I'm a college student, so it almost goes without saying that I end up in a drive-thru now and then. It's cheap (I'm broke), it's open late (I like to have a good time!), and it's quick (sometimes I've only got a couple minutes to spare) - all pluses in my book. Aside from economic and temporal concerns, however, I think there's a lot of benefit for the weight-conscious to gain from the occasional visit to their favorite fast foot eatery.
First off, I'm a big fan of the a la carte menu. Plenty of restaurants have them, but they usually constitute the basis of the menu at fast food places. I almost never get combos, preferring to pick and choose the most enticing (and healthy) menu items - I get exactly what I want, nothing more, nothing less.
As you may have noticed, the quality of the average fast food menu has improved dramatically over the last several years. In their text, Persuasion, Social Influence, and Compliance Gaining, Robert Gass and John Seiter attribute this to all the bad press these establishments have gotten. Makes sense to me - I have trouble believing that these most companies really have our health in mind when creating their menus. Whatever the reason for the change, though, we can now reap the benefits - from Taco Bell's Fresco Menu to the Healthy Indulgences (including their tasty Sinless Sans Fat flavors) you can now find at Coldstone Creamery, it's certainly easier now than ever before to be kind to your waistline with fast food. Plus, most chains post their nutitional info on the web, so you can do your homework beforehand - knowledge is power!
As far as I'm concerned, the best things about grabbing fast food are the portions - I love to make meals out of a bunch of random menu items. I'm a big fan of the value menu at El Pollo Loco (reviewed by Cheap Eats here), and two of those little Honey BBQ KFC Snackers make a satisfying (and healthy) lunch on-the-go. Plus it's so cheap!
I think it's time folks think about letting fast food back into their lives - like everything else, in moderation, it can be a part of your successful weight loss. Plus the time- and money-saving benefits speak for themselves.
So next time you stop by Taco Bell to order a Bean Burrito Fresco Style, tell them Ben sent you - they know me over there.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
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