Ask the Readers: How Often Do You Eat Fast Food?
Editor's Note: Congratulations to Elena, scoutmaster, and Patrick for winning this week's contest!
Fast food is a convenience item that can save you time but cost you money. Many people opt to avoid the drive through in order to keep money in their pockets while others will hit up their local fast food joint if they are short on time in order to not have to spend time in the kitchen cooking because their mantra is "time is money!"
How often do you eat fast food? If you eat it frequently, what compells you to spend money on fast food? Do you have any tricks to save on fast food? If you try to avoid it, what keeps you from hitting up the drive through?
Tell us how often you eat fast food and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!
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I never eat fast food. Food prepared at home tastes better, is cheaper, and healthier. I pack food along if I think I will need to eat while I am out.
My family eats fast food very rarely. We brown bag it for lunch, and when out running errands or shopping we eat before we go. When we do eat fast food we stick to the dollar menu or use coupons or discounted gift cards.
About once a week.
Not for price and not for convenience, but because I (bow head in shame) like it. Just do. Sorry! :)
I don't care about coupons and I have no tricks. But I know it's not the best for you (even though a Big Mac has fewer calories than many salads). So I do it once a week at most. Or how often my friends will relent and go with my choice - which isn't all that often. :)
Based on my current spending, we eat out 3 to 4 times a month. I try to avoid it at all costs, but sometimes my significant just wants that quarter pounder or roast beef sandwich. I avoid eating fast food because it makes me feel sluggish and sick. I try to eat food at home because of three reasons, it’s healthier, it’s cost effective, and it’s satisfying.
Very rarely do I eat fast food. I can usually wait till I get home or bring something healthy with me to eat. My largest savings will be in healthcare costs down the road.
I eat fast food about 2-3 times per week, but I eat about 5 times per week. The reason I probably frequent fast food is due to the easiness and cheapness. I can get a good fast food meal for about $3 and don't have to spend any time preparing it. That time becomes more valuable especially after a long day of hard work. If I can, then I always order off the dollar menu, use coupons, or try to keep the tab at $5 maximum.
Almost never. Even though I'm working (over)full-time now, I still make meal prep a priority. Saves money, relieves stress, and keeps me well-fueled and happy.
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I often eat fast food when getting together with friends rather than dining at a restaurant which would be much more expensive and require a tip. We tend to stick to more upscale fast food places - Potbelly, Quiznos, Chipotle, etc. In total, I probably eat fast food at least once or twice a week. I make a conscious effort to avoid fast food when I am just looking for something to eat on my own as I feel that is a waste of money.
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We eat fast food about once every 2 or 3 months. It is usually when we are traveling and away from home or gone for the day. It is very rare that we eat fast food here at home because I can cook SO much better in about the same time!
We rarely hit up a fast food restaurant, mostly because the poor quality of food you get for ever-increasing prices (last time the hubs and DS8 went to Wendy's together they dropped over $20!). If we do go, it's usually for a chili and baked potato. McD's and BK? Never ever.
I try to avoid fast foods, but with my schedule... I use a lot of coupons for BOGO when we do indulge!
I almost never eat fast food because I won't spend money or calories on food that I don't enjoy very much. Also, preparing a quick meal at home is almost always faster than making a trip to a fast food restaurant. But if I do go for fast food, I never use the drive-through window because idling the car is a waste of gasoline and pollutes unnecessarily. On rare occasions, we opt for fast food if exigent circumstances have prevented us from cooking as planned or one of us doesn't feel up to preparing a meal for some reason or we are en route somewhere when hunger strikes. Our preferred "fast" food our choices are: (1) Five Guys for a hamburger "fix" because we think we get high quality for the price. (2) Papa Murphy's take-and-bake to satisfy the pizza urge because we often have a coupon. (3) Safeway supermarket for deli sandwiches for the quality (the Italian is very good with fresh mozzarella) and because the purchase contributes toward gasoline reward points and for every seven sandwiches purchased you get one free.
Maybe four times a year I will have a Big Mac and fries. It is comfort food.
For me it depends. If I'm really busy I can eat fast food everyday, but normally I try to limit myself to just a couple times a week.
I only eat fast food once or twice a year out of necessity. I try to avoid it like the plague.
Rarely. Less than once per month.
I try to avoid fast food because I know that I can make pretty similar stuff at home for next to nothing, cost-wise. However, I sometimes make the drive-thru dinner when my pre-schooler screams that she is hungry and we aren't on our way home yet! (:
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Sadly 1-2 times a week
i eat fast food maybe once or twice a month
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If you include pizza, about one or twice a month. I rarely eat the the fast-food burger type places, but my family may go 2-4 times a month, especially if they're out & will not be home for dinner.
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Never. . .I haven't eaten fast food for over 20 years. Food is expensive and I understand how fast food can be a cheaper way to eat. But I also know that it will cause health problems later which will be even more expensive than eating the right food. Besides, fast food is not tasty, it tastes yukky and all tastes the same. Eating correctly has gotten easier over the years; people need to check out all the quick meals that are available.
Generally, I eat fast food about 2 - 3 times per month. Most of the time these fast food trips are running through the drive thru on my way to work in the morning (maybe twice a month) with the occasional left my lunch at home run during lunch hour at work.
I try to avoid the drive thru primarily because of it's unhealthy proportions and preparation compared to what I can do at home. Unfortunately I'm not a morning person so the occasional choice of bad for me or no breakfast means the drive thru.
Once a day every week I eat whatever I want, a cheat day. I usually have some kind of fast food, usually from 7-11. I'm keep myself from eating fast food the other 6 days a week by: 1) by avoiding eye contact fast food places as much as possible 2) exercising to distract myself 3) cooking in bulk to making eating healthy easier 4) thinking about how much possible health problems would cost down the road.
Hardly ever, which is still more than I'd like to.
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I eat it about once per week - because I *like* some of it. I used to eat it almost every day, and my waistline wasn't happy with me. So I allow myself once a week, and sometimes I don't even use that once per week "out"
on road trips or only when the desire hits - so only a handful of times per year.
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I almost never eat fast food. About 5 ago when I weighed over 300 pounds, it was a staple of my diet. Here are 3 Ways to Save Money on Fast Food. I used to do these things on a regular basis to save money while eating fast food.
I eat fast food maybe once a week. I get it for the convenience and to have something different than what I usually can make. I try to use coupons and order off the dollar menu.
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I really only eat fast food if I'm traveling, and even then I try to avoid it by packing snacks.
I eat fast food about once a week, usually a hamburger or cheeseburger and no French fries.
Maybe once a month. More if you count taquerias as fast food. I did eat breakfast at Burgerville over the weekend. Its an amazing Pacific NW chain that uses local ingredients and meats. And the 99 cent ice.cream cone is a steal!
myself, never! but i do grab something for the kids about once a month.
I eat fast food once every 2 weeks
Since we travel ALOT..Hitting fast food places saves our sanity by doing it this way:
I save up all our fast food coupons in my zippered notebook that holds my maps, resturant.com gift certificates, lodgeing possiblities etc...
We start out with a small cooler of food & a dry box of food at the start of thr trip.
As we go down the road..we find multible deals advertised on their marque. we buy that to supplement our brought along food...8 piece chicken for $3.99 (Tuesday special) will go with our grapes or peaches etc..
Since we try to eat fairly healthy at home, i try to eat moderately healthy on the road. It's hard to beat Taco Bell's .99 Fresca bean burritos to fill up starving teanage boys!
At home i use the BOGO free coupons durring the week when Im too tired to cook or just don't have time between activies.
Even without coupons...most pizza chains have monthly specials & i can zip into a Subway shop & buy a footlong for $5. while on the go.
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Pretty much never. I grew up only eating it occasionally, and now it doesn't even occur to me.
I eat out a few times a week mostly when I am at work. It is just for convenience (time on my lunch break) and cheapness. I do tend to cook more on the weekends and that sometimes flows over into the week. I avoid all the mainstream fastfood restaurants and try to stick to healthier meals from the restaurants that I do visit.
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Twice a week on average! Usually when I'm stressed out or need a pick-me-up... Sad but true.
Rarely, if ever. I've found I've adopted the casual eatery. It's just as fast but the quality of food is way better.
I very rarely eat fast food. I don't because of two reasons. One, it's so bad for you. It's full of trans fats, chemically processed foods and who knows what else. Second, I don't think it's that cheap. It's much cheaper to make a homemade meal with fresh ingredients.
I eat fast food maybe once every 3 or 4 months I like to eat it as a special treat only instead of as a way of life :)
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I usually pack a lunch/go home, or keep a bag of raw almonds and tea at my desk. However, I have a price goal in case I feel I must eat out $2.50. So, I can go to Wendy's and get a value chicken sandwich and a small coffee for $2.10. I also found that at Burger King, I can order a .99 value salad, .99 value chicken nuggets, combine them for a chicken salad.
I try to avoid fast food as much as possible, but I have to go eat it when my wife is in the mood to eat something fast instead of cooking something. If my wife isn't happy, then nobody is happy.
I limit my fast food eating to no more than once per week as a "reward" for running errands over lunch (if I bring lunch, I won't leave work). But I try and steer clear of the really bad foods and stick with things like subs, salads, etc.
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I tend to eat fast food about once a week. It's all about convenience and taste for me--as much as I wish I could be more of a broccoli and grilled chicken always kind of person.
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I eat fast food only when I'm absolutely craving it, and it's the only food item I can't stop thinking about!
For convenience, I eat fast food about once every other week or so. Sometimes, ya just don't feel like cooking and a bowl of cereal won't cut it.
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We eat fast food about once a week, especially in the summer when we're busier and the kitchen is too hot to cook in. In the autumn and winter, we tend to eat in more or go out for more deliberate meals. Summer is for road trips and eating on the run, so we consumer fast food more.
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My family and I only eat fast food once or twice a month. In terms of convenience it is unbeatable, and sometimes saves money over going to an expensive restaurant.
We eat out about 2 times a week. I would like it to be less but running around with kids makes it harder.
About once a month. I like french fries and occasionally get a craving for a bacon cheeseburger.
Maybe once a week. I know I shouldn't. And I find to go healthier fast food means more expensive fast food. But sometimes I just run out of time and steam.
Once a quarter? Unless, do milkshakes count? Then twice a month.
I eat fast food a few times a month. I use coupons when I do, and I try to stick to healthier choices from the menu. This helps my waist and my wallet.
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I eat fast food about once a month. Usually it's when I am on the road travelling across states.
We eat once or twice a week depending on what is going on. Sometimes it's just hard to fit in time for a home-cooked meal.
I eat fast food once a week.
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Rarely eat fastfood. Perhaps 1-2 times a month and when it's an "emergency" and I haven't planned a meal and the kids are crazy!
I eat fast food only a few times per year. Besides being not healthy, I don't really like it. Plus, I'm cheap. I try to always have my fridge and pantry stocked. Even without a plan, I can usually put a meal together.
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Rarely. Too unhealthy and I don't trust the fast food people. I think they're drugging up their food to make it taste oh so extra good - and making America oh so extra fat - while their pockets get oh so extra fat.
Very seldom - I cook at home a lot (healthier & tastes better). We do when traveling, and sometimes I grab dollar/value menu snacks if I get hungry out & about.
Not to often. We have had fast food only twice in 2012.
About twice a month on the way home from church. Those services sure run late for the little hungry bellies.
Never, I'm 68 years old and I am same weight as I was as a senior in high school, 160 lbs. Fast food or junk food is not what I consider food, when I see the Mac arches the last thing I would think of is food.
It depends on the week, but usually 1-3 times. I have breakfast Sunday mornings at McDonald's before Church and Volunteering at our local no-kill animal shelter. Also, my husband and I may have it, if we are out doing errands, and need to eat on the run b/c we aren't going to be home soon.
I very rarely eat fast food. If I do, the only place I'll go to is In and Out.
Maybe 2-3 times a year when on long drives, out of town, etc. But it definitely isn't a habit!
I eat fast food 2-3 times per month. While it is cheap, it's definitely not healthy!
I eat fast food a couple times a week, but I avoid burger joints. I mostly eat fast food when I'm rushed for time or on the road.
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Never. I have celiac disease so that pretty much counts out everyone, plus I live Paleo. No nasty food for me!
We only eat fast food about once a week and when we do it is usually at the places offering healthier choices.
We used to be really bad about eating fast food, but lately we've been doing really well on just eating at home. Eating fast food isn't cheap, even when it seems like it up front!
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Once a month, maybe. And i only go for Bojangles fried chicken, it is my only diet cheat. Otherwise, we cook way better food than we can get anywhere else. We even yave people over when they suggest going out for dinner.