I am working on refining my experiment, and trying to resolve a few details. One, I have not found a consistent measurement of the average American family’s monthly food budget. I have seen various numbers ranging from $550/month to over $750/month. Therefore, I have decided to set my budget at $600/month, which gives me $150/week for a family of four (still working on this since we are usually only a family of 2 or 3 most days). I do not plan to post my breakfast or lunch menus since they stay fairly consistent, but those meals will come out of my weekly allotted budget. Eating out has provided another area of thought…what if we are invited to dine at a friend’s house or go out to eat? I don’t plan on this happening with any frequency, but I will make note of any of those occassions when/if they arise.
In a mildly related subject, Taco Bell is testing their new ‘Drive-Thru Diet’. Apparently 70% of Americans believe that if fast food restaurants offered healthier food options in their drive-thru menus they would feel encouraged to eat healthier…Really? I mean…REALLY??? Am I missing something? How sad is it that our society has become so dependent on fast food that it NEEDS the fast food industry to influence its eating habits? Haven’t we been influenced enough by the industry? Even more mind-boggling to me is the fact that these choices are touted as ‘healthier’ choices, which does not mean they are actually ‘healthy’. Fast food has gone from the occassional treat to a several-times-a-week reality for many. We ALL need to take responsibility…Yes, we are inundated with fast food establishments – they are everywhere. However, they wouldn’t be everywhere if they were not supported. Our lives have become so chaotic and filled with stress that we look for ways to make life easier. In many cases these solutions are fine, but food nourishes our bodies, our souls…family dinners keep us connected…is this the sacrifice we are willing to pay for these time-saving short-cuts???
And that’s my rant for today…what do YOU think???