Healthe TRENDS | July 2008

Eating on the Run

MOST PEOPLE FIND IT EASIER TO STICK TO A HEALTHY DIET when they’re at home and can plan their meals.

However, eating in a restaurant, a car, or at your desk at work is often a reality of modern life.

The following suggestions can help you eat a more healthy diet when you’re out and about.

  • Check out restaurant Web sites. If you tend to frequent a certain fast-food chain, go online and print out the nutrition information. Doing so will help you choose sensibly between similar dishes.
  • Don’t super-size your meal. In most cases, the regular-size meal will provide more than enough calories, energy, and hunger satisfaction. Large-size meals for pennies more may seem like a good deal, but they’re not as far as your health and weight are concerned.
  • Be particular. Order meals where you can specify toppings and extras. Often it’s the extras that add poundpacking calories. For example, topping a salad with fat-free salad dressing instead of regular dressing can save you as much as 250 calories per serving.
  • Avoid fried food. Ordering a ham or turkey sandwich instead of a battered-and-fried chicken or fish sandwich will cut hundreds of calories and probably a dozen or more fat grams.
  • Order healthy sides. Whenever possible, choose a side salad, fruit cup, chili, or cup of soup instead of fried potatoes.
  • Remember to count beverage calories. Shakes, sodas, specialty coffees, and alcoholic drinks can add hundreds of calories to your meal.
  • Skip anything that’s “smothered,” “crispy,” “crusted,” or “battered and fried.” These dishes are likely deep-fried or drowning in cheese.
It’s true that calorie and weight management are more challenging away from home. But knowing how to make healthy choices can help you manage your weight and improve your health no matter where you are.

How Much Do You Know About Fast Food?

1. A typical fast-food restaurant serving is two or three times the size of a standard serving.

True
False
2. Chicken or fish sandwiches are usually healthy.
True
False
3. You can boost the nutrients in any sandwich by adding lettuce, tomato, peppers, and other vegetables.
True
False
4. You should watch the extras that can add calories to your meal.
True
False
5. Fast food is generally low in sodium. ® True ® False

ANSWERS

1. True. 2. False—those that are battered and fried can have more calories and fat than a burger. Baked, broiled, grilled, or roasted are healthier choices. 3. True. 4. True—to cut fat, hold the mayonnaise and bacon. 5. False—it is usually overloaded with sodium, with some dishes containing more sodium than an adult should have in a day.

To learn more: American Heart Association, www.deliciousdecisions.org, click on the “Out & About” tab