What a Value Meal Actually Costs You

true cost of a value meal

There are only so many hours in the day. Likewise, there are only so many calories you can (or should) eat in that 24-hour window to give your body the energy it needs.  Too many calories and you will gain weight, too few calories and you could be malnourished.

Choosing Your Calories

The problem is that eating just any old calories won’t do. Foods high in fat or sugar can cause health problems if you eat too much of them. These foods affect your metabolism and set you up for weight gain.

For the same amount of calories, you could get a fast food value meal or prepare a healthier meal yourself. Fast food meals tend to have a lot of salt in them. That salt can draw water into your cells and can leave you feeling bloated. The food also has a lot of simple carbs that will trigger an insulin surge that is more likely to convert your calories to fat. Don’t forget about the sugar crash later or the fact that there is usually less fiber to help you feel full. Not only that, much of this food is processed so that many of the natural nutrients are lost.

A healthy meal, though, could be prepared more thoughtfully. You could incorporate foods rich in fiber, like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. It’s up to you to decide how much salt is added and how big the portions are. Your choices could allow you to feel full longer and keep you from eating too much later on.

Finding Real Value in Your Meals

The problem is that we live in a go-go-go society. Too many Americans glorify in busyness. In all that busyness, how many people take the time to cook anymore? Processed foods and convenient packaging have become mainstays. Signs for value meals are everywhere. But at what cost?

The cost of too many calories. Processed foods tend to be chock full of them. One meal at McDonald’s could equal a day’s worth of calories from healthier sources. How can we convince America to choose health over convenience?

Healthy food does not have to cost more than processed or fast food. It is all about the choices you make. A meal for four from McDonald’s could cost twice as much as a homemade chicken dinner or three times as much as a vegetarian dinner. Using cost as an issue for not eating healthier is just an excuse.

The true cost of a value meal is not in dollars and cents; it is in minutes and seconds. Our time has become such a precious commodity. Our health should be more so. It is time to get back to basics and to prepare more of our own meals. A real value meal is not one you get at a drive-through window but one that gives your body the balanced nutrition it deserves.

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