FRIDAY, March 28, 2003 (HealthDayNews) --
Eating on the run is a fact of life for many people. That can make it a challenge to eat healthy foods.
March is National Nutrition Month, and the American Dietetic Association offers some tips on how you can make wise food choices even when you're eating fast food, take-out or restaurant fare:
- Take your time when looking over a menu and make a careful selection.
- Choose grilled, broiled or steamed foods more often and limit the amount of fried food you eat.
- Order a regular or children-size portion. Mega-portions are likely to be more food than you need.
- Have milk or a low-fat shake for a beverage to give you a calcium boost.
- Choose a salad instead of fries.
- Split your order. Share fries or an extra-large sandwich with a friend.
- When you order a sandwich, boost its nutrient content by adding tomato, peppers and/or other vegetables.
- Order corn on the cob, green beans, baked beans, or rice instead of fries or onion rings.
- A baked potato is also a better choice than fries. But don't smother your baked potato in sour cream and butter. Top it with a small serving of cheese or salsa and/or broccoli.
- When ordering a sandwich or submarine, choose lean beef, ham, turkey or chicken on whole grain bread.
- Use condiments, special sauces and dressings sparingly.
- Try ethnic foods such as Chinese stir-fry, vegetable-stuffed pita or Mexican burrito. If you have the latter, go easy on the cheese, sour cream and guacamole.
- If you want meat, make it lean ham, Canadian bacon, chicken or shrimp.
- At the salad bar, choose dark, leafy greens, carrots, peppers and other fresh vegetables.
- For dessert, select fresh fruit or a container of fruit chunks. If you can't resist something sweet, share it with a friend.
- Load pizzas up with vegetable toppings.
- Dry cereal and milk is a fast breakfast. The cereal should be whole-grain or bran to ensure you get fiber along with B vitamins and complex carbohydrates.
- Yogurt and fruit are other good quick breakfast choices.
More information
You can learn more about healthy eating at the American Dietetic Association.
