How to Eat Smart and Healthy at Fast Food Restaurants
Approximately young people eat at fast-food restaurants twice each week. As a result, they are probably taking in a lot of extra calories and fat. Just one super-sized fast food meal of a sandwich, fries, and soda can have extra calories, fat, and added sugar than people need in an entire day.
As an informed customer, you can make healthier choices and still enjoy the convenience of fast food restaurants.
Here are some healthier options at popular fast-food restaurants:
Eat mindfully. Pay attention to what you eat and savor each bite. Chew 
your food more thoroughly and avoid eating on the run. Being mindful also means stopping before you are full. It takes time for our bodies to register that we have eaten. Mindful eating relaxes you, so you digest better, and makes you feel more satisfied.
Avoid all of the fried foods found at fast food restaurants. Fries, chicken and fish products at fast food restaurants may be tasty but they’re also the least healthy items you can eat. Instead, stick to those items that are grilled. Burgers and grilled chicken from a fast food restaurant aren’t great for you but they’re a better option than the fried foods.
Have water with your meal. A large soda (32 ounces) has about 400 calories that you can probably do without. Ask for water (sparkling if it’s available and you miss the bubbles). If you have a sip between every bite, you’ll also slow down your eating time. Numerous studies have shown that eating slowly results in eating less which, when you’re eating at a fast food joint, is definitely a good thing.
Watch portion size – an average fast food meal can run as high as 1000 calories or more, so choose a smaller portion size, order a side salad instead of fries, and don’t supersize anything. At a typical restaurant, a single serving provides enough for two meals. Take half home or divide the portion with a dining partner. Sharing might make dessert (or something else indulgent) more of an option.
Watch your salt. Fast food restaurant food tends to be very high in sodium, a major contributor to high blood pressure. Don’t add insult to injury by adding more salt.
Make careful menu selections – pay attention to the descriptions on the menu. Read labels for a healthy heart.
Make reading food labels a habit. This will help you choose foods more wisely. Many foods have saturated fat or trans fat that can raise your cholesterol. Some may be high in sodium, which can increase blood pressure in some people. Also, watch for these key terms, and know what they mean.
- “Free” has the least amount of a nutrient.
- “Very Low” and “Low” have a little more.
- “Reduced” or “Less” always means the food has 25 percent less of that nutrient than the reference (or standard) version of the food.
Continue avoiding fast food places. “Healthy” is relative term, especially in this context. Making the choices described above is only healthy if you visit fast food restaurants sparingly, when you find yourself with no other choice. If you get too comfortable and start thinking that you can eat at fast food places more often because you’re confident in your ability to make “healthy” choices, the results won’t be healthy at all. The healthiest choice is to avoid fast food venues in the first place.
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I have worked in the restaurant industry for 5 years, and in the quick service restaurant for almost 2 years. I definately eat lots of fast food every day, not just at my job, but at the competition too. I have lost 2 pounds per week of working, and I can tell you that fast food can be healthy. For example, at Wendy’s, they use the exact same ingrediants that you can purchase at the grocery store. I know this because I have seen the shipments, and I read the ingredients listed and nutrional information on all the packages. I would suggest you substitute swiss cheese instead of american, any time you are given a choice. And choose a plain baked potato instead of fries. Get an extra peice of lettuce and use your 2 lettuce leaves to make your sandwich instead of bread. And stop eatting bacon!!!If you order a bacon sandwich, take the bacon off the sandwich and nibble on one slice between bites for the flavor….my husband taught me this trick and it really works well!
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