Fast food: It’s convenient, quick and relatively cheap. It is also packed with  questionable ingredients and less-than-optimumal nutrition labels.

Then there is fast real food: This is food that you make yourself that is slightly less fast, possible a bit more work – not to mention packaged without a free toy — but that is guaranteed to be jam-packed full of goodness and healthy nutrients.

Of course, when it comes to fast food not all of it is equal. Chipotle boasts the use of local produce and ethically raised meats, for example. My problem is when you order at a fast food joint where you can’t be sure that your chicken nuggets are even made of chicken. It’s even more of a problem when kids start to prefer fast food to homemade meals.

Here are some fast food statistics, according to CBSNews:

• Since the natural flavors in the ingredients of typical fast foods are destroyed by intense processing, most “flavors” in the fast food you eat are manufactured at a chemical plant in New Jersey
• One quarter of Americans eat fast food every day
• American children get roughly ¼ of their total vegetable intake from potato chips and French fries
• An average American teenage boy drinks roughly 10% of his daily calories from pop
• Obesity in American children has doubled just since the late 1970s
• McDonald’s is the number one purchaser of beef, pork and potatoes in the nation and the second biggest purchaser of chicken
• Americans will spend over 100 billion on fast food this year. That’s more than they’ll spend on movies, newspapers, videos, music and books combined

Those numbers scare me a little bit. I understand the need for convenience. And, I understand the appeal of needed something quickly. I myself have certainly found myself driving around with kids screaming for food and made the decision to calm the chais with nice little packaged cheeseburgers.

But, I also understand that a little extra prep and research on my part can provide my family with healthy options that are as affordable and convenient as fast food (though you might have to factor a little prep time into that equation.)

Fast Real Food On the Go

So, let’s talk basics for on the go. In terms of convenience, there are plenty of options that are as quick, or maybe even quicker. When you’re really in a pinch, you can easily pull into your local market and grab some good-for-you pre-prepped foods, like pre-cut fruits and veggies or string cheese. A less expensive option is to have stashes of fresh fruits and veggies, whole grain crackers and slices of cheese in a cooler, ready to whip out at a moment’s notice. Even a peanut butter & jelly sandwich cut into slices and slipped into baggies can become a happy meal in a pinch. Throw in some apple slices and a yogurt, and you’re covered!

Need a pick-up-dinner in minutes flat? Swing into a grocery store and grab rotisserie chickens. Hit up the salad bar and the soup bar and grab a nice loaf of whole grain bread to pair with it. A few milk cartons or juice cups, and you and your kids are set.

Make It Ahead of Time

If you need the speed of fast food but don’t necessarily have to eat it on the go, then I suggest making some quick easy dishes on the weekend. If you can whip out two casseroles on a Sunday night or grill some meats and vegetables that can be quickly reheated and paired with some instant brown rice, you’ll be ahead of the game come Monday morning.

Freeze pre-cut and washed veggies and freeze for a quick stir fry. Freeze made-ahead-of-time whole wheat pizza dough that you’ve pre-baked so that all you have to do is throw on some toppings and zap in the oven for instant pizza that’s much, much better for you than the chain pizza shop down the street.

Dinners for less than a Combo Meal

If you haven’t checked out 5dollardinners.com yet, I highly suggest you make a stop there. For less than a burger, fries and a Coke, you can make an entire, well-balanced meal for your family.

Healthy Alternatives to Fast Food Cravings

If you’re craving fast food, you’re probably craving the fat and the salt. Eat a lemon-pepper sprinkled avocado. Try some Pop-Chips, brown rice puff crackers or other all-natural chips. Even some air popped popcorn with just a dash of white cheddar can do the trick. Get your fat from healthy sources like avocado, yogurt, cheese and nuts. Fill yourself up on the stuff that’s good for you and you’ll easily be able to avoid the pull of that Golden Arches.

Take-Aways

Remember, fast food may be cheap, and it may be quick, and it can serve a purpose in a desperate moment, but it shouldn’t be your go-to option. Not only is fast food not necessarily the healthiest option, it has most likely been designed with specific ratios of ingredients to leave you craving it again and again.

Fast real food may take slightly longer to prepare, but with proper planning it can be just as convenient as a trip through the drive-through.

Freelance writer Tara Alley writes about living healthily and sustainably. Right now she’s working alongside Air & Water helping them promote eco-friendly portable air conditioners.

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