Thanks to a spate of films and TV shows about fast food — Supersize Me and Big Medicine come to mind — the perils of fast food have been spotlighted. Since we all lead busy lives, it’s often tempting to stop at the nearest fast food place instead of waiting to get home and cook. They’re fast, inexpensive, have tons of selection, and there seems to be one on every corner. However, next time you’re tempted to stop and pick up something fast, think about how much better home-cooked meals are for your family.
Fast food chains, along with other restaurant chains, make their name by providing the same food (or close to it) at all their restaurants. You know that no matter where you are or what restaurant you go to, you’ll be able to find your favorite dish. By doing this, they keep repeat customers and you get what you want to eat.
The problem with these chains is the steps they take to provide the same product at every store. They do it by mass producing food at factories that are likely very far away from where you’re eating. To keep your food fresh and make it all look and taste the same, they fill it with preservatives, coloring, and flavoring. They then freeze it, sometimes for long periods of time.
The people who make fast food have designed it to be just that — fast. It’s also designed to taste good enough to hook you and keep you coming back. Needless to say, when these chains focus on speed and taste, the customer’s health gets pushed to the side. Fast food is usually low in fiber and high in fat, calories, sugar, and salt.
While recent lawsuits have caused fast food chains to provide more healthy options, they are generally more expensive and still not very healthy. For example, while a salad may seem like a great choice, many salads at chain restaurants use cheese, bacon, high-fat dressing, croutons, and other unhealthy ingredients.
Delicious, low-fat foods like this salad dressing are easy to make at home–and they can be made quickly too.
Dressing with a Kick
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 Tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
Pepper to taste
In large mixing bowl whisk together the olive oil and vinegar. Add the honey and continue whisking until blended well. Stir in the curry powder, chili powder and pepper. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour or until chilled to your liking.
Remember that just because you make something at home doesn’t mean it’s not “fast food”. While pre-prepared boxed or bagged meals are pretty easy, many of them have the same problems as fast food restaurants. They can contain just as many preservatives, and can be just as high in fat and calories, and just as low in nutrition.
If you’re looking for something to quickly pull out of the freezer and heat up, why not cook with the kids on the weekend and freeze pre-cooked meals for later in the week? You can also put together pre-made lunches and snacks for when that fast food urge hits. If you do use pre-packed food, try to use it in moderation and always read labels (ingredients lists too, not just fat and calories) to make sure you’re making the healthiest choices.
Resources: Healthy Salad Dressings
It is true that while we know all natural foods are still tastier and healthier than the ones that are ready-to-go which we usually find at our grocery shelves, we still prefer the already-made over home-cooking for the convenience that they bring. I do find your tip of preparing meals during the weekend then heating it up again during the midweek useful. It is time-saving and healthy at the same time.
Home cooked food is still better than ready-to-go. Though it is much easier to just dial a number and order, still the effort and thoughtfulness of the person who did the cooking should also be taken for consideration. And most of all, you know that the ingredients that had been used for cooking the dish is fresh.
Fast food tends to be rediculously fattening and overloaded with sodium. Many fast food meals have more fat and sodium than is recommended for an entire day’s worth of food – often times even the salads clock in above 50 grams of fat.
for me, everything has it’s place. We eat home cooked food 7 days a week, every week. However on occasion we will visit a fast food outlet with the kids as a treat. Nothing wrong with fast food so long as it is in moderation
I always prefer home made food over fast food. Not only is it cheaper in the long run, but you also eat a much healthier diet a majority of the time. Fast food will deprive you of both money and your health.
Homemade food is always much better than fast food. It’s also generally healthier than fast food, as all the grease and fats they cook the food in is terrible. Thanks for sharing.
I like homemade food. Because it is healthy as well as tasty. You also can create some new flavor dish by youself. I enjoy the time in the kitchen!!!
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my home cooking is so much better then going to a fast food place so much cheaper too. i would rather take 1 hr making something than 3 min. to get.
If all one sees wrong with fast food is the amount of calories then you missin the forest for the trees. It is “all about WHAT you eat” and maybe your home burger and fries is alot of calories, but where did it come from, what is the product made up of, not just in terms of calories, where did the product come from? I think youre askin the wrong question if youre concerned about eating fast food
Thanks!
If only home-cooked meals didn’t take so long to make and little effort was required. Im sure I’d be healthier and have more discretionary money.-
The film Food, Inc. turned me off to fast food too. It just doesn’t taste good. I love making my own healthy and tasty food. Food tastes better with love.
I think that an easier way to get your home cooked foods faster is to have up-to-date kitchen appliances. This will improve both the speed of cooking as well as the look of your kitchen.
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Vegetables are the best source to be healthy because they are very good for health. I think people who are vegetarian, are healthy then the non vegetarian. This is fact so i suggest you to all that be vegetarian. Anyways keep it up and keep continue.
Home cooked food is still better than ready-to-go. Because it is healthy as well as tasty.A steady diet of fast food can be deadly with the high sodium and sugar contents in their food. Homemade food – you know that the ingredients that had been used for cooking the dish is fresh.
One of the most important things we can do to help keep our bodies clean inside is eating healthy meals. There too many places we can go to and find junk food, even in expensive restaurants. You never know what ingredients are being used. The best way to solve this problem is to cook you own healthy meals. Get into the habit of doing this and your health will improve rapidly.
I am very impressed with the articles on your site. I get so many ideas to help me. I will be coming back to check if you have more articles in the future.
The problem too is that the fast food is, well, tasty. I know it is tasty from all the bad stuff in it. I wish they could come up with food just as tasty and gratifying but, healthy. I read yesterday that it is the fat and starches that make us hungry when we smell and the salts that magnify that taste when we eat it. It would be nice if they put it all in one package. Maybe some day. In fact I would give up the futuristic dream of a flying car for a healthy big mac, fries, and soda.