Are Value Meals Really a Value?

Recently I was captivated by a local news broadcast.  The story was on the current tread to sue fast food restaurants because they promote obesity.  The camera flashed to a gentleman who said something I will never forget, “if you eat biggie meals eventually you’re going to get a biggie butt”.  I laughed at its simplicity. If only the rest of society would realize that the extra cents they spend on the value meal doesn’t mean value to your health.

Most people know that restaurant meals are far more than one serving. Yet, we still insist we have to eat everything on our plate. Or better yet, it’s not a value if the plate isn’t overflowing with food. And if it’s on the plate we feel obligated to eat it.  But consider this, researchers are starting to discover that a person will eat more if offered a larger portion size.  However, if they are offered a smaller portion with fewer calories they will still feel full and satisfied with the meal.  In other words, we don’t need to eat everything on the plate to feel satisfied.  

And consider this, sometimes you can eat more if you choose your foods wisely.  For instance, consider eating a salad before your dinner with a low calorie salad dressing and a variety of vegetables and lettuce.  The salad will allow you to satisfy your hunger while waiting for the main course but also help “fill you up”.  You can save calories on the main course as well.  Choose dishes that are full of vegetables, grilled or baked chicken, fish, and other low calorie items.  And you don’t have to eat it all.  Consider sharing the meal with a friend or save some for another meal.  Now there’s a value, two meals for the price of one.

However, there is a lot of fuss about restaurants, especially fast food places, serving foods high in fat and calories.  But it is the consumer who makes the decisions and the consumer has the final say with how they spend their money.  Take a good look at the menu of your favorite eatery.  Fast food chains have grilled chicken, nearly all have salads with low calorie dressing, and they all have small items on the menu. Who says you have to be a child to order the child meal, or instead of eating the signature item (like the biggest hamburger) order two small individual items instead.  If your favorite place is a chain restaurant order the lunch portion, look for the item with the most vegetables (stay away from creamed sauces), order a salad as an appetizer, share the meal with friend, or simply ask for a take out package when the meal comes and quickly put half the meal away for another day.  Eventually restaurants will get the idea that the consumer will purchase healthier choices and they will begin to offer them more readily.

When you visit your favorite restaurant watch out for these suspicion words: special, extra, house, or anything that indicates the item is unique only to that restaurant or dish.  These words could easily mean extra calories either in how they are prepared or the ingredients they contain.  The special sauce on that burger is really a high fat concoction that you can easily skip by ordering a plain burger and dressing it with ketchup, mustard, and an array of fresh vegetables.  So if you’re in doubt as to what that unique item is or how it’s prepared, ask your server for details.  If you make the right choice you might be able to get more bang for your buck and your health.

So when is a value meal really a value? It’s a value when you’re sharing it, when you save some of the meal for later, or you’re taking the leftovers home to your pet (however, you might want to consider your pets health too).  Remember to take your time choosing your next meal out.  If you plan it right you will be able to save a few cents and your health.

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