How to Eat Healthy When Ordering Fast Food
Fried vegetable dumplings and shrimp lo mein. Specify steamed dumplings, and ask that your shrimp be served with brown rice a high-fiber whole grain rather than noodles made from refined white flour. Pile on the vegetables opt for vitamin- and fiber-rich bok choy and broccoli go light on less-nutritious baby corn and water chestnuts, and be judicious with sauces try low-sodium soy. Deep-dish pizza topped with cheese, sausage, and green peppers. Opt for a thin crust, and supplement your meal with a filling, fiber-packed cup of minestrone, found at many sit-down pizza places, says Lisa Dorfman, R.D. a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. Order a thin crust, light on cheese, with grilled chicken. You get protein, but save fat and calories, says David Goldbeck, coauthor of Healthy Highways The Traveler's Guide to Healthy Eating 16, barnesandnoble.com. Chicken Parmesan with a side of spaghetti. Try grilled chicken on top of pasta. And go local when you can. A mom-and-pop restaurant is more likely than a chain to prepare food the healthful and traditional Mediterranean way read less processed. If you crave pasta, avoid cheese-stuffed varieties better yet, ask for spaghetti squash, and top it with marinara sauce as opposed to anything cream-based. As for meat, choose a chicken or fish dish that isn't fried. Tempura vegetables with California and spicy-tuna rolls. Substitute one item with a side of soyeither a serving of miso soup or a bowl of steamed edamame. And limit your starch serving to an amount the size of a tennis ball, says Dorfman. Avoid anything "tempura," which indicates "fried," and any rolls that contain mayonnaise. Better choices include omega-3-rich fish, like salmon, vegetable rolls, and sushi with avocado, which contains heart-healthy fats. Samosas, chicken korma, and a side of stuffed naan bread. Replace the fried samosas with a cup of spicy lentil soup and go for an unstuffed naan to dip in chutney or yogurt sauce. Order chicken tikka, which is grilled without cream sauce as your main course, and snack on lighter pappadams instead of thick naan bread. Tacos, with a side of refried beans and rice. Get vegetarian refried beans which don't contain artery-clogging lard or pork. Ask for extra guacamole a source of healthy monounsaturated fat instead of sour cream. Choose an item that's wrapped in a softnot friedtortilla, such as a burrito. Cram it full of vegetables, go light on the cheese, and add guacamole, which enhances the antioxidant benefits of the salsa. A Whopper with cheese and a side salad. Satisfy your burger craving and cut out almost 500 calories by replacing the Whopper with a hamburger from the kids' menu. Kids' menus offer smaller portions., Order the Tender Grilled Chicken Sandwich. There's no crispy fried stuff and no creamy sauce, and you can ask them to double up on the lettuce and tomato for an extra helping of vegetables. Six-piece Chicken McNuggets with a side of ranch sauce and large French fries. Ask for medium fries and replace the ranch sauce with barbecue and you've knocked 345 calories off your meal. Get the California Cobb Salad with grilled chicken. Just beware of what you put on the salad The Cobb dressing adds 120 calories and 9 grams of fat. Opt for the low-fat balsamic vinaigrette. A loaded baked potato stuffed with bacon, cheese, low-fat sour cream, and Buttery Best spread and a small Original Chocolate Frosty. Save 130 calories and 16 grams of fat by loading your potato with chili, low-fat sour cream, and broccoli. Try a baked potato topped with chili, broccoli, and chives. It is filling, has loads of fiber, and has a mere 370 calories and 3 grams of fat. Add a glass of 1 percent reduced-fat chocolate milk to satisfy a sweet tooth. An Extra Crispy chicken breast and a side of mashed potatoes and gravy. Order an Original Recipe wing and leg 290 calories and 17 grams of fat total. Though white meat seems a wise choice, the breast is one of the worst items on the menu, with 460 calories and 28 grams of fat. Get the Grilled Chicken. It has only 180 calories and 4 grams of fat for a chicken breast. Chalupas fried taco shells filled with cheese and ground beef. Avoid the crispy things in favor of soft tortillas, says Leslie Bonci, director of sports medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. Indeed, the word crispy is often a euphemism for "fried.", Order food "Fresco-Style," which replaces a dish's normal sauce and cheese with fresh salsa. Loading up on salsa instead of cheese and other sauces can save you hundreds of calories and 10 or more grams of fat. A classic tuna sandwich with Cheddar cheese and potato chips. Get a wheat roll, and add extra vegetables. If you can't omit the cheese, know that American cheese is the lowest-fat option, followed by provolone, with Swiss and Cheddar tied for last. Choose baked chips. Subway's tuna salad contains lots of mayonnaise, so a less cholesterol-raising option would be the Veggie Delite or Turkey-Breast Sandwich from the "6 Grams of Fat or Less" side of the menu.