Can our lives get any busier? It seems we’re always on the move, running form one place to another for our own work, our husband’s, or with our kids. This type of schedule makes it really tempting to stop at the first fast food place on the way, instead of waiting to get home and cook something.

Why not? Fast food is fast, cheap, offers a good variety and they are convenient. Usually you’ll find at least one on every corner. This may seem like a great answer, but the next time you’re tempted to stop and pick up something fast or through a window, think for a moment about how much better home cooked meals are for your family.

Like most restaurant chains, fast food restaurants build up their name by providing the same foods, or similar) at all their establishments. That way, no matter where you are: at home or in a town far away, you’ll find your favorite dish. This is how they keep their repeat customers coming back.

The concern with these fast food chains is the method they use to provide that same product at every store. This is done by mass producing food at factories that are usually very far from where you’re actually going to eat. In order to keep the food appetizing, appearing fresh and tasty, it’s filled with plenty of preservatives, coloring and flavoring. Then, the food is frozen until it is shipped or purchased: Sometimes for very long periods of time.

Fast food manufacturers designed it to be just that - fast. But it’s also designed to taste in such a way to hook your appetite and keep you coming back for more. Chains focus on taste and speed; pushing the customer’s health completely aside, because it lacks fiber, is high in fat, calories, sugar, salt, and fat.

Although there have been a rash of lawsuits which have supposedly caused such fast food chains to provide more healthy options on their menu, these items are usually more expensive and still, they really aren’t very healthy.

One example is a salad. This always seems like a good choice, but keep in mind most chain restaurants use cheese, bacon, high fat dressing, croutons and other unhealthy ingredients.

But before you drag out the frying pan to begin your own home cooked meal, remember that just because you cook it at home doesn’t mean it isn’t “fast food,” Prepared, boxed or prepackaged meals are usually fairly easy to prepare, and as a result, many have the same problems the fast food chains do - high in fat and calories; low in nutrition.

One idea, if you really want to have something you can quickly pull from the freezer and heat up, is to cook meals for the coming week and freeze them for later in the week. At the same time, especially if you involved the kids, you can put together lunches and snacks for those times when you get the fast food urge. If you absolutely must use prepackaged foods, use it in moderation and always read labels and ingredients lists, not just fat and calories, to be sure you really are making healthy choices.