In these troubled economic times, there is one corporation you won’t find declaring bankruptcy or lining up for a bailout in Washington DC: McDonald’s. The Golden Arches have seen a steady stream of customers pass beneath them of late, with same store sales up 8.2 percent in October. The increased business at the fast food restaurant isn’t hard to figure out. The low cost of McDonald’s offerings, particularly its popular “Dollar Menu” have wide appeal amongst consumers during the current recession.

The flock of consumers to Mickey D’s as times get tough highlights the eternal question when it comes to healthy living; “How do you eat well without breaking the bank?” Hanging around Whole Foods one might think that eating natural and organic on a budget is simply a lost cause while browsing through the pricey abundance.

But there are ways to keep your diet healthy on a budget. One is to eat more vegetarian meals. Meat generally costs more money than produce. Mixing some veggie meals into your routine for the week will cut down on your fat and cholesterol intake while saving dollars at the market. Another idea to save on healthy living is to take what we’ll call the Alice Waters approach - that is, Buy Local, Buy Seasonal, Buy from the Source. Hitting a good, reasonably priced farmers market can do wonders toward stretching your budget out toward healthy organic food.

You can takepart in finding a farmers market and other healthy food purveyors in your area by checking out Local Harvest.

LINKS:

AP: McDonald’s same-store sales rise 8.2%

MarketWatch: More strong growth for McDonad’s in October

Chicago Tribune: New Items, $1 Menu, Game Boost McDonald’s Sales