Make the Right Choices with Fast Food

A blurry photo of a fast-food restaurant

Life gets busy. Even when you want to eat at home and be healthy, it can’t always happen. Sometimes, you just have to hit that drive-thru on your way to a meeting or football practice. However, you can still make healthy choices with fast food.

Go Green

Most fast food places have salads on the menu. Now, be aware that not all salads are completely healthy. But most are with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and other vegetables. You can ask to leave out croutons and other items that you don’t want. Many fast food places even have these extras on the side. Also, ask for the dressing on the side if they don’t do it automatically.

Ask About Special Items

Many fast food restaurants list only the top items on the menu in their drive-thru. If you don’t see something on the menu, ask if they have the item. It may be the low-fat version of what you want or something they don’t sell regularly, but it never hurts to ask. Don’t be afraid to ask for changes to their items as well. Instead of fries with the burger, can you get a side salad? Most places will say “yes” for an upcharge.

Eat Like a Kid

If you have no other option, you can ask for a kids’ meal. Most of the time, they come with some healthy options, like fruit or yogurt on the side. At the very least, you’ll consumer fewer calories than eating an adult-sized portion of the same food.

Even though you want to avoid fast food as much as possible, you can make the best of the situation when you have to eat on the go. Try one of these three tactics to eat healthy at the next McDonalds or Burger King.