Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

Born, raised and still living in California. In'N'Out (traditional double-double with onions, fries well-done) is definitely acceptable roadtrip food. And, a few times a year we'll bring it home, usually after a yardwork marathon that runs past dinnertime (too late and too tired to cook, way too grubby to get out of the car in public).

Once in a while we'll grab Breakfast Jacks from Jack In The Box on a road trip. Or, if it's getting late and we haven't reached our planned stopping point, we'll hit Sonic if we see one along the route.

The man of the house claims to really like KFC (probably because I've never mastered fried chicken, and have basically given up on it). But, in the seven or so years I've known him, I've yet to see him actually stop there.

In general, we just don't like fast food. A "counter-service" place or diner is almost always the preferred alternative.

Oh. And, it's not fast food, but what about Cracker Barrel?

I used to love seeing Waffle Houses for the first time on trips from NY to FL. Now that I live in FL, they're a big "so what" ... LOL. If I had to pick a fast food place, it would be Checkers. OMG...The only french fries on the planet I can eat without ketchup!!

My long drives from Thunder Bay, Ontario, to Mississauga, Ontario (about 17 hours) were punctuated by Tim Horton's. The coffee keeps you going, and the snacks range from the very bad for you (i.e. TimBits-donut holes to the Timmie's virgins) to the relatively good for you (i.e. yogurt and berries, whole grain bagels), depending on your mood.

Sonic! Cherry limeades and tator tots and cheese sticks...
And if I am lucky to be in the Piedmont Triad (NC), Cookout. Cookout shakes are the best! Also burgers that are soooo good.

I also had some grilled fruit, peaches & plums that were charred to deliciousness!

Pretzels!

a properly blackened steak with a nice crust on the outside and rare on the inside is one of my small pleasures. i serve it with eggs fried over easy and toasted garlic french bread. blackened catfish are very good also but you have very little room for error.

I live in PA. We have lots of corporate farming. It's big business is PA. There are a few local, organic meat farmers. They sell their stuff in Lancaster or the Food Coop in Delaware and when given the choice as I did 2 weeks ago I chose the "buy local" option in order to support the local farm community. You may be correct thought, I may be a virus. When I see meat that looks good in Wegman's or Costco, I will buy it. I take it home and serve it with very little thought. This is a personal choice I have made. Whether it is personal, selfsh, or any other thing (Apathetic, selfish, overpriveledged) it is what it is.
I live in a farming community. I see more of where my food comes from than most people ever do. Again I will eat what I want to. No one is going to rid the planet of corporate farming anytime soon. It holds up the entire economy of many states. Farming as an issue is much bigger than meat.
That is a topic I would love to tackle, but not on SE.
I must go be lazy and selfish and prepare my meat ladden Labor Day Cookout menu. Enjoy!

Part of the problem with McDonalds and all fast food restaurants really, is that the meat source is so unidentifiable! Your one hamburger could have meat from like 18 different cows and you just don't know!

Hillary
Chew on That

I love food. But as lauren said above- learn to love running :) I am an exercise fanatic and count horseriding, cycling and marathon running as hobbies. This is how I stay 45kg (yea, i'm tiny) and still get to indulge in glorious food ^^

LiveToEat, I can definitely sympathize! My coworkers are constantly bringing in snacks to share, because we look at food all day!

I wouldn't consider myself too much of an overindulger but if I have a craving for something, I'll spoil myself and let my body have what it wants (if available somehow and not terribly expensive.) Not sure how to unspoil myself, so if anyone has any advice about that, let me know...

The orange or lemon zest tip sounds great if it works!

Hillary
Chew on That

RE: ebraun

Aww ((Supportive hugs))...

Strange how food and grief go hand in hand...I mean that goes wayyyy back... I guess it's a way to comfort ourselves in our own hour of need. My grandma made GREAT fried green tomatoes and to this day I wish I'd gotten her recipe. :(

When I'm really down I opt for the quickest food fix I can find...I don't crave sweets though (even when I'm pretty sad) so I'd probably opt for some pasta with just butter, ground pepper and parmesan cheese with a bit of kosher salt and crumbled dry basil. Then, the next day I have a pasta hangover and regret the whole thing...yeah, cuz I ate the whole darned pot. ARGH! ;)