Healthy fast food
7 Nov 2010

Healthy fast food

2 mins to read
Struggling to kerb your offspring’s intake of fast food? Inform yourself on healthier options, and you’ll set up positive eating habits for a lifetime.


A curious paradox has been noted in the world of fast food dining. While consumers outwardly demand healthier choices, they generally end up buying french fries more often than salads.

It’s a phenomenon known as ‘vicarious goal fulfilment’, in which people feel they’ve met their goal of being healthy just by thinking about it, without having followed through on their intentions.

Fortunately, as parents we can still exert some dietary control, especially if our kids are too little to be hanging out with friends at fast food restaurants.

According to Perth-based Accredited Practising Dietitian, Denise Griffiths, fast food can be a viable occasional meal for busy families. But the key is knowing the actual fat, salt and kilojoule content of different fast foods, and working around this.

“Know what you’ve ordered, and ask questions if you don’t,” advises Griffiths, who is also a spokesperson for the Dietitians Association of Australia.

“For example, foods with smaller volumes but large surface areas, like french fries and chicken nuggets, can absorb a fair amount of fat per portion. This increases the energy density per portion.”

Many Australian children are now overweight or obese, due to unhealthy food choices and lack of physical activity. Overweight children generally become overweight teenagers, and 80 per cent of overweight teenagers become overweight adults.

9 ways to a healthier fast food experience

1. Limit the saturated fats – Minimise the saturated fatty extras like chips, bacon, extra cheese, fried chicken and fried onion. Order just one portion of chips to share among the family, or order a pizza with reduced cheese.

2. Boost the veggies – Get your kids to bulk up on the vegetables on offer, such as side salads or vegetable toppings on pizzas. “Instead of having a jacket potato with sour cream, try creamed corn, baked beans or a side salad,” suggests Griffiths.

3. Oils ain’t oils – If the family is going to eat chips, seek out restaurants that fry them in canola, sunflower or soybean oil. Avoid those fried in saturated fats such as palm oil or coconut oil.

4. Avoid unhealthy meal deals – Instead of adding soft drinks and fries to your meal, choose a side salad, corn cob, bread roll, yoghurt or bottled plain water.

5. Choose grilled, not fried – Grilled chicken or fish contains a lot less fat than battered or fried versions. Also, simply removing the skin or batter will lower the fat content of your child’s meal, Griffiths says.

6. Include fruit and vegetables – Whenever you have the option, grab the apple, fruit salad or steamed greens on offer

7. Do your homework – Whenever you can, check out the website of a fast food restaurant first, to see if they have nutrition information and healthy choice.

8. Stock your pantry – Griffiths suggests keeping a supply of emergency meals and ingredients in the pantry and freezer, so you’re less reliant on fast food. Examples include pasta sauces, frozen vegetables and ready-prepared lentils.

9. Walk to the restaurant!

And Griffiths reminds us that the nutritional failings of fast food are mainly in the following areas:

  • Excessive salt
  • High in kilojoules 
  • Inadequate fibre 
  • Low in minerals
  • Not enough vitamins

“Regular or daily consumption of foods high in energy, salt and saturated fat can contribute to the risk of heart disease, obesity and high blood pressure,” she says.

References available on request



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