It seems like a bargain. You get more food for your dollar. But you are also getting hundreds of extra calories and fat grams. Over time, these supersized meals will add pounds to your waistline and increase your chances of getting cardiovascular disease, diabetes and hypertension. Though you do get more food for your dollar, you will pay in the long run…for the health care needed to treat the results of your poor lifestyle habits.

Fast food companies promote “value meals” as a marketing ploy designed to increase their profits. You might wonder how they can afford to push so much additional food for an extra 50 cents. The answer lies in the fact that the costs of the food itself are small (on average about 20% of retail costs) compared to the labor, packaging, transportation, marketing and other costs. (Nestle, 2002).

Americans are eating out more. In 1955, they spent 19% of their food dollars dining out. Now, that has reached 41% and it is still rising. Restaurant meals usually contain more fat, more saturated fat, less fiber and more cholesterol than home-cooked meals. Additionally, a national survey found that when people eat out, 67% reported that they ate their entire entrée.

In 1957, the average fast food hamburger weighed 1 ounce and delivered 210 calories. When McDonald’s® first opened, its original burger, fries and 12 oz. coke served up 590 calories. Today a supersized Extra Value Meal (Quarter Pounder with cheese, supersized fries, and a supersized drink) delivers 1,550 calories.

The original serving of Coca-Cola® weighed 6.5 ounces. Today, a so called “normal” serving is 32 ounces while the “Big Gulp” is a whopping 64 ounces and delivers 800 calories. According to the National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity (From Wallet to Waistline: The Hidden Costs of Supersizing, 2002), here are some other “bad bargains"

7 Eleven Gulp® to Double Gulp® Coca-Cola Classic®
37 extra cents buys 450 extra calories

McDonald’s® Small to Supersize Coca-Cola Classic®
60 extra cents buys 260 extra calories

McDonald’s® Small to Large Fries
64 extra cents buys 330 extra calories

McDonald’s® Quarter Pounder® with Cheese to Medium Quarter Pounder® with Cheese Extra Value Meal
$1.41 extra buys 660 extra calories

Subway® 6 inch to 12 inch Tuna Sub
$1.53 extra buys 420 extra calories

Wendy’s® Classic Double® with Cheese to Classic Double® with Cheese Old Fashioned Combo® # 2
$1.57 extra buys 600 extra calories

Baskin Robbins® Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, Kids Scoop to Double Scoop
$1.62 extra buys 390 extra calories