Make Fast Food Friendlier!
August 3rd, 2010
Feeding your children nutritious meals between all your daily activities can be a challenge. While you zoom back and forth between soccer practice, the dance recital, the PTA meeting and picking up the dry cleaning, you’re lucky to find time to grab a meal at the drive-thru. If you must eat on the go, here are some tips to make fast food healthier for you and your family members:
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Pass on the “value-size.” When you supersize, the size of your fries isn’t the only thing that gets bigger.
- Skip the sides. Eating a burger or sandwich by itself is often filling enough. If you do want a side, consider ordering a fruit cup or side salad. Most fast food restaurants now offer them.
- Avoid double meat and bacon. A serving size of meat is 2-3 ounces — about the size of a deck of cards. You’re probably getting well over that with a single meat patty. Bacon is high in calories and fat with little nutrient content.
- Try the grilled chicken sandwich. Poultry without skin is significantly leaner than the meats most fast-food companies use in their burgers.
- Eat your sandwich open-faced. By eating only half the bun, you can eliminate unnecessary calories.
- Ask for a wheat bun. Some places offer a wheat alternative, some don’t. It never hurts to ask.
- Skip the mayo and other sauses. These dressings and sauces add unncessary calories.
- Drink water, diet soda or low-fat milk. Sodas are loaded with sugars, which have calories you don’t need
All information provided by the American Heart Association at http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/HealthierKids/HowtoMakeaHealthyHome/Make-Fast-Food-Friendlier_UCM_303806_Article.jsp
