Hope Warshaw, a registered dietitian and author of What to Eat When You're Eating Out, has put together some tips for enjoying fast food in a healthy way.
Pizza:
- Choose a thin crust and eat just two or three slices. Combine them with a lightly dressed garden salad, which gives you lots to chew on for few calories.
- If you usually order a large, switch to a medium so you can avoid having extra slices in front of you just begging to be eaten.
- Top your pizza with more healthful toppings: onions, peppers, mushrooms, sliced tomatoes, olives, spinach, broccoli. Limit meats and extra cheese. Or add some zip without the calories by shaking on the red pepper flakes.
Healthier: 12-inch thin-crust green pepper, onion, and mushroom.
2 slices: 284 calories, 16 grams of fat.
Not-so-healthy: 12-inch deep-dish pepperoni and sausage.
2 slices: 614 calories, 34 grams of fat.
Burgers:
- Order smaller portions, like the kiddie meal. It's plenty of food for one (grown) person.
- Avoid terms like large, jumbo, bonus, or super-sized.
- Take economic advantage of meal deals but don't order one for each of you. One meal deal has plenty of fries and soda for two people. So order an extra burger, and you're all set.
- Hold the high-fat mayonnaise, "special sauce," and regular salad dressing. Go for the low-fat ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce, and light or fat-free salad dressings.
Healthier: Quarter Pounder (no cheese), medium fries (split order).
655 calories; 32 grams of fat.
Not-so-healthy: Big Mac with medium fries.
1,050 calories; 55 grams of fat.
Chicken:
- Go with roasted, baked, grilled, or broiled chicken rather than fried. Grab a whole rotisserie chicken and a couple of more healthful sides for night one. Then on night two, dice the chicken and toss it on top of a bed of greens with raw vegetables. That's two quick, easy, good-for-you meals.
- Opt for pieces of chicken rather than chicken tenders, fingers, or whatever they're called -- they're usually fried.
- One quarter of a chicken is plenty for anyone, large or small. If you're a dark-meat fan, the leg is lower in fat than the thigh. And regardless of your favorite section, pull off the skin.
Healthier: Boston Market's 1/4 chicken -- white meat, no skin or wing; butternut squash, steamed vegetables, cornbread.
550 calories, 17 grams of fat.
Not-so-healthy: KFC's 1 breast (Original Recipe), macaroni and cheese, cole slaw, biscuit.
890 calories, 46 grams of fat.
Chinese Food:
Fill up on a bowl of soup and skip the high-fat appetizers.
Steer clear of menu items that have the phrases "deep-fried," "crispy," "golden brown," or "sweet-and-sour sauce" in their descriptors. Make a special request -- ask to have the meat sauteed.
Choose entrees that contain plenty of vegetables along with the meat -- like beef and broccoli instead of chicken and cashews.
Healthier: Ginger chicken with broccoli.
One order: 620 calories, 21 grams of fat.
Not-so-healthy: Orange-peel chicken.
One order: 1,090 calories, 60 grams of fat.
Mexican Food:
- Those bet-you-can't-eat-just-one tortilla chips nearly always greet you at the table. Ask that they be returned to the kitchen but hold on to the salsa.
- A few high-fat ingredients are Mexican-food staples -- cheese, avocado, refried beans. Ask to have these left out, used in moderation, or replaced with more healthful items. For example, black beans can replace refried beans.
- Salsa, pico de gallo, and green sauce are high in flavor and low in fat. Apply liberally.
Healthier: Chipotle-glazed charbroiled chicken salad (doesn't include dressing).
600 calories, 22 grams of fat.
Not-so-healthy: Steak with corn tortillas (share to make it a much better choice).
1,020 calories, 30 grams of fat.
by Grace Jidoun
6/24/08
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