Thursday, June 12, 2014

Make Healthier Choices at Fast Food Restaurants!

Make Healthier Choices at Fast Food Restaurants!

Choosing to prepare meals yourself is usually the best option. However, it becomes difficult, if not impossible in everyone’s hectic lives not to stop at a fast food restaurant once in a while! Here are some easy ordering tips and resources to help cut out some calories, fat, sodium and cholesterol that you may be eating without knowing!

5 tips to order healthier at Chick-fil-a!

Tip #1:  When ordering a breakfast biscuit or burrito, choose chicken for the lowest amount of saturated fat and calories!

Tip #2:  When ordering a breakfast platter choose bacon for the lowest amount of saturated fat, sodium and calories! However, even the bacon breakfast platter is very high in fat, sodium and calories!

Tip #3:  Always choose grilled chicken over fried chicken!

Tip #4: Choose the plain sandwich over the club sandwich!

Tip #5:  Surprising: Choose the Grilled Chicken Sandwich over the Grilled Chicken Cool Wrap for lower saturated fat, calories and sodium.

A Healthier Breakfast Choice: Multigrain Oatmeal

A Healthier Lunch Choice: Grilled Market Salad

A Healthier Dinner Option: Grilled Chicken Sandwich

Highest Calorie Item on Menu: Breakfast Sausage Platter at 810 calories

             Chik-Fil-A provides a great resource on their website called the Meal Calculator where one can calculate nutritional information of their meal! Meal Calculator The website also provide suggestions for lower calorie meals!



5 tips to order healthier at Taco Bell!

Tip #1: Order your meal “Fresco Style”! Normal unhealthy, fat containing mayo-based sauces are substituted for Pico De Gallo for no extra charge! In some cases this eliminates more than 100 unhealthy calories from the meal!

Tip #2: Order from the Fresco Menu where all items contain less than 350 calories! This menu has soft and crunchy tacos, as well as burritos!

Tip #3: Order chicken over steak or beef for lower fat and calories! When ordering breakfast, choose egg and cheese, over bacon, sausage and steak for lower fat, sodium and calorie content!

Tip #4: Avoid Dressings! They contain up to 80 extra calories in every serving!

Tip #5:  Caution: The Cantina Bell menu, the XXL Grilled Stuffed Burritos and Smothered Burritos all have over 1,400 mg of sodium and some have greater than 2,200 mg. 
               
                The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for sodium per day is 2,300 mg for a 2,000 calorie a day diet! This means you could possibly be consuming all the salt you need for the entire day in one meal! High amounts of sodium have been shown to lead to kidney disease, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. Click here for more information concerning sodium intake!

A Healthier Breakfast Choice: A.M. Grilled Taco- Egg and Cheese

A Healthier Dinner or Lunch Choice: Fresco Chicken Soft Taco

Highest Calorie Item on Menu:  XXL Grilled Stuffed Burrito Beef at 870 calories

Calorie Caution: All Fiesta Salads contain at least 730 calories each!

Click here for more information about healthy choices at Taco Bell!



5 tips to order healthier at Jack’s!

Tip #1: Choose the ham option over chicken, sausage and steak, when ordering breakfast for lower calories and fat!

Tip #2: Choose a breakfast wrap instead of a biscuit for lower calories, fat and sodium!

Tip #3: Remember that just a regular fry contains over 300 extra calories and a mega fry contains over 500 calories!

Tip #4: Order the plain Double Cheeseburger over the Double Big Jack Cheese Burger for over 300 fewer calories, less fat, less sodium and less cholesterol!

Tip #5:  When ordering dessert opt for scooped ice cream as oppose to a shake! A regular shake can contain over 700 calories, where as 2 scoops of ice cream contain around 400 calories depending on the flavor. Always choose chocolate, vanilla or strawberry for least amount of calories!

A Healthier Breakfast Option: Grits without butter and Eggs

A Healthier Lunch Option: Grilled Chicken Salad

A Healthier Dinner Option: Grilled Chicken Sandwich


Highest Calorie Item on Menu: Deluxe Breakfasts all contain over 1000 Calories

Tips to Order Healthier at all Restaurants:

Tip #1: Choose water with lemon over soda! A large soda can contain over 400 calories!


Tip #2: Always order dressings and toppings on the side! You are less likely to apply as much to your food!

Thanks for reading my blog! Check back soon for more information about Hatching Healthy Habits!

                               -Claire Trotter (aka Summer Intern) 

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