How Much Is that $1.00 Menu Item REALLY Costing You?

If you are like me, you rush around trying to get from here to there and sometimes don't think about what you are going to eat until you so hungry you feel like you could eat a horse! What to do, what to do? As you drive past the third set of "Golden Arches" (Mcdonalds) you think to yourself, " I'll just go thru the drive thru and get something real quick off the "Dollar Menu".

Wow the choices just keep going and going! There are so many delicious items to choose from, and the best part... They are only $1.00! So how do you decide? Do you think, "Well since it is only $1.00 it shouldn't have many calories?". No... Wrong Answer! Did you know that some of the most unhealthy items are being made available to you and your children for only a buck?

Just the Large Sweet Tea that you can get for $1.00 is 280 calories of what? Sugar! The number one ingredient after the water is not tea, it is sugar. I guess that is why it tastes so good. I guess that's why the first thing we say when we go to any restaurant is " I'll have a sweet tea ". And let's be honest here. How many of us would just stop at one glass? Not me. Once I have tasted that sweet, cold and refreshing tea, I just got to have more!

Now back to my $1.00 Menu items findings. Upon searching on www.myfitnesspal.com I found many of the Mcdonalds items listed. I found a Double Cheeseburger "Value" meal for only 820 calories! Are you kidding me? I can think of a lot more satisfying things to eat for 820 calories. But lets continue.....a cheeseburger double is 440 calories ( and this does not include your seet tea or fries). If you say "I got to have my double hamburger, why not order it without the cheese? That is only 330 calories and if you ate it "topless" (minus the top of the bun, you could shave off another 55 calories. Then your calories for this one item alone would be 275.

But you say "I always eat healthy at Mcdonalds, I only order the chicken.". Well do you know what your getting? The Crispy Chicken Sandwich on the Dollar Menu is 360 calories. But if you cut the mayo you would be at 310, cut out half the bun and you would be at 255. Not to bad but I have a better idea, that may just be more filling.

You could order the McChicken sandwich plain without the bun for 160 calories and add a side salad from the dollar menu for 20 calories and the light dressing for about 40 calories. That would give you a little fried chicken "taste" for low calories and the salad will help to fill you up. So this option would be the healthiest way to order off the Dollar Menu.

Please don't think that I am just bashing McDonalds. All fast food Dollar Menu items are high in calories, and many of the regular menu items are as well. At Wendys Hamburgers, if you order the Spicy Chicken Sandwich you are using 460 calories if you eat it the way it is served. And the medium fried are 420 calories.

So the lesson here is just because it only cost a $1.00 doesn't make it good for you. But also just because it only cost a $1.00 doesn't mean you can't make a healthier food choice either. If you are unsure about how many calories are in the food you are ordering, just ask for a nutritional guide. Most restaurants have them and are happy to provide one to you. And remember not all value menus are created equal!