Healthy Fast Food Options

While the majority of fast food is unhealthy there are healthy alternatives available for families and people with little time to prepare meals. Most major grocery stores have delis contained in the store that offer better options than greasy burgers and French fries. Some of these delis offer a salad bar with fresh fruits, vegetables and low-calorie salad dressings. Other options include lean slices of meats on whole wheat or multi-grain breads where you can choose what you want to have put on your sandwich. There are oftentimes hot meal options that include baked or rotisserie chicken, which is healthier than deep fried chicken.

If your options are limited by where you live and you must foray into a fast food chain, there are menu choices available to help you eat healthy. Order sandwiches without mayonnaise or cheese as these oftentimes contain a lot of oils which are unhealthy. Avoid dill pickles if you are on a low sodium diet, as dill pickles can contain high levels of sodium in the pickling process. If you must eat French fries, order them without salt. Instead of adding salt to the fries, you can use a few ounces of ketchup.

When ordering a salad, always check the nutritional value on the back of the salad dressing packages. Check to see what the serving size is for that package, as well as the amount of cholesterol, trans fats, and sodium. Try to find a dressing that has low levels of these items. Rather than pouring the dressing on the salad, put it into a separate cup on the side and dip your salad on your fork into the dressing. This will help cut down on the amount of dressing you use on your salads. Avoid adding fried croutons, bacon bits and cheese to the salad.

Side items such as fresh fruit cups, low fat yogurt, apple slices and orange slices can be found at some locations. These are far better than a shake, sundae, or pie for dessert. Sugary colas should also be avoided. Rather drink unsweetened teas or water, or bring you own tea bag and ask for hot water in a cup.