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Having spent a week on a road trip, I learned one thing along the way: Fast food is unavoidable, given time and budget constraints. You can’t beat a drive-thru for convenience and speed of service. But the bellyache you get afterward can quickly remind you of the excess calories, fat, cholesterol, and sodium you just put into your body. While a super-sized value meal can give you a day’s worth of calories in a single meal, you can exit the drive-thru with a healthier meal. And for the times when there is nothing better than hot French fries or a juicy burger, it’s important to learn how to make good choices. Drinks It might only cost a few dimes more to guzzle down a large soda instead of a small one, but your waistline will be paying the real price. Soda—diet or regular—isn't a healthy choice since it provides calories, but no real nutrition at all. Soda is often filled with sugar (or artificial sweeteners), and other ingredients that fill you up without giving your body any benefits. One way to make a fast food meal healthier is to opt for a drink other than soda. Of course, water is a great choice to hydrate your body and aid digestion. Unsweetened tea is virtually calorie-free if you want something other than water. Juice (100% fruit juice, not "fruit drinks") and low-fat milk are two alternatives that add nutrition to the calories you drink, making them healthier choices than soda and other sweet beverages. If you must go with soda, opt for the smallest size available. Fruits and Vegetables Just as you would at any other meal, try to include at least one serving of fruits or vegetables with your order. (And no, French fries do NOT count as a healthy vegetable!) Load your burger with extra tomatoes, or enjoy a side of fresh fruit instead of fries or chips. If you are having a sandwich, load up on lettuce, peppers—even cucumbers. If they offer it, opt for a baked potato (nix the high-calorie toppings like cheese and sour cream) instead of fries. Most fast food chains now offer delicious side and entrée salads. Including these with your meal is a great way to add lots of vitamins and filling fiber for just a few calories. Just make sure not to smother your greens with cheese, eggs, bacon, high-fat dressing, or fried toppings, such as chicken and croutons. And don't forget about the healthy sides that are staples at fast food joints these days. Apple slices, baby carrots, and more are often available. And if you don't see them on the menu, ask! Portion Control One of the biggest problems people face when eating fast food is the out-of-control portions. You don’t have to order the value meal with the big burger, bigger fries and biggest drink. Instead, try a child-sized meal. You still get the burger, fries, and drink, but consume about half of the fat of the full-sized version. Ordering small is automatic portion control—you won’t be tempted to overeat. If a kiddie-sized meal with a toy on the side isn’t for you, split your order of fries with a friend. You’ll still enjoy that salty crunch without consuming all of the calories and fat of a full order. Extras The “extras” can add on the calories and fat. A tablespoon of mayo will add on an extra 57 calories. Add 106 more calories for a single slice of cheese! Instead of smothering your burger with sauces, opt for mustard (about 10 calories). Forgo the sour cream and three kinds of cheese on your taco, and add flavor with low-calorie salsa. Go easy on the ranch dressing and salt shaker, too. These little substitutions can really add up! Your taste buds will be happy (and so will your waistline). Don’t be fooled by healthier sounding meats, either. While breaded chicken or fish may seem healthier than a beefy burger, these sandwiches often contain just as many, if not more, calories than your average burger since they're fried in oil (and absorb a lot of that fat). Try grilled versions of your favorite sandwiches instead, or opt for the low-cal veggie burger, which is becoming more widely available these days. Breakfast A healthy breakfast is the best way to start your day. But while hitting the drive-thru on the way to work may be convenient, it might put you at a calorie overload early in the day. Making healthy, nutritious choices comes into play again. Instead of a breakfast sandwich (English muffin with eggs, bacon, and cheese), order a bowl of fresh fruit, a fruit and yogurt parfait, oatmeal, cereal with milk or plain eggs. That way, you’ll be starting your day off on the right foot. Comparisons See how many calories and fat grams you can save just by trying different menu options at some of your favorite fast food restaurants. (All nutritional information comes from each restaurant’s website.)
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Nutrition Articles › Eating Away From HomeDrive-Thru NutritionFood That's Fast and Healthy-- By Liz Noelcke, Staff WriterSparkPeople advertisers help keep the site free! Learn more
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Liz Noelcke
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Member Comments
If we want to have some fast food, I take away a small hamburger and small fries and eat at home with steamed broccoli. It goes very well together!
The rest of the family can eat what they want... - 6/14/2012 3:28:35 PM
Again, GREAT input! Thanks!
*~LIGHT - 6/14/2012 1:38:48 PM
I looked it up and Kraft Mayo is 90 calories per Tbls. Duke mayo is 100 calories per Tbls. I'm not sure which Mayo you're referring to, but Mayo is typically around 100 calories per tbls. Perhaps you are talking about light Mayo, but most places don't put light mayo on their sandwiches. So you can knock off 100-200 calories on most sandwiches and wraps by asking them to leave off the Mayo. - 6/14/2012 8:12:59 AM
Because i'm only eating half of a small fry, i get the feeling of decadance, but much fewer fat grams. Usually , all I need is a taste of the old, to feel satisfied and I can have your health food! - 6/14/2012 12:19:59 AM
If you love the stuff then limit how often you let yourself have it as a special treat. Making it a habit sets you up for failure. Kinda like ice cream and cake.
BTW, it is possible to gain weight without ever eating fast food. LOL - 12/7/2011 7:48:57 AM
Some of the reasons we avoid fast food is 1) the high sodium content of their foods; 2) the high fat in all their foods; 3) the preservatives they use to keep the foods "fresh" - salads included.
If you look at the Nutrition Information on fast food, even the Kids Meals - they are often more than the daily calorie needs for a child, as well as a lot more than the RDA for sodium & fat. The generations that have grown up on fast food have a higher rate of obesity & diabetes than previous generations. Combine that with the lack of exercise due to video games & personal computers, and we have a tremendous health problem in this country. - 3/13/2011 12:35:36 PM
These days, you can find very healthy choices. When my roomy wants me to bring home McDonald's, I opt for the grilled chicken salad -- delicious and low in cals. Chick-fil-A is good too. Just as with any food -- what you buy at the grocery store, in restaurants, wherever -- you just need to be aware of what you're eating, control portions, exercise it off if you have a little more, and most of all ... enjoy it while you're eating it!
I'm a big believer in not denying ourselves anything we love. So, if you want that juicy, loaded burger, order one. Eat slowly. If you've been eating healthier, you will probably stop at half and not be able to go on! I've found that to be the case with rich foods I love at restaurants. I eat a portion, get satiated, and take the rest home. I can get 2-3 meals out of one dinner, and then it's no longer such a big deal to order something that weighs in at over my daily allotment of calories, as I don't eat it all at once. Plus I feel like I have not denied myself nor been the whining "I'm on a diet" person at the table ... life is too short to constantly be denying ourselves. I love food, and it's a fun part of many experiences, so if being more trim means giving all that up, I'm not sure I'd go that route. Luckily, there are ways around it! :) - 3/13/2011 12:18:51 PM