by Charlotte Mielziner

Created on: August 01, 2010

Ask any mom. After coaxing the kids out of bed, locating backpacks, combing tangled hair, choking down cereal and coffee and hustling them off to the bus, it suddenly looks so much more convenient to skip making the grown up lunch and run to the closest drive through at noon. While this is a relief in a harried day, remember this is your health and even your wealth at stake. It is just as important as that of any one else in the family. Be kind to yourself and pack it to go. Here's why: 

Control - Refuse to be a slave to the combo meal and ads for the newest burger twist. You decide what to put in your body. Try adding variety to lunch rather than picking the same choice from the value menu every day. Exercising mindfulness in eating will have unexpected benefits.

Less Expensive - Like a cleaver chops lettuce, packing your lunch will shred your food bill. Years ago, a famous burger ad bragged about getting a hamburger, fries, coke and still have change back from your dollar. The average fast food lunch costs have risen to nearly $6.40 while sit-down bills begin at $8.50 and rise like yeast. A nutritious and tasty lunch from home can be made for around $3.50. Just packing your own can relate to a $1300.00 savings yearly or a nice vacation on a sunny beach. 

Saves Time - Whether you opt for standing in line at the burger joint, vending machines, or for a hostess to seat you, packing a lunch saves time. Going through the drive through is not only frustrating, it costs fossil fuels and gas money. According to the Consumer Energy Center, most people idle their cars a surprising 5 to 10 minutes per day. Waiting just five minutes in the drive through with your car idling five days per week amounts to nearly $300.00 per year in additional gasoline. Would you like a sharp new outfit for that vacation? 

Healthier - Even fast food menu items that sound healthy can fool you. A chicken breast may start out as a healthy idea, but by the time its stored in a freezer, fried, layered with cheese, mayonnaise and piled on a large, fluffy white bun, it can be more fat, calories, cholesterol, carbohydrates and sodium than a hamburger. Sliding a few shreds of lettuce and a thin slice of tomato doesn't render it good for you. 

Portion control - Fast food portions have grown along with American waistlines in the past forty years. Studies have shown the average combo meal will contains 1200 calories, or more than half of the daily calories the average

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