The Frugal Fast Food
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Here are some tips I have gathered through the years as a geek on the move, stuck with living a fast food lifestyle on the run.
1. When dining at the location, get the small drink. Unless you’re getting something not available as a free refill, there’s no reason to buy the mega jumbo sized drink. Save that dollar twenty-five and buy the small drink. Yes, it can cause you to visit the fountain more than once, but it saves you sometimes the amount of your main course just allowing this small inconvenience.
2. Don’t get the combo unless you really need it. The fast food industry has created combo choices to increase their profit through the idea of up selling. Fries, for example, are a nice thing to have, but if you’re on a budget they might end up costing you more than their actual value when ordered with the combo meal. Drinks are available just about everywhere and can often cost you a lot more at a fast food restaurant. Try to think about whether or not the extra three or four dollars they are tacking onto your burger are worth the soda and fries they include. I’ve even seen some cases where buying the items individually is cheaper than buying them in a combo.
3. Daily specials are offered at many fast food establishments. Often they hide the announcement and don’t mention it unless you ask, so ask what the special going on is. You might be surprised.
4. Research what you’re eating. One of the biggest motivations to save money on a fast food run is by taking a trip to a website that has their nutrition information posted. You might find that by cutting out certain extras, you’re not only saving money, but saving finances as well.
5. Pack your lunch. Five minutes of work in the morning will save you gas, time, and heartache later on. It’s hard for geeks on the move to remember to do things like pack a lunch, though when you’re at the grocery store, pick up some frozen meals for those times when speed matters. The time it takes to go to a fast food place during your lunch hour could be spent doing what I’m doing right now, blogging on Lockergnome.
Have a good lunch,
Matt Ryan
Tags: the frugal geek, matt ryan, fast food, meal, saving, budget
One Comment
Scott Salberg
December 13th, 2007
at 6:08pm
I dunno…. with obesity having reached epidemic proportions, I wouldn’t opt for fast food. I know that it APPEARS to be easier, but in the end I’ve gotta say that by the time one ends up in a fast-food establishment, one is more likely to opt for that Big Mac and large fries. Sluggishness ensues. Belts become tighter. New wardrobes must be bought to accommodate the new apple- or pear- shaped body.
Here’s how I dealt with some extra poundage, and started immediately feeling more energetic and healthier (while effortlessly dropping 15 pounds without added exercise):
Quit the red meat. Opt instead for skin-free chicken breast, turkey, or fish. Think that’s boring? And you want to consider yourself to be a techie or geek? USE GOOGLE. Ask it for recipes. Google is your friend.
Other proteins: Soy (in the form of burgers, soy nuts, etc.), beans and legumes. These provide good amounts of protein and relatively little fat. I’ve found some great portobello-soy burgers that I love. (Skip the bun.)
Make a big batch of vegetarian chili. Dried lentils are nutritious, inexpensive, versatile, and easy and quick to cook — again, make a big batch, and freeze some for later.
Switch from regular or 2% milk to 1% or, even better, skim (NON-fat) milk. NON-fat yogurt — buy a big container of plain, and add your own fresh fruits, some generic Equal, and a drop of vanilla extract.
(Both of those were “step work” for me. From whole milk to 2%, then to 1%, then to skim. From full-fat ice cream to frozen yogurt to non-fat frozen yogurt, to fresh yogurt.)
(While I’m not a big fan of skim, it’s OK on cereal. They now have fat-free half-and-half — give that a try.)
Fresh vegetables and fruits. Baby carrots, a bag of fresh green beans, seedless grapes, fruits of the season (apples and pears are best in the early fall). Don’t be afraid of your supermarket’s produce department!
Whole grains: beware, some manufacturers use the term “whole wheat”, which does NOT mean that they’re using the whole GRAIN of the wheat. Look for foods with LOW fat content and HIGH fiber content.
Popcorn (check the fat content), protein bars, Slim Fast shakes… an occasional handful of nuts can do wonders (but nuts tend to be fatty).
Sugar-free sodas as an alternative to the sugary variety. Try some sugar-free iced teas, including iced green teas.
Have some of this stuff sitting on your desk and nibble. Some grapes, a few whole-grain crackers, a crispy apple, a protein bar… DON’T WAIT UNTIL YOU’RE FEELING REALLY HUNGRY BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO EAT.
I started eating this way, and, since the food is low-fat and generally high in fiber, and low in calories, really I can eat as much as I want. I never had to count calories — the reduction of dietary fat was enough to effect weight loss. The key is to use one’s creativity in preparing food (it doesn’t take as long as you might think) and to be adventurous in selections.
If you have a bowl of ice cream, or a Zagnut, you have not “fallen off your diet”. You have simply had a bowl of ice cream, or a Zagnut. No biggie.
I also have always used vitamins, and lately have added CoQ10 and omega-3s to the mix.
At age 46, my last physical, which this year included a cardiac stress test, showed me to be in perfect physical health.
Check with a doctor or dietician before starting any diet.