The all-too-familiar story: no time to cook, the kids are late for soccer practice, and McDonald’s is on the way. Since it won’t take more than a few minutes to walk, we’ll stop for fast food. Or all-too-familiar story #2: Lunchtime at work and I need to pick up my dry cleaner, fill a prescription, and get in the car for gas and find time to eat. Sure enough Taco Bell is on the way and they have a tour too. These real-life situations play out for all of us, millions of us, every day. Since time has become one of our most precious assets, the sacrifice we make is often in our diet.
And yet, it doesn’t have to be that way. If you follow a few healthy practices, you can still go to your favorite fast food chain and, 30 years from now, live to tell about it. The key is knowing what to select from the menu and balancing that meal with the rest of your food intake for the day.
Choose your menu items carefully
Choose a main dish that is low in fat. For example, when faced with the choice of a bacon cheeseburger or a regular burger, the regular burger always wins. In the battle between the regular burger or the grilled chicken breast sandwich, the chicken wins hands down. Why? Here is an example:
Wendy’s Ultimate Chicken Grill Sandwich has 360 calories, 7 grams of fat, and 0 trans fat. Compare that to Wendy’s Big Bacon Classic, which has 580 calories, 29 grams of fat, and 1.5 grams of trans fat. Throw in any option with a medium fry and you’ve added another 440 calories and another 21 grams of fat. Choose the Baked Potato with Sour Cream and Chives instead and you’ll add 320 calories and 4 grams of fat, a better option.
Choose side salads and vegetables from the salad bar, as they provide extra vitamins and add dietary fiber. Plus they fill you up without adding a lot of extra calories. Be sure to use a low-fat or fat-free dressing or, better yet, a simple vinaigrette dressing. More dietary fiber can be found in your choice of whole-wheat or whole-grain muffins and muffins.
If you start to like sweets, have fresh fruit or frozen yogurt. Or choose the reduced-fat ice cream instead of the shake. Another example, this time from McDonald’s: 16 oz. Triple Thick Vanilla Shake has 550 calories and 13 grams of fat. The Vanilla Reduced Fat Ice Cream Cone has 150 calories and only 3.5 grams of fat. Granted, the lower calorie alternative isn’t quite as decadent, but it also won’t clog your arteries by increasing your cholesterol intake and satisfy your sugar craving.
Watch your portion size
Portion control is also a key element of successful fast food. Although many restaurants have discontinued the supersize trend, most portions are simply more than we need to consume. These large servings seem like real value when viewed in a monetary sense, but when measured through their contribution to weight gain and its complications, they simply aren’t worth it.
Choose the smallest size possible, especially if you eat burgers or fries.
Share large or high-fat items with another person.
Eat half of your order and take the rest home. Yes, I know that we are supposed to clean our plates because there are hungry children in China. At least that’s what many mothers have been heard to say over the years. The fact is that being a member of the Clean Plate Club will also give you access to the Fat Club, the High Cholesterol Club and, if you’re really lucky, the Heart Disease Club.
Remember these 3 key points
1. Reduce total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, and sodium.
2. Increase intake of whole grains
3. Eat more fruits and vegetables
Fast food is one of the great innovations of the 20th century. Here in the 21st century we need to manage how we take advantage of its unlimited access. Doing so will maintain a balance between food as the satisfying fuel that keeps our human engine running and the toxic waste that will eventually lead to shortened lives.
