Healthy Children Healthy Futures

Where can you find it?
Fast food seems to be everywhere and easy to find: in schools, malls, zoos, museums, at gas stations and airports.

Fast food tastes good, is fast and easy and cheap. Many fast food restaurants have playgrounds and give out cool toys and games.

Reasons to cut back on fast food:
• Fast food portions are too big, up to three times bigger than most meals. Extra-big portions lead to overeating and weight gain.
• The average size of a soda used to be just 8 ounces, but now fast food restaurants serve 32 ounces of soda!
• On average, people who eat a lot of fast food have more body fat and weigh more than those who do not.
• Fast food is often high in saturated fat, which can clog your arteries.
• Being overweight can lead to high blood pressure and diabetes.
• Kids who eat a lot of fast food are missing fiber, vitamins and minerals in their diet. • Eat fast food 2 or less times per week. If you eat fast food everyday, try cutting back slowly.

Choose small plain hamburgers -skip the cheese.
Order small French fries, not medium, large or extra-large.
Choose the Happy Meal rather than the Mighty Meal.
Try juice, water or a small diet soda instead of a regular soda or a milkshake-skip the biggie or super-size drink.
Instead of fried chicken or fried fish sandwiches, try a grilled sandwich.
Choose a chicken fajita instead of a burger.
Drink water or low-fat plain or chocolate milk instead of soda or milkshakes.
Skip the desserts-cookies, pies, sundaes or ice cream.
Try the yogurt and fruit parfait.
Get a salad or baked potato to go with your meal.
Make time for breakfast at home. A bowl of cereal with low-fat milk is a better choice than a fast food breakfast sandwich

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Eat less fast food and make better fast food choices What is fast food? Hamburgers, cheeseburgers, fried chicken, French fries, milkshakes, pizza and hot dogs are all examples. Where can you find it? Fast food seems to be everywhere and easy to find: in schools, malls, zoos, museums, at gas stations and airports. Why do kids like it? Fast food tastes good, is fast and easy and cheap. Many fast food restaurants have playgrounds and give out cool toys and games. Reasons to cut back on fast food: • Fast food portions are too big, up to three times bigger than most meals. Extra-big portions lead to overeating and weight gain. • The average size of a soda used to be just 8 ounces, but now fast food restaurants serve 32 ounces of soda! • On average, people who eat a lot of fast food have more body fat and weigh more than those who do not. • Fast food is often high in saturated fat, which can clog your arteries. • Being overweight can lead to high blood pressure and diabetes. • Kids who eat a lot of fast food are missing fiber, vitamins and minerals in their diet. • Eat fast food 2 or less times per week. If you eat fast food everyday, try cutting back slowly. Making better fast food choices: Choose small plain hamburgers -skip the cheese. Order small French fries, not medium, large or extra-large. Choose the Happy Meal rather than the Mighty Meal. Try juice, water or a small diet soda instead of a regular soda or a milkshake-skip the biggie or super-size drink. Instead of fried chicken or fried fish sandwiches, try a grilled sandwich. Choose a chicken fajita instead of a burger. Drink water or low-fat plain or chocolate milk instead of soda or milkshakes. Skip the desserts-cookies, pies, sundaes or ice cream. Try the yogurt and fruit parfait. Get a salad or baked potato to go with your meal. Make time for breakfast at home. A bowl of cereal with low-fat milk is a better choice than a fast food breakfast sandwich
	© 2007 Healthy Children Healthy Futures