Not long ago, a mom or dad on a diet had to argue against their children’s wishes to go to McDonald’s for a Happy Meal. But, as so often happens, the kids’ pleas were too persistent to ignore, and the parents relented and got everyone in the car for the obligatory trip to the land of Ronald McDonald. While it would thrill the kids to get the toy, ride down the slide, and eat the fries, the parents who came with enough willpower, had to fast unhappily or settle for a McDonalds salad, unfortunately consisting of a chopped wedge of browning iceberg lettuce, a topping of stale croutons, cucumbers, and unripe baby tomatoes, and a senselessly large tube of salad dressing.
Now as we slowly but surely evolve into a more health conscious future, better fast food options are sprouting up in chains all over — even at McDonald’s, the restaurant which for decades epitomized the dismal diet linked to America’s culture of too little nutrition and far too many empty calories — offering hope where there was little reason for hope before.
Given how difficult it has been to eat a healthy diet while on the road or simply stopping for a quick meal in the midst of a busy day, having healthy fast food options is important. Because fast food chains abound, they offer for many of us the most convenient solution for a filling and affordable meal. Therefore, the quicker fast food restaurant menus become healthier the better chance the average person has to succeed on a diet or in the desire to eat well and maintain a healthy body weight.
Last March, Health magazine published an article of America’s 10 healthiest fast food restaurants, selected by a panel of dieticians and nutritionists brought together by the magazine. Starting with the 100 largest fast food chains in the country, based on number of store locations, the panel used the following criteria to get their top10: use of healthy fats and preparations, healthy sodium counts in entrees, availability of nutritional information, and the use of organic produce.
Many of these restaurants allow the customers to reduce portion size on certain options, cutting down the risk for those who can’t resist the less healthy choices.
The Top 10 Healthiest Fast Food Restaurants were:
#1 Panera Bread – Half-size sandwiches, soups, and salads make for easy to manage portion sizes. The kids can eat healthier too with squeezable organic yogurt, PB&J with all-natural peanut butter, and grilled organic cheese on white whole-grain bread.
#2 Jason’s Deli – Serves real salads with creative toppings like: grapes, chicken breast, feta cheese, walnuts, dried cranberries, pumpkinseeds, raisins, and organic apples
#3 Au Bon Pain – Eat light with your choice of 14 small plates, offering healthy appetizers and salads.
#4 Noodles and Company - Offers four healthy noodle bowl options for each of three food types: Asian, Mediterranean, and American.
#5 Corner Bakery Cafe – A healthy breakfast menu sets them apart from other fast food outlets.
#6 Chipotle – Good Mexican food, but danger lurks at this buffet in the form of endless cheese and sour cream to add to your plate. Try instead the burrito bowl and skip the tortilla to save on the empty calories.
#7 Atlanta Bread - Great for its unique muffin tops and elaborate salad entrées among other things.
#8 McDonald’s – A must try is the popular grilled chicken wrap (approximately 265 calories) or sandwich (forgo the mayo or sauce). Also offers great yogurt and granola parfaits. Happy Meals now give kids the option of sides of apple dippers (with low-fat caramel) instead of fries and low-fat milk or fruit juice instead of soda.
#9 Einstein Bros Bagels - Healthy low fat spreads sets these bagel shops apart from their competitors.
#10 Taco Del Mar – 320-calorie chicken and 460 – 550 calorie size Mondito-size burrito are safe options for the smart eater.
