All of a sudden corporate giants are jumping on the health food bandwagon – touting new products as the newest discovery since sliced bread. Check out Mickey D’s new major campaign for their Real Fruit Smoothie. It’s great that you can drive-in and buy yourself a $2.29 smoothie, but buyer beware. Do you realize how many grams of sugar are in that 12 oz. drink? 42!!! That’s about 85% of your sugar intake for the day – based on daily intake of 2,000 calories. The good news is – it’s better than a soda with high fructose corn syrup, which of course, we all know should be outlawed. Don’t even get me started on “energy” bars. Here’s some helpful tips on eating fast food – because as Mickey D says “You deserve a break today”.
Baja Fresh
The best thing on the menu for kids are the Baja Chicken Tacos. Add a little guacamole and you have a 500 calorie meal packed with fiber and Vitamin C from the avocados.
Dominos Pizza
You could eat two 12″ slices of the thin crust cheese pizza. Only 260 calories.
Jack in the Box
The Chicken Fajita Pita is actually pretty good health wise. The pita is made with whole grains and you can count on some fiber from the lettuce and tomatoes at just 300 calories.
Panera Bread
This place is great. You can actually go to their site’s Nutritional Calculator and put together your meal before you get there – information on dish’s calories, fats, proteins, carbs, vitamins, sugars and even fiber are included. Their breads and soups are also delicious.
Subway
Kids love it…what can I say? Again, you can see what works for you and what doesn’t by going to the Subway site. There are so many sandwich choices to pick from, all under 300 calories. However, be careful when adding cheese, mayo, chips, and soda.
Rule of Thumb
One rule of thumb for everyone – don’t wait to eat until you are starving and your hunger scale is now at a 10. That’s when the problem begins.
About the Author
Shelley Janson is a chef, writer, and business consultant. In 1985 Janson founded the Epicurean School of Culinary Arts, the first short term Professional Chef Training Program in Los Angeles. A frequent “foodie” contributor to local and nationally-syndicated television programs, Janson is also well-known for producing special food events for department stores, corporations, and fundraisers for nonprofits. Her client list includes MySpace, Oprah Winfrey’s HARPO Productions, and Martha Stewart Living. As a nutrition enthusiast, Janson is now launching her next career as THE FOOD COACH, empowering kids by teaching them about foods and nutrition to help them build healthy lifestyles. Look for her classes at Whole Foods and her other Food Coach articles at www.modernmom.com. Shelley can be reached at (310)488-5074 or contact@thefoodcoaches.com or you can check out her website at www.thefoodcoaches.com.
