The Slow Food USA Blog

$5 Challenge, McMuffins, and the Cost of Food

Posted on Wed, September 21, 2011 by Slow Food USA
36 Comments | Categories: Cooking, Food Justice, Take Action,

by Anna Lappé

I hear it all the time: I can’t eat healthy; organic food is so expensive! Over the weekend, Slow Food USA brought together more than 30,000 people around the country to tackle this lament with the “$5 Challenge,” showing how we can eat well on five bucks. Sure, if you go to a Whole Foods in Manhattan you can be set back $20 bucks before you know it, and with little to show for it. But, as Team SFUSA helped reveal, there are ways to stretch your dollar and eat well.

Still, all this got me wondering: Is fast food really cheaper, no matter how you slice it?

At a McDonald’s in Greenpoint, a friend pointed out to me, Egg McMuffins were going for $2.99. Seems cheap, right? (Of course, if you know much about our modern industrial food system and its costs, you’d know that this price tag doesn’t account for how much you and I are really paying: the billions in health care costs because of preventable diet-related illnesses; the billions more in pollution clean-up costs, largely from the factory farms producing the meat, including that McMuffin bacon. You get the idea.)

But let’s stick with the actual price: $2.99. And compare that with what it would cost to make an organic, homemade Egg Mc-ish-muffin.

I priced out the ingredients from a Brooklyn supermarket (not a Whole Foods, mind you) and calculated the specific price per ingredient based on a comparable portion size. The grand total for the organic, homemade one? $2.59. Yup, that’s forty cents less than the fast food “cheap” meal.

Cheaper and, I would argue, better. Now, we could debate the nutritional merits of a breakfast of bacon and cheese on an English muffin, but I think there’s good evidence that when comparing these options, the organic one is healthier, better for the environment, not to mention animal welfare and worker welfare in terms of decreasing exposure to toxic chemicals. First, the McDonald’s sandwich includes trans fats, those “bad-for-you” fats that the company had promised to phase out of its products, but didn’t. And the bacon, unlike the organic variety, will have come from pigs raised on diets that would most likely include daily doses of sub-therapeutic antibiotics and potentially everything from rendered animal fat to plastics (they say it’s for “roughage”).

Finally, you might not realize you’re eating genetically modified foods when you’re biting into a McMuffin, but think again. Some variation of the soybean is found in every one of the ingredients that make up this McDonalds’ sandwich, except the bacon. (And since pigs in factory farms eat a lot of soy in their feed, well, you could argue it’s in there, too.) And, since virtually all soybeans raised in the United States now come from genetically modified seeds, good chance you’re eating it in here. Why all that soy?

Since soybeans are one of the cheapest crops to grow in the United States, (thanks in large part to federal subsidies), food companies commonly use soy-derived emulsifiers to help ingredients stick together, for instance, or, in the case of your muffin, to help the dough rise easier. Along with the English muffin, soy lecithin is in the cheese, eggs, even in the liquid margarine to cook the eggs.

So, if the homemade version not only helps you steer clear of GMOs and is most likely better for you, but is also demonstrably less expensive, then why does fast food always get presented as so cheap, and organic as so out-of-reach and pricey? Answering that question forces us to talk about more than just the sticker price on a McMuffin or the back-story of its ingredients. It means talking about the food system and, even more importantly, the economic context we all live in, for all of that comes into play to determine the choices we can, or can’t make, about what we eat.

Taking this broader view means asking questions about food access: Who lives near a store that carries organic food and who doesn’t? Why do certain communities have a McDonald’s on every other block and others have farmers markets? And it means asking questions about who has a kitchen they can cook in, one with toasters and stoves, pans and knives. And it means inquiring about who has time to go to the store and cook and clean. (Especially clean, I think, having just done a sink full of dishes myself).

For millions of Americans, especially those living below the poverty line, these are the questions that are just as intricately connected to the question of what we choose to eat as the price at the end of the checkout line. And, we know now, more families are living in poverty than at any time in the past 52 years, when estimates for families in poverty were first calculated in this country. In its latest data, the U.S. Census Bureau found 46.2 million Americans—one in five children—live on annual incomes below $22,113 for a family of four. For these tens of millions of Americans the fact that you can make an organic Egg Mc-ish-muffin more cheaply than buying one at McDonalds is cold comfort when the food system and the economic system—the access, the time, the wages—are rigged against you.

I’ve heard the “food movement” criticized for talking about too many “issues”—poverty and farmworker wages, environmental pollution and animal welfare, health and obesity. We’ve been accused of not being focused enough. But in light of the complex factors that impact what we feed our children, I don’t think this is a weakness; I think it’s our strength. How can you talk about food choices without talking about inequality and government policy? How can you talk about food choices without talking about stagnating wages for workers and longer average working hours? You can’t; we shouldn’t. And, thankfully, food movement organizations like Slow Food USA don’t.

The idea behind Slow Food USA’s $5 Challenge this weekend was more than just to show it’s possible to eat well on a budget. It was to get us asking if it is possible to eat well affordably, then what are all the other barriers that keep so many from being able to choose “slow food”, not fast food, and how do we lift these barriers?

Member Comments

From Angie on Wed, September 21, 2011

Good article, first of all. Secondly though, and I don’t mean to be critical, but the introduction of the poverty argument is a stretch for the point of this writing. It’s true that you can make homemade organic food for less than the non-organic counterpart you can buy in a restaurant (sometimes). However, the poverty argument doesn’t hold as true. Most people below the poverty line aren’t spending $3 on a breakfast sandwich from a fast-food restaurant. They’re buying double-cheeseburgers off the dollar menu because they can fill up on that, and the apple they could buy at the grocery store costs the same. Energy-for-energy, the health food is no match. So, while I agree with this article in the context of the one food item it’s written about, by and large, this argument doesn’t apply when it comes to lower socio-economic levels. The fast-food IS cheaper - from the perspective of their own cash flows - than anything they can buy from the grocery store - organic or not.

From TBONE on Wed, September 21, 2011

the one thing you did not consider is the costs to prepare said food. I agree with you that organic food is cheaper than many people think, especially if you consider growing ANY of it yourself, but the time it takes to prepare an “egg mcmuffin” is about 15 mins(by MY calculations)...thats time to gather, prepare, and clean up. If said person earns $16.27(the national average) then you need to add $4.07 to that meal. A far cry from the $2.99 McD’s charges. You cant compare prepared food prices to unprepared food prices without considering the time you lose preparing said meal. Of course, that number would drop dramatically if you were preparing say….1000 of them. Food for thought.

Just to note…I am an organic farmer, raising meat and veggies of multiple types, and think organic food prices are way too high in general, driven there by a limited supply and a high demand….if the situation were reversed(or subsidies ended) then the cost of organic would be very similar to the standard products.

From Erica on Wed, September 21, 2011

Great post - all these things are linked and while it’s convenient and perhaps necessary to tease them apart at a policy level it is naive to think we can address health care costs, for example, without addressing health. And it is naive to think we can address health without addressing food.

The big difference between the $2.99 McMuffin and the $2.59 homemade version that will keep people buying the formel? The time it takes to make the latter. Or, at least, the perception of that time savings and the convenience of the ready-made.

The one time I’ve broken down and gotten drive-thru in the past several years I waited for 20 minutes for my kid’s Happy Meal. In that time I could have been home and made her an actual meal, but the siren call of perceived convenience after a long, hard day won me over. Lesson learned for me, but I think 20 minutes in a car line to get a burger is just so normal to many people they don’t actually question if they are getting good value for their food or their time.

From Hollie on Wed, September 21, 2011

I love the idea that you can make an organic mcmuffin for 2.59 vs the Mcd’s one at 2.99. But we also have to think about the fact that you cannot buy one egg, and 1 english muffin, 1 piece of cheese and one piece of bacon. You can buy all the stuff u need, but when your food budget is 40 dollars a week for a family of 2, you can choose to eat McMuffins most of the week, 3 meals a day, or have some variety. I tend to go into the store with 40 dollars and buy the cheapest food i can with as much food groups I can (whole wheat, veggies, cheese, ect) It is true though, that the cheaper food will fill you more and give you more variety when buying with such little money.

From Ken on Wed, September 21, 2011

Eating healthy is a function of education and habit. I’ve seen many people who refuse to eat leftovers, even though a healthy meal can be prepared for a family quite inexpensively if you are happy to have it several nights in a row. Fresh vegetables and fruit are sold by the pound, so there is no reason that small portions can’t be purchased, and the prep time is minimal if you know a few basics. I think that may people eat poorly out of habit—it is what the’ve learned from their parents and peers. They are in denial about the health and financial costs of fast food. Soda and chips can’t be cheaper than apples and water. We are a family of 4, making a reasonably good income, and our monthly food bill is about $300. We rarely eat out, prepare almost all meals from scratch, and have minimal processed foods.

From Wendy on Wed, September 21, 2011

This is great…but I can’t use it to convince my mother. She orders an Egg McMuffin no butter, no cheese every day…for $1.10.

From Elissssabeth on Wed, September 21, 2011

You have to factor in TIME. Yes, the cost is smaller. But even though I make my own No-Knead bread every other day or so because we cannot eat soy in our house, making an English muffin would be a whole different animal. My mother does it on holidays and it’s not exactly a cakewalk. People who work long hours would have a hard time keeping up with a regular schedule of bread-baking. Or muffin-making. (Or did you buy those muffins pre-made? because if you did, odds are they had soy in them)

Yes, cooking your own egg and bacon to put on your muffin would be great and may take a shorter amount of time, but then there is the set-up and cleanup time involved to factor in as well. And I hate to say “time is money,” but in some peoples’ two-earner or single-parent households, something has got to give. The time just is not there.

From Diana Boeke on Thu, September 22, 2011

This whole article presupposes people living in urban or semi-urban communities, with what we rural folk call “off-farm” jobs. It is NOT convenient to go to McDonalds. The nearest one is 15 minutes away. I might as well wait until I get home and fix something good. Plenty of people don’t live the “on the go” lifestyle. It IS an alternative. We eat local food because it is the convenient and economic alternative. Why more people don’t move to rural areas is beyond me. Land, fresh air, great food, friendly and helpful neighbors, cheaper real estate. What’s stopping you, a lack of starbucks on way to work?

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From Elissssabeth on Thu, September 22, 2011

@Diana, people don’t move to rural areas because their jobs are not there.

From harris on Thu, September 22, 2011

I’m sorry, I don’t get it. Is this supposed to warn us off soy, shopping at Whole Foods, or not factoring in the cost of (low-wage) jobs at McDonald’s? Not your best piece. The one thing you might have done is explain how you made your alternative Egg McMuffin—did you buy one strip of bacon, did you raise your own pig, what cheese and bread did you use? Please read the new book EcoMind by…your mother.

From Jim on Fri, September 23, 2011

I am in agreement with the essence of your article but a couple of things I found different than my experience. When I was working through college I worked breakfast shift at a McDonald’s. So.. yes this was many years ago and things may have changed, but truth is critical.

1) we used whole eggs ( I had to crack them )
2) we used real butter to fry the eggs

I am by no means defending McDonald’s nutrition and recognize this recipe could have changed since I was there.

From D on Sat, September 24, 2011

A lot of great comments here. I am also of the belief that fast food has become a habit for many Americans. I grew up poor and the golden arches were a once-a-month treat. As a young adult, I ate fast food for years - at least once a day, having been “deprived” as a child. It wasn’t until many years later, when I had a step-son to feed, who also wanted Egg McMuffins everyday, that I made my own for him. He so enjoyed them better. Now as a grown man, he never walks into that restaurant, knowing how unhealthy the food really is. Thanks for the article!

From Przepisy kulinarne on Sat, September 24, 2011

The “$5 Challenge” is a very interesting idea. I intend to test it myself. There is always place for one more culinary experiment in my life. Thanks for the useful article.

From Pizza Reno on Mon, September 26, 2011

I think it’s great that we can make a “Mcmuffin” sandwich of our own for a few cents less, but let’s face it…it will never be fast enough.

I don’t know if people will ever be convinced that making something yourself that is healthier and cheaper is the right idea…simply because it takes up so much time.

People want everything now it seems, and even if it means eating extremely unhealthy, I don’t see most people changing.

Good piece though.

From Lily on Tue, September 27, 2011

In my opinion,It is not convenient to go to mcdonalds. The nearest one is 15 minutes away. I might as well wait until I get home and fix something good. Plenty of people don’t live the “on the go” lifestyle. My site:discount Burberry shoulder bags

From Jake Ross on Tue, September 27, 2011

> The big difference between the $2.99 McMuffin and the $2.59 homemade version that will keep people buying the formel? The time it takes to make the latter. Or, at least, the perception of that time savings and the convenience of the ready-made.

This is definitely one thing we should consider.

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From Nancy on Wed, September 28, 2011

This comment thread demonstrates the gigantic hole in the Slow Foods movement - your obstinant refusal to acknowledge the time factor. You can’t be bothered to take the time to weed out the spam being posted on this comment thread. So imagine how precious the time is to a single mom who would rather save the 30 minutes it would take to cook and clean up after the egg McMuffin (and that’s assuming she doesn’t have to bake her own muffins) and spend the extra 40 cents for the McDonald’s version.

Really you people from wealthy privileged backgrounds just adore scolding the lower orders for their stupidity and sloth, don’t you? Makes you feel even more virtuous and superior, doesn’t it?

From Ann on Wed, September 28, 2011

There seems to be a lot of comment on “time” - if something is important to someone they are going to make the time. Gee - the kids could help mom clean up too. I’m not Mrs. Cleaver and I have job - but when we fix dinner there are 3 of us in the kitchen doing the prep and clean up. If you want to do it bad enough you make time.

Another thing - there seems to be a down turn in cooking skills in this country. If you can’t fry the egg you aren’t going to make the McMuffin. Until that detail is addressed this country will never get away from convenience food.

From Nancy on Wed, September 28, 2011

Exactly my point - maybe if you have a whole list of things to do, like laundry, cleaning, helping kids with the homework - or maybe even - SHOCKING - spending a few moments out of your day on yourself - maybe hand-crafting an Egg McMuffin and cleaning up after in order to save 40 cents will NOT be on the top of your list.

And of course your comment reveals the underlying contempt for those who are not on board the slow-foods movement - THOSE people are just too goddam stupid to know how to fry an egg! So all we have to do is teach them to fry an egg, and all our problems will be solved!

What a contemptible, simplistic and worthless response.

This whole cult is far more about upper-class self-congratulation than it is about solving real-world problems.

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From Amanda on Thu, September 29, 2011

Anna wrote: Taking this broader view means asking questions about food access: ...it means inquiring about who has time to go to the store and cook and clean.”

Did you all miss that part? She clearly addresses the time issue.

From Amy Jeanroy on Fri, September 30, 2011

30 minutes to cook one egg mcmuffin type breakfast? C’mon…it takes far less than that - including clean up. I am no master chef, but I make these quite a bit at our place. Cook all the bacon one time and bag it up to pull from the rest of the time. You cook all the eggs at once, same time for 1 egg, as it takes to make 6. Mere minutes. Toast the english muffins-4 at a time, so for me, I toast two batches.
While the muffins and eggs cook, pull out the precooked bacon slices and the cheese from fridge.
As the english muffins pop up, place cheese on one and bacon on the other to use the heat of the muffins to warm each.
Eggs are done. Slide one onto each muffin and top with other half of muffin. Voila’!
Seriously, whining about cost of time for cooking is like saying that it is just-too-hard, to do life tasks.. If you don’t have enough time to give 10 minutes to making breakfast, you might want to get up 10 minutes earlier.
Geez…there is always an excuse for not doing something yourself. I am certainly not rich or well off even. We struggle really hard to feed our family and you know what? I manage! I work AND feed my family meals. It is possible.
Oh, and the pan is a simple wash..there was nothing in there but eggs and whatever butter/oil you used to cook them in. Use a napkin for a handheld breakfast-no plate.

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