University of Wisconsin - Extension

MADISON, Wis. - When you've been working all day and you just don't have the time or energy to cook, a fast food meal can be a fun family treat. But researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Harvard University have found that children tend to consume more calories when they eat fast food. Fast food meals were often high in fat and added sugars while lacking in milk, fruits and vegetables other than potatoes.

"Parents should be just as careful with their children's food and beverage choices at fast food restaurants as they are when they prepare a meal at home," advises Susan Nitzke, Professor of Nutritional Sciences and Extension Specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Thirty percent of American children were found to eat fast food on a typical day in the Harvard/USDA study, and the children who ate fast food consumed an average of 187 calories more per day than children who did not. "This means that it's important to be aware of the portion sizes as well as the items chosen," says Nitzke.

Nitzke advises parents to find more time to have meals together at home. "Family meals tend to be more nutritionally balanced than fast food meals and they offer parents a time to keep in touch with their kids, as well as model healthy eating behaviors," says Nitzke.

On those days when fast food is a must, Nitzke offers these tips.

• Choose smaller "regular" portions instead of the "deluxe" or "jumbo-bundle" combos
• Skip the rich desserts such as fruit pies and cookies
• Drink milk or water instead of soda
• Ask for tomato, lettuce, onion, or other vegetables on your sandwich
• Order items such as chicken grilled, not fried, whenever there's a choice
• Go easy on high-fat toppings like mayonnaise, tartar sauce, sour cream, butter, margarine, and creamy salad dressings
• Order a salad or a baked potato instead of fries