Fast food restaurants suffer from a reputation for selling high fat, high calorie foods. But many fast food restaurants now include healthier choices on their menus, including salads, fresh fruits, baked potatoes, and soup. You can also get smaller, rather than super-sized, portions. If you choose carefully, you can eat fast food and stay within the parameters of a healthy diet.
Burger Restaurants
It's easy to find a burger joint, but somewhat challenging to find healthy choices at one. If you crave a burger, choose one with a single meat patty and skip the cheese and mayonnaise. A grilled chicken sandwich or a veggie burger make healthier choices. Instead of eating fries with your meal, try a salad or a baked potato instead. If ordering a combo meal, resist the urge to super-size it.
Chinese Food and Pizza
Other types of fast food restaurants provide healthy options. At an Asian restaurant, ask for brown rice instead of white. Steamed dumplings contain less fat than fried dumplings. Skip the soy choice or ask for one low in sodium. If you order pizza, opt for a thin crust and top it with grilled chicken instead of high-fat meats. Add as many vegetables as you want, but ask for less cheese. Pizza can also provide nutritional balance because you can cover several food groups in a single meal.
Sub Shops
A submarine sandwich can prove both filling and nutritious. Choose meats lower in saturated fat, such as chicken or roast beef rather than bacon or salami. Opt for whole wheat bread instead of white bread. Skip the mayonnaise and special sauces and ask for mustard or low fat dressing instead. If you like cheese on your sub, ask for Swiss or mozzarella. Cheddar contains more fat, but you keep total fat under control by asking for fewer slices.
Educate Yourself
You can eat at fast-food restaurants without harming your diet. You can plan healthy meals ahead of time by looking up the calorie, carbohydrate, fat and protein content of a restaurant's food items on its website. You could also glean valuable information from nutrition websites such as the United States Department of Agriculture. Some fast-food chains make nutritional pamphlets available inside their restaurants and at their drive-through windows. The information may help you keep portion sizes small and steer you away from soda, milkshakes, fries and onion rings.
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