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[beetiger]

I never really was much of a fast food type. I've eaten it regularly because it's convenient and I'm lazy sometimes, but I've never craved it. Unhealthy food, yes: bubble tea and pork dumplings and hot sugar-and-cinnamon cookies and especially pie, but not really burgers and fries. Not only that, I went to see Super Size Me not too long ago, and I read through Fast Food Nation every once in a while. Hell, I used to work for the big food companies, albeit in beverages; I know the stuff is hideous and addictive. Not the best lactating fare, truly.

But I'm finding myself eating a lot of fast food these days. Why? It's the harried mommy diet. You see, in Westchester, you pretty much have to drive everywhere, so the baby is in the car a lot. He falls asleep there, but doesn't really transfer out of the car to the house very well. So, when I'm on my way home for lunch after a morning appoitment, I have two basic choices. I can go home, fail to keep the baby asleep, and try to eat while tending an unhappy underslept baby, or I can go to a place that will give me food that I can acquire and eat without getting out of the car, while my baby sleeps peacefully. So, I eat the things you can get at drive-through windows.

If someone would open a place that would serve me healthy food in my car in my neighborhood, I'd be there all of the time.

Yeah, I could pack myself a lunch the night before, and bring it with me, I guess. But somehow, being hungry and having a sleeping baby in the car seems to take me by surprise every time.

Comments

[thesqueak.livejournal.com]

Some McDonalds' serve 'Apple Dippers' - apple slices with carmel dipping sauce. If the one near you does, you can usually substitute that for fries. Healthier that way, and you get a little something sweet.

[beetiger.livejournal.com]

Huh. I'll check that out.

[queenofstripes.livejournal.com]

Basically, the reason I smirk when some conservative starts in on the "people are responsible for their own decisions, nobody's cramming the stuff down their throats" line of reasoning. True in itself, yes, but the people who sell the stuff do set the opportunity costs, and that can only be expected to change people's behavior -- especially in a society like ours, where both money and time are very limited resources. I don't even have a kid to worry about, and I have a hell of a time finding healthy and cheap food in Downtown Crossing. As often as not I settle for a bagel and cream cheese next door, since it's the only protein to be had for <$3 for a several block radius. I should get in the habit of bringing my lunches, too, but when I'm at home I'm either too tired to do much more than sit and decompress, or I want to put every bit of energy into something more important than mere self-maintenance...

[dasnarrenschiff.livejournal.com]

Central Manchester is similar. Only burgers/kebabs/chicken joints are within my eating out price range. I miss the falafel place in Oxford... salad, pita, falafel, humus, potatoes for about two quid. There was also a great bagel and soup place in Sheffield. I suppose there's the curry mile, but that's not so good for a quick bite, and after living above an excellent indian restaurant in 2002 I've been kind of spoiled. Packed lunches might be the way forward, but it's finding time to prepare them.

I get cravings for goulash at times, too.

[velvetpage.livejournal.com]

Been there, done that, this time last year. Do you have a Wendy's near you? They have good salads, and you can ask for fat-free dressing. And some of the Taco Bell stuff is pretty waistline-friendly, though I understand the quality can vary widely between restaurants. Ours are pretty good. Do you have anything the nurser won't let you eat? (e.g. onions, caffeine) or is that not an issue?

For lunch-packing: my recent breakthrough involves a package of wraps, some stuff to put in them with dressing already on it, and a fruit cup or two. Assembly is faster than a sandwich, the whole thing is generally healthier, and pretty soon, the baby will want to share the applesauce.

And if you do nothing else, get a few bottles of water as you walk out the door, then skip the fries and pop.