Fast-food, restaurant, and convenience-food choices

Fast foods, restaurant foods, and convenience foods (such as packaged macaroni and cheese) often contain high amounts of fat and salt (sodium). In moderation, these foods can be part of a healthy diet.

Follow these suggestions when eating these types of foods.

Fast foods and convenience foods

• Don't make it a habit. Eat these foods in moderation-don't let them become a regular part of your diet.
• Eat "combination" foods that represent many food groups. When you have a pizza, for example, chicken or Canadian bacon would be considered one or more servings from the meat group, cheese would represent one or more servings from the dairy group, vegetables and tomato sauce would be one or more servings from the vegetable group, and the crust would count as one or more servings from the grain group.
• Create combination foods. At a fast-food restaurant, when buying a hamburger, add a salad or a piece of fruit, and order milk or water instead of a soft drink. Fast-food and convenience-food meals often contain few or no fruits or vegetables, so making sure you have some of these on the side will make the meal more nutritious.
• If you order a salad, don't use a lot of dressing, because dressing provides the fat content that you may be trying to avoid.
• Vary what you eat. Don't have the hamburger every time. Instead, try different meals. For example, try a grilled chicken sandwich, wrap, or salad.
• Is it fast food? Although we don't think of "sit down" chain restaurants as fast food or convenience food, they have many of the same food choices, and the same care should be taken in choosing your meal.
• Think about it. Most of the time, people don't plan their fast-food or convenience meal until they buy it. Think about how you want to make the meal more nutritious before you order or buy the food.

Restaurants

The following will help you cut back on fat and calories in restaurants:

• Watch portion sizes. Share an entree or take part of your food home to eat as another meal.
• Order foods that are broiled or poached rather than fried or breaded.
• Cut back on the amount of butter or margarine that you use on bread.
• Order sauces, gravies, and salad dressings on the side, and use as little as possible.
• When ordering pasta dishes, choose tomato-based sauces rather than cream-based sauces.
• Share appetizers, desserts, and even entrées with your dining partner.
• Ask for salsa with a baked potato instead of sour cream, butter, cheese, or bacon.
• Don't "supersize" your order.

Other restaurant tips include the following:

• Choose whole-grain breads and cereals, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, cooked dry beans, and lentils. They will help you raise your fiber intake.
• Ask for flexibility. Restaurants recognize their customers' changing tastes and preferences and often will work with you to change portion sizes and modify menu choices. For example, it is often possible to substitute vegetables or a baked potato for french fries or to ask for meals without butter.
• Take half of your meal home.