Making Healthier Choices at Fast Food Restaurants

My family recently returned home from a week-long trip. Later this year, we’ll be traveling once again as we attend a family reunion on the other side of the country. One thing I love and hate about traveling is that we eat out a lot. I love this because I get a break from preparing and cleaning up meals; I hate it because the meals we consume when eating out tend to be a lot less healthy than those I prepare at home.

Because of price and convenience, we often grab fast food when we’re on the road. Thankfully, it is possible to make healthier choices when eating at fast food restaurants. Here are some general ways to do this, as well as some recommendations for making healthy selections at specific types of fast food restaurants.

Making healthier choices when eating fast food

• Choose restaurants with lots of options. Many fast food restaurants now offer various types of entrees, including sandwiches, soups, and salads. Some also offer side options other than French fries, including fruit, salads, and baked potatoes. Choosing restaurants that serve diverse items means we’ll be able to choose from among several healthier options.
• Order water to drink. Most of us could use more water in our diets, but we don’t need more sugar and calories. A typical cup of soda (20 oz.) contains 230 calories and a whopping 64 grams of sugar! Unfortunately, we don’t save ourselves many calories or much sugar by choosing lemonade or sweet tea. It’s best to stick with water or regular tea.
• Don’t supersize combo meals. Though supersizing a combo meal usually costs just a few cents, it typically adds hundreds of calories and significant amounts of fat and sodium to a meal. Most of us don’t need these extra calories, so we should stick to the smallest size of combo meal available. Also, it’s important for us to keep in mind that we don’t have to “clean our plates.” We should stop eating when we’re full, even if there is a little food left on our trays.
• Plan ahead. It’s often difficult to make healthy choices on the fly. We may not be able to differentiate between healthy and less healthy options when we’re looking at menus that doesn’t show nutrition facts. This is especially challenging when we’re being tempted by the fantastic smell of fried food! We can glance at the menus and associated nutrition facts for the restaurants we frequent before we head out so we enter the restaurants with an idea of what we want to order.

Healthier options by restaurant type

Burger restaurants

Healthier options

• Single-patty hamburgers or veggie burgers that are grilled, baked, roasted, or broiled
• Grilled chicken sandwiches or strips
• Whole-grain buns or sandwiches wrapped in lettuce
• Extra lettuce, tomatoes, and onions on sandwiches
• Mustard
• Garden salads
• Plain baked potatoes
• Yogurt parfaits

Things to avoid

• Bacon
• Extra cheese
• Mayo and special sauces
• French fries
• Onion rings
• Breaded or fried meat and fish, including chicken nuggets and strips
• Heavy salad dressings
• Milkshakes

Chicken restaurants

Healthier options

• Skinless chicken (on sandwiches or as strips/nuggets) that is grilled, baked, roasted, or broiled
• Whole-grain buns or sandwiches wrapped in lettuce
• Extra lettuce, tomatoes, and onions on sandwiches
• Garden salads
• Plain baked potatoes
• Yogurt parfaits or fruit cups

Things to avoid

• Fried chicken on sandwiches or as strips/nuggets
• Bacon
• Mayo and special sauces
• Extra gravy and dipping sauces
• French fries
• Onion rings
• Heavy salad dressings
• Milkshakes

Mexican restaurants

Healthier options

• Grilled lean meats, fish, and shrimp
• Veggie burritos
• Soft tacos
• Black beans

Things to avoid

• Fried meats, fish, and shrimp
• Crispy shells or wraps
• Refried beans
• Extra sour cream
• Extra cheese
• Chips

Sub sandwich restaurants

Healthier options

• Small sandwiches with lean meats
• Whole-grain breads
• Extra vegetables on sandwiches
• Mustard
• Garden salads

Things to avoid

• Fatty meats, including meatballs and bacon
• Tuna and chicken salad
• White breads, croissants, and biscuits
• Extra cheese
• Mayo
• Potato chips

Chinese restaurants

Healthier options

• Grilled, steamed, or stir-fried lean meats, fish, shrimp, and veggies
• Steamed brown rice
• Edamame
• Cucumber salad
• Hot and sour or wonton soup
• Tea
• Low-sodium soy sauce

Things to avoid

• Fried or crispy meats, fish, shrimp, and veggies
• Tempura
• Fried rice
• Peanut, sweet and sour, and regular soy sauce

Of course, it takes more than this knowledge to make healthier choices—we have to be self-disciplined and apply it! This is the challenging part for me. Thankfully, as I’ve been trying to make healthier choices at fast food restaurants, I’ve realized that an increasing number of fast food joints offer healthy options and many of these options are quite tasty! For example, I’ve had a number of grilled chicken sandwiches that are so flavorful that I don’t miss their fried counterparts.

For additional information on making healthy choices at fast food restaurants, visit my sources:

• Healthy and Unhealthy Choices at Fast Food Restaurants
• Making Healthy Choices at Fast Food Restaurants
• The Healthiest Order at Every Major Fast-Food Chain

Do you try to make healthier choices at fast food restaurants? If so, what sort of items do you usually order?

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