Healthy Fast Food for Children

Keeping kids healthy is a number one priority for most parents. The best way to establish a healthy body is to implement good diet and exercise skills. For those that have busy lifestyles, many find themselves eating something on the run. This means turning to fast food to save both time and money. While most fast food is tasty and cheap, it isn't always healthy. Knowing what the calorie counts and options are behind fast food will help parents make better fast food choices for their children.

Wendy's

Wendy's has several healthy fast food options for children. Their regular kids menu offers a variety of healthy substitutes for their french fries and deep-fried foods. For drinks, they offer bottled water, NESQUIK low-fat flavored drinks or Hi-C fruit punch at 170 calories each. They offer a small serving of mandarin oranges or cut-up apples in substitution for fries. While they only offer a fried chicken sandwich at 340 calories and a four-piece nugget at 190 calories, these can be replaced with a broccoli and cheese baked potato (340 calories), small salad (35 calories) or grilled chicken wrap (250 calories).

Taco Bell

Taco Bell offers a specified kids menu. This typically consists of a fruit punch drink (170 calories), an order of cinnamon twists (170 calories) and two tacos (340 calories) or a bean burrito (350 calories). There is also the fresco menu option. All food items on this menu are less than 9g of fat. These options include the Fresco Grilled Chicken Soft Taco at 170 calories, the Fresco Soft Taco with 180 calories and the Fresco Crunchy Taco at 150 calories.

McDonald's

McDonald's is one of the most well-known fast food chains that kids recognize. They have become even more popular with parents since the introduction of healthier food options. Low-fat chocolate milk or juice at 100 calories is a healthy alternative to pop or milkshakes. Apple Dippers (70 calories) are another option that offers sliced golden apples with a low-fat caramel sauce (35 calories). Four-piece nuggets (190 calories) or a small hamburger (250 calories) are healthy choices as opposed to the larger serving sizes of a Big Mac or Quarter Pounder with cheese.

Burger King

Burger King has several healthy options on their kids menu. The BK Burger Shots are a healthier alternative to a large sandwich meal at just 220 calories. The BK Fresh Apple Fries offer apples that look and are shaped like french fries except they are just 70 calories. Adding a Hershey's 1 percent low-fat milk adds just 180 calories on the total caloric intake.

Arby's

Arby's offers a Junior Roast Beef, popcorn chicken, small fry and an applesauce as options for their kids menu. A healthy meal well below 500 calories can easily be put together with a junior roast beef sandwich for 125 calories, a small curly fry for 74 calories and a 1 percent low-fat chocolate milk for 180 calories. Water or Capri Sun fruit juice for 100 calories can also be substituted for the milk.