Short List: Make a 'value' meal from a few dollars

Welcome to The Short List. Each week we'll pick a topic and share our favorite – or, in some cases, maybe our least favorite – things about the Bay area.

This week we're in between paychecks and looking for ways to eat on a dollar. Fast food "value" menus are the way to go when you're scrounging through sofa cushions to wrangle up enough for a meal.  Skip the soda and get a free cup of water if your sofa situation is particularly dire.

McDonald's – Offers a few healthy choices in addition to the indulgences that built their business. The 7-ounce fruit and yogurt parfait is only 160 calories and has fresh berries and crunchy granola. The sausage burrito features all the food groups in one handy, portable tortilla. The 12-ounce small coffee also is only a buck, which is a heck of a lot better than most coffee specialty shops.

Wendy's – Doesn't have quite as many choices as some of the others because they don't offer breakfast items. But their sandwiches are a satisfying size and a few include vegetable toppings such as onion, lettuce and tomato. The baked potato (99 cents) is a healthy change from fries as a side and the 7-ounce small Frosty (99 cents) is a nice-size treat without being a total diet deal breaker.

Burger King – Has the most variety for cheap breakfast offerings ($1 each). French toast sticks and little cinnamon buns are a couple of favorites and the sausage muffin with egg and cheese is a meal in itself. The bite-size hash browns are a must-have side item.

Sam's Club – Everything comes in jumbo size, including the café offerings. And the entire board reads like a dollar menu. Among the best deals are a slice of pizza and a soda for $2.64, which includes tax or a hot dog and soda for $1.82. A 32-ounce Icee easily serves two kids and is only $1.20 and churros, ice cream and hot pretzels all ring up at $1.06 each.

Taco Bell – Gets props for having several choices for vegetarians, all for $1. The crispy potato soft taco is dressed with pepper jack sauce. The bean burrito and cheese roll-up aren't enough to make a meal out of, but make great side items. Dessert choices include a caramel apple empanada and crunchy cinnamon twists. Run For The Border purists should definitely get the crunchy beef taco, though.