Who Needs a Value Meal?

While the Fast Food Machine would like you to think the best way to have a cheap breakfast is to buy a combo with a morning egg/meat/cheese biscuit and a side of deep fried potato bits, I'd like to throw out a healthier and yummier alternative.

We love smoked salmon/lox.  While it's not cheap, you can buy it on sale and then freeze it.  A breakfast prepared at home consisting of a lightly toasted bagel half, a schmear of cream cheese, a couple of slices of lox, lettuce, tomato, and onion is on par with the cost of an average breakfast meal -- $3.99.

Make up a pot of coffee in the percolator and then store it in jars (if you don't have a percolator, find one at a thrift or garage sale!).  You can microwave a cup each morning.  This meal really does cost just about as much as a morning value meal -- but it tastes much better and is better for you too.

While it's tempting to pass up little luxuries like lox, consider that it's not that expensive of a splurge if you were planning to eat a fast food breakfast meal.  Chopping the tomato and onion ahead of time and keeping shredded lettuce on hand makes it a quick meal too.