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Fast food offerings can be unhealthy, expensive or predictably boring. I have a few fast food hacks of my own that I utilize when I’m traveling, so I got curious as to what other people might be doing to change their fast food experience. It turns out that there is a lot you can do to make fast food healthier, less expensive and definitely less boring. Here are some of my own fast food hacks and some new ones I found online.
1. DIY Crispy Chicken Salad for Less
Side salads at fast food restaurants are cheap. I see them for as little as 99 cents. Start with one or two of the side salads, order chicken nuggets off the dollar menu, tear up the nuggets and put them on your side salad. You’ll have a crispy chicken salad at a bargain. You can also use the patty from the McDonalds $1 chicken sandwich to do the same.
2. A Big Mac For the Price of a Double Cheeseburger
If you like Big Macs and want a near-duplication for much less money, order a double cheeseburger plain and ask for Big Mac sauce and lettuce to be added. (Found on Reddit)
3. DIY Root Beer Float
Running through the airport making you hot and thirsty? Order root beer and a soft serve ice cream cone and combine the two for a quick root beer float.
4. Cheesy Eggs
Those friends who travel with me know this is my favorite breakfast in an airport. I order a side of scrambled eggs and ask them to add cheese. This is not only a cheap breakfast, it is a good protein-rich way to start the day.
5. Decadent DIY “Crepes”
Also from Reddit, is this brilliant suggestion for turning McDonald’s pancakes into a real breakfast treat. Purchase an order of pancakes and then from the dollar menu, order a yogurt parfait. Scoop the yogurt into a folded pancake and add the fruit and granola on top. The pancakes come three to an order, so buy a couple more yogurt parfaits and you can feed three people!
6. Cheesy Fries
If the fast food joint has fries and they have cheese, you can always order cheesy fries. At Arby’s, just ask for an order of curly fries with liquid cheese on top. At KFC you can order fries with cheese and gravy for a truly Poutine-style delicacy. Not so healthy but oh-so-delicious and certainly not boring. (Found on Reddit)
7. Jelly Biscuits
I got this one courtesy of Jabes on Reddit. Just order regular biscuits that they normally use to construct breakfast sandwiches and add butter and jelly. Simple, but it sounds yummy.
8. The Healthy “Julio Bowl” Salad
Everyone at our local Taco Bell knows this one, as we order it often. It consists of three chicken soft tacos without the tortillas, fresco style with extra lettuce and comes served in a bowl. The result is a healthy grilled chicken salad. The airport Taco Bell probably won’t be familiar with this special salad, but do ask. You can always assemble it yourself for a much lighter version of a taco-style salad.
9. The Subway Omelet
Here’s a hack I use often. I order a six-inch omelet sub and ask them not to cut the omelet, as some locations do. I then ask them to toast the bread before they put on the egg and cheese. They will then toast the sandwich again as normal with the omelet and cheese. I order ingredients such as spinach, cheese, tomato, onion, green pepper, salt/pepper, oregano, etc. When I get to the spot where I’ll be eating the sandwich, I remove the bread and have a perfect omelet and toast for a fraction of the cost of ordering one in a restaurant.
10. The Veggie Sandwich
If you want a tasty veggie sandwich, here’s a tip for ordering one at Tim Horton’s (I personally haven’t seen a Tim Horton’s at an airport, but I suppose this would work at any fast food establishment that has the ingredients). Tim Horton’s has flavored cream cheese, which makes for a tastier sandwich, but regular would work. Order an English muffin, bagel, flat bread or sub bread and ask for cream cheese on it. Add lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and any other veggies they might offer. You can have it grilled as well. (Via Reddit)
There are so many ways to get creative with fast food menus and make your dish healthier, cheaper, or more delicious. Hack the Menu offers a list of secret menus for all your favorite fast food restaurants that may serve as inspiration to create your own personal fast food hack. For more fast food hacks, you can also access this conversation on Reddit.
Do you have a personal fast food hack you’d like to share?
[Image via Getty]
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