Fast Food for Mommies

20 July 2010 763 views 5 Comments

Chloe Shaw is a writer and mommy living in Branford, CT.

If I were ten years younger, single, childless, petless, and blessed with the boundless energy of such a footloose state, I would be devoting my energy to figuring out a way to provide healthy, delicious, locally acquired, drive-thru food for people like the actual version of myself: thirty-four, car-dependent, married, mother of one tiny human and four peaceable animals. I stress drive-thru because one of the most surprising aspects of my new momhood has been how hard it is to eat healthily while out and about, bouncing between errands and doctor’s appointments.

I’m not talking about the kind of Eat This Not That healthy that asks you to choose the lesser of two evils—like an Egg McMuffin instead of a bagel with cream cheese or a grilled chicken sandwich rather than a crispy one. I’m talking about honest-to-goodness goodness. Picture Whole Foods with a drive-thru—only less expensive. While I try to eat at home pre-or-post-errands as much as I can, a breast-feeding mom gets hungry! And—due to a sleeping baby or an aching back—can’t always get out of the car.

What a dream it would be to pull up to a window between music class and the supermarket and order egg whites, swiss cheese, spinach, tomato and sprouts on multi-grain. Or a Cobb salad wrap with tofu and turkey bacon. Or egg salad with dill and hot peppers on pita. I think today’s about-time focus on what we’re feeding our school children is fantastic. But what about what we’re feeding our caretakers, who will quickly tell you that it isn’t always possible to pack a lunch or make it home for meal time? I wish fast food—at least the kind that exists today—didn’t feel like the only option for the car-bound and the busy and the stressed. I don’t want to have to spend time weighing the pros and cons of which restaurant has the least caloric burger, not to mention slaughter-house dependence. I have too many other important decisions to make.

So, which one of you young entrepreneurs wants to give this a go? Placing an order could be just an app away. Anyone?

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36275 CommentsFast+Food+for+Mommies2010-07-20+20%3A00%3A47Good+Food »

Dolly Breen Phillips said:

As a mother of 2, a foodie who prefers organic food and someone who worked in high end restaurants for many years, I hear you! Even here in Los Angeles healthy drive-thru and curb-side pick up options are limited. I did learn quickly where all of the drive thru starbucks and coffee beans were located & would indulge in their healthier menu items. And I sometimes found success with mom&pop restaurants when I called & explained my dilemma (sleeping baby in car/starving mommy!) and they were happy to oblige me & bring my food to the curb. Traveling with trail mix or fruit to get me through those mobile naps also kept me away from the golden arches!

# 20 July 2010 at 11:07 PM

mom, again said:

I was living in England and doing that sort or errand using public transport or walking until my son was 2. Most ready to go sandwiches on offer there are vile, but restaurants were accesible without having to transfer a sleeping baby from vehicle to stroller as the baby was already conveniently being pushed along. It's also a bit easier to justify more calorific lunch or snack when you've walked 2 miles to town (uphill, pushing baby stroller!), and expect to walk 2 miles home again(downhill, thank goodness), in addition to the in-between errands walking.

Since moving back: Starbucks drive through can provide you with one of their high-protein snack platters . Not as yummy sounding as your sandwiches, but a bit better than the usual. If Subway had drive throughs, that would help. Their sandwiches aren't lux, but they can be healthy.

Some weeks I'm organized enough to prep ingredients for sandwiches like yours, though I usually pack it more like salads. But yeah, that's hard to get around to doing, plus to remember the need to use them.

# 20 July 2010 at 11:43 PM

laura said:

a new project in new york is aiming to do just that! check out 4food.com. maybe someday they'll expand to LA!

# 20 July 2010 at 11:56 PM

Chloe Shaw said:

ladies … thanks for your thoughts. it's so nice to know that i'm not alone in this desire/despair! and to "mom again": i agree about subway! that's what got me started down this road. i kept thinking, if only subway had a drive-thru…. i'm not as concerned with lux as conscientious/nutritious. it's so interesting to me that we all find ways to make it work (starbucks as the best alternative, trail-mix in the car), but still strikes me that there's not a more accessible/universal solution that's healthy. i'll check out 4food.com now. thank you!

# 21 July 2010 at 2:06 AM

promoprblog said:

This idea has rolled through my head on many occasions…I want to create a 711 version of Whole Foods. Just imagine if even half the fast food stops in the US were mini Whole Foods with wonderful organic salad bars, delis, etc.

# 26 July 2010 at 9:11 PM