High Cost of the Dollar Menu

These are tough economic times for many of us and we are trying to save a dollar everywhere we can. I was at Micky D’s with my son and I told him to order off the dollar menu -- never mind that he orders 4 items off the menu! Am I really saving money? As I look around, I see entire families ordering for their children on the dollar menu. My thoughts are:

How much is it really costing us to save money?
In the long run are we going to pay for it with our health?

Most of the items on the dollar menu are not the highest quality of foods offered. I have never seen the Caesar salad with grilled chicken on the dollar menu. In fact, the high quality foods are always at a premium price. If I want to substitute fruit for my fries at any fast food restaurant, it will cost me extra. What’s up with this? How are we going to get healthy in tough times? Lower value meals are just that – lower in value. Have you thought about what it might be costing you? These dollar menus are loaded with fat, sodium and sugar. We know these foods lead to obesity, heart disease and diabetes, but later on, not right now. These diseases seem far off when looking at our raging appetites and our propensity for instant gratification for as little money as possible. Right now I need something to eat and I only have two bucks. Right now I need to feed my kids fast and only have five bucks. What is the answer? Already at 35 percent (according to the Centers for Disease Control), obesity rates in the United States are likely to climb even higher. Are we even going to outlive this current recession? Something to think about.

Vicki Heath

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Healthier options at the fast food drive thru:

Burger King~~BK Veggie~~low fat~~Only .90 more than the Whopper Jr.
Taco Bell~~Bean Burrito without cheese~~low fat~~Only 99 cents.

You can also grab some tortillas, a can of pinto beans, rice and salsa at the grocery story and make your own burrito, pack it to go for less than $1.50/per serving. Throw some fresh tomatoes or other veggies in and really go for the nutritional bang for your buck.

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