Is fast food really cheaper?
Posted on July 10, 2010 5:37 PM by Dr. Jo in Nutrition | 0 Comments
You may be amazed and delighted to finally have the true analysis that you can eat healthfully for a lot less money than it takes to buy fast food.
These three nutrition class students went shopping and priced all of this food at the markets or fast food restaurants in May of 2010. Take note that they carefully shopped for healthy food at discount markets, including the Dollar stores. They and I were surprised to find some really good prices on really good food including wild salmon.
They calculated the price of the meals for one day for a family of 4 people.
Take a careful look at what they found. I’ll bet you will be very surprised!
Healthy Breakfast:
|
A Healthy Start to the Day Including a Midmorning Snack |
Cost (Priced 5/19/10 at Cypress Ave. Location in Redding, Ca.) |
| (4) Servings – Oatmeal, butter, cinnamon, toast, and poached eggs. |
$ 1.24 |
| (4) Servings – banana |
Included |
| Sub Total |
$ 1.24 |
| Tax – No Sales Tax on Groceries in California |
$ 0 |
| Total |
$ 1.24 |
MacDonald’s Breakfast:
|
A Typical Breakfast at McDonald’s For a Family of Four |
Cost (Priced 5/19/10 at Cypress Ave. Location in Redding, Ca.) |
| One Big Breakfast |
$ 3.49 |
| One Hotcakes and Sausage |
$ 3.29 |
| One Sausage McMuffin |
$ 1.00 |
| One Cinnamon Melt |
$ 1.00 |
| Two Coffees |
$ 2.00 |
| Two Apple Juices |
$ 2.00 |
| Sub Total |
$12. 78 |
| Tax 9.0% – Restaurant and Fast-food Tax |
$ 1.15 |
| Total |
$13.93 |
Del Taco’s Breakfast
|
A Typical Breakfast at Del Taco For a Family of Four |
Cost (Priced 5/19/10 in Redding, Ca.) |
| Four Breakfast Burritos – $2.99 each | $ 11.96 |
| Four Small Orange Juice – $1.49 each | $ 5.96 |
| Sub Total | $ 17.92 |
| Tax 9.0% – Restaurant and Fast-food Tax | $ 1.61 |
| Total | $19.53 |
Breakfast Comparison
Healthy Breakfast – $1.24
McDonald’s Breakfast – $13.94
Del Taco’s Breakfast – $19.53
Wow! That’s an amazing difference in price! Now what’s for lunch?
Healthy Lunch:
|
A Healthy Lunch Including an Afternoon Snack |
Cost (Priced 5/19/10 at Winco Foods in Redding, Ca.) |
| (4) Servings – Rice, beans, fish, and fresh asparagus. | $ 2.28 |
| (4) Servings – apple (afternoon snack) | Included |
| Sub total | $ 2.28 |
| Tax – No Sales Tax on Groceries in California | 0 |
| Total | $ 2.28 |
MacDonald’s Lunch:
|
A Typical Lunch at McDonald’s For a Family of Four |
Cost (Priced 5/19/10 at the Cypress Ave. Location in Redding, Ca.) |
| Four McDouble Cheeseburgers |
$ 4.00 |
| Four Small Fries |
$ 5.16 |
| Four Small Sodas or Tea |
$ 4.00 |
| Sub total |
$13.16 |
| Tax 9.0% – Restaurant and Fast-food Tax |
$ 1.18 |
| Total |
$14.34 |
Del Taco Lunch:
|
A Typical Lunch at Del Taco For a Family of Four |
Cost (Priced 5/19/10 in Redding, Ca.) |
| Eight Tacos – $ .59 |
$ 4.56 |
| Four Small Fries – $ 1.59 |
$ 6.36 |
| Four Small Sodas – $1.59 |
$ 6.36 |
| Sub total |
$17.28 |
| Tax 9.0% – Restaurant and Fast-food Tax |
$ 1.56 |
| Total |
$18.84 |
Lunch Comparison
Healthy Lunch – $ 2.28
McDonald’s Lunch – $14.34
Del Taco’s Lunch – $18.84
Healthy Dinner:
|
A Healthy Dinner Including Dessert |
Cost (Priced 5/19/10 in Redding, Ca.) |
| (4) Servings –Ingredients – Pasta, cauliflower, green beans, red bell pepper, and white chicken in creamy parmesan cheese sauce. Bread and butter. |
$3.08 |
| (4) Servings Dessert: Strawberries with Cool Whip on Angel Food Cake. |
Included |
| Sub total |
$ 3.08 |
| Tax – No Tax on Groceries in California |
$ 0 |
| Total |
$ 3.08 |
MacDonald’s Dinner:
|
A Typical Dinner at McDonald’s For a Family of Four |
Cost (Priced 5/19/10 in Redding, Ca.) |
| Two Grilled Style Chicken Sandwiches |
$ 6.38 |
| One McChicken Sandwich |
$ 1.00 |
| One 3pc. Chicken Select |
$ 3.59 |
| Four Small Side Salads with Dressing |
$ 4.00 |
| Four Strawberry Sundaes |
$ 4.00 |
| Water |
$ 0 |
| Sub total |
$18.97 |
| Tax 9.0% – Restaurant and Fast-food Tax |
$ 1.71 |
| Total |
$20.68 |
Del Taco Dinner:
|
A Typical Dinner at DEL-TACO For a Family of Four |
Cost (Priced 5/19/10 in Redding, Ca.) |
| (4)-Double Del Cheese Burgers |
$11.56 |
| (4)- Classic Taco’s |
$ 3.96 |
| (4)- Small French Fries |
$ 6.36 |
| (4)- Small Soda’s |
$ 6.36 |
| (1)- Caramel Cheesecake Bites |
$3.89 |
| Sub total |
$32.13 |
| Tax 9.0% – Restaurant and Fast-food Tax |
$ 2.89 |
| Total |
$35.02 |
Dinner Comparison
Healthy Dinner – $ 3.08
McDonald’s Dinner – $ 20.68
Del Taco’s Dinner – $35.02
Groceries Purchased for this family
Grocery List:
- (1) 1.lb bag of rolled oats – Approx Servings (12) – cost $.53
- (1) 1and 1 half .lb banana’s – Approx Servings (10) – cost $.73
- (1) 1.lb bag of Pinto beans – Approx Servings (13) – cost $.83
- (1) 1.lb bag of brown rice – Approx Servings (12) – cost $.99
- (1) 1.lb Alaskan Pollock fillets – Approx Servings (9) – cost $2.48
- (1) 1.lb bag of Cameo apples – (14) count – cost $1.99
- (1) 1.lb real butter (4) cubes – cost $.99
- (1) 2.5 oz cinnamon – cost $.99
- (1) Loaf bread OROWEAT protein health bread – Approx Servings (16) -$1.79
- (1) Bunch of fresh asparagus Approx Servings (4) – cost $1.88
- (1) Family size complete skillet meal Approx Servings (4) – cost $1.00
- (1) 1.lb container fresh strawberries Approx Servings (4) – cost $.99
- (1) Container of whipped topping Approx Servings (6) – cost $.99 *
- (1) Pack of angle food cakes (6) – cost $.99
- (1) Dozen Jumbo eggs – Serving (12) – cost $1.11
*(I don’t recommend eating Cool Whip. Dr. Jo)
Total Amount for Purchase: $17.11
122 servings minus 24 = 98 Servings of left over’s
Family can eat for 3 ½ days on left over’s J
What Did the Family of Four Receive for the $49.15
They Spent at McDonald’s ?
- Mostly Empty Calories Being Stored in the Body as Fat – 9330 calories
- 126.5 Grams of Saturated Fat
- Possible Trans-Fats and GMO’s
- Very Little Nutritional Value in the Food
- A Guarantee for Health Trouble Increasing Medical Cost and Lowering Quality of Life
- An Opportunity to Pay More in Taxes! – $ 4.04 ($1474.60 a year)
And those conclusions came from the students themselves! Now you can see why I am so proud of them.
What I had never thought of:
That eating at home could be that inexpensive
That eating at fast food restaurants could be so expensive
How can anyone afford to eat out frequently?
How much more you pay in sales tax with eating out
Now you have the ammunition to show others who think that cannot eat healthy due to the expense that they really cannot afford to eat unhealthy fast food.
This article probably preaches to the choir because you most likely already choose to eat as healthfully as you can. However, I thought this research was pretty amazing and that you would enjoy it.
Blessings,
Dr. Jo
About Dr. Jo
Dr. Jo delights in sharing the message of health. She believes disease is optional if you know how to take care of yourself. And she’s a great coach to help you reverse or prevent disease.
So she writes this blog to keep you up to date with information that may undermine your health if you are not aware of it. She also provides tips on healthy living, how to reverse degenerative diseases, delicious recipes, and ways to enjoyably change your habits to healthy ones.
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