak periods however.

You'd think a chain that caters to kids would be clued in to the fact kids don't need all that darn salt & spices; maybe that's what sparks their taste buds I guess. I am speaking for the toddler to kindergarten ages here. It would be nice if the burgers in the happy meals were made without seasonings & no salt on the fries. Just my opinion & I know it's not gonna happen so I'll continue to ask for no salt.

The best fast food place around here with delicious food is Culvers.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

Sometimes there's just no time when you go to school full time and work full time, your only option is fast food. But I usually go for Subway or Starbucks (including the food). That's mainly because they're the only things open 24 hours that are on my home, if I do need these foods it's usually at 5AM or midnight.

 

[Pembo]

OP here...My definition of fast food is anyplace that you don't have a waitress so that would include Panera, Subway etc..

After starting to count calories I swore off Panera! So I guess for me we order pizza and woogie bears (pizza foldovers) maybe once or twice a month. But no other eating out except for the rare trip to Applebees.

Glad to read that I'm not alone in enjoying a homecooked meal...

Spin-off - do you buy a lot of frozen, processed food? Ie Stouffers meals, Lean cuisine etc?

We don't.

 

[kirstenb1]

I love fast food, especially Taco Bell. We live 30 miles outside Richmond, so both my wallet and waistline are smaller than they would be otherwise!

 

[superme80]

When I became a vegetarian I discovered how unaccommodating most fast food restaurants are. It is a good thing. I have saved a lot of money, and I eat better. Also I prefer just to make it at home. It's cheaper, faster, taste better, and less calories.

 

[Mimi1965]

I never eat fast food-unless we are headed to the lake with the boat , we stop and get a "Subway" which is healthy