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Here are some tips from the American Dietetic Association to help you help your child make healthy food choices when eating out.
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Breakfast
| • | Order an English muffin, toast or a bagel instead of a croissant, biscuit, muffin or other pastry. |
| • | Choose Canadian bacon or ham instead of sausages. |
| • | When ordering pancakes, make sure portion sizes are appropriate and skip the butter. |
Lunch or Dinner
| • | Ask for low-fat salad dressings, mayonnaise, sour cream, sauces or gravy. Have these items served on the side. |
| • | Avoid mayonnaise and cheese on burgers and sandwiches. Use catsup, mustard or barbecue sauce instead. |
| • | Order low-fat milk, fruit juice or water instead of a soft drink or milkshake. |
| • | Stick with baked, broiled or poached items. Avoid fried items such as fish and chicken patty sandwiches. Ask to substitute a baked potato, raw vegetables or salad for fries. |
| • | Watch portion sizes. If portions are too large, split one entrée between two children or ask for a take-out container and put some of the food in the container before eating. |
| • | Ask that bread, beverages, and tortilla chips be served with the meal, not beforehand. |
| • | Avoid items described as buttery, fried, pan-fried, crispy, creamed, in gravy, au gratin, in cheese sauce, or marinated in oil. These terms mean high-calorie, high-fat foods. |
| • | Look beyond the children's menu. Children's menus are often limited to fried and other high-calorie, high-fat foods. |
Fast Food
| When eating at fast food restaurants, choose the following healthier options: | |
| • | Side salad with low-fat dressing |
| • | Grilled chicken sandwich without mayonnaise |
| • | Roast beef sandwich with barbecue sauce |
| • | Submarine or deli sandwiches without dressings and cheese; ask for mustard or light mayonnaise instead, and load up on vegetables |
| • | Chicken or steak soft tacos; skip the sour cream and guacamole |
| • | Small hamburger with catsup, mustard, pickle, lettuce, tomato—no mayonnaise |
| • | Broth-based soups |
| • | Grilled veggie burger; skip the mayonnaise |
| • | Baked potato; go light on the sour cream and margarine |
| • | Frozen low-fat yogurt or low-fat ice cream |
| • | Baked beans, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes |
© 2003, American Dietetic Association. "If Your Child is Overweight: A Guide for Parents, 2nd Ed." Used with permission.
