Goal for the month: absolutely no fast food

Posted by FrugalPinoy on Feb 23, 2008 in Food, Saving | 2 comments

I hate to admit it, but I fall into the fast food trap every so often. Especially when fast foods come out with their coupons. (Hello McMoney!) The temptation is always there – they have 24 hour delivery services, my school is next to a mall, my friends always entice me with the phrase “Kain tayo!“ And I just really, really love to eat.

I have to stop eating at fast foods. Mc Donald’s, Jollibee, Pao Tsin, Chowking, etc. Anything. If I’m to eat anything while I’m at school, it has to be something I brought with me.

Why am I doing this?

It’s healthier. Oftentimes, fast food has extenders, preservatives, and probably a lot of stuff you don’t want to know about. Have you seen Supersize Me? Plus, the food I make at home is often just veggies and fish, and I’m sure it’s freshly made.

It’s cleaner. I try my best to be a clean cook. See, I had amoebiasis last year, and it was the worst experience ever. It’s much easier for me to get a relapse, so I try to avoid questionable foods. (I miss isaw!)

It’s cheaper. A cheeseburger roughly costs P35.00. If I make the same thing myself, I assume it’d cost roughly P20.00. Plus, it’s customizable! I can put whatever I want on it. Someday I’ll make my own cheeseburger at home, do the math, and show you folks the difference.

My cooking tastes better. At least I think so. I have to be honest that the taste of fast food has its own charms, but most of the time I prefer my own cooking. Especially when it comes to spaghetti.

This is the 3rd time I’ve tried this goal. I hope I’m more successful with this attempt. I’s probably save at least P800.00/month (based on previous months) if I stay away from fast food. Deadline: March 30, 2008. I’ll let you know my progress.

It’s going to be much harder – fast food has such a big hold on me. When I was a kid, my parents always took me to Jollibee or Tropical Hut. When I was in high school, my friends and I often had fast food delivered to the dorms. I have such a big history with it that it’s hard to let go.

Do you eat fast food? If so, do you think you can give it up?