Eating occastionally at a fast food restaurant can fit into a healthy diet plan. The key is to choose wisely. Here are a few tips you can follow when the only lunch or dinner option is a fast food choice.
- Small portion sizes - always choice the smallest size, never up size. If there are hamburgers available, always go for only a single patty and steer clear of the two or three patty high burgers. Choose the small drink and if you have to have fries, purchase the small.
- Choose grilled items - grilling is a far healthier option than fried or baked. Be careful as words such as 'crispy' or 'breaded' and just other words for fried and are also high in fat and kilojoules. Choose grilled or roasted varieties of fast foods such as roast beef, chicken breast or lean ham.
- Watch your beverages - don't forget that beverages are kilojoules too! Soft drinks are at least 10 per cent sugar and contain about 440kJ per 250ml - imagine how many kilojoules are in the mega soft drinks you can buy. Instead of drinking soft drinks, choose mineral water, water, diet soft drinks or unsweetened iced tea. Also give the shakes and other ice-cream drinks a miss, as they're high in kilojoules and saturated fat.
- Healthier sides - choose healthy side dishes. Instead of fries, choose mash potato, corn on a cob or a side salad. Or you could add a fruit salad, a low fat small muffin, piece of fruit or yoghurt.
- Make changes - make alterations such as having the dressing on the side, choosing water instead or soft drink, ask for no cheese or order a low-fat dressing. Making a few alterations to the menu can help reduce the kilojoules, saturated fat and the sodium content.
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