During the summer, hamburgers and hot dogs are popular menu items.  However, grilling burgers at home may be easier on your waistline and wallet because portions in restaurants keep on growing.  In fact, there is now a burger that has a whopping 1,750 calories and over 5,000 mg of sodium!  Watch the following clip from the Today Show to see some of the worst burger options in restaurants, and learn about some better alternatives when eating out.

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Today, I’m following up with last week’s post to provide a list of some of the better options at fast food restaurants.  See the chart below for some meal ideas that are about 550 calories or less (The Do’s Column).  Also listed are some meals to watch out for that are loaded with fat and calories (The Don’ts Column).  

Breakfast Sample Menus

 Lunch and Dinner: Sample Menus

Move over Jared, it looks like Christine has taken the spotlight away from the Subway and has put it on Taco Bell.  With the heavy advertising done by Taco Bell over the past two weeks, I’ve already started to get several questions about the “Drive-Thru-Diet”. 

For those who have not seen the commercials yet…Christine, the spokesperson for “The Drive-Thru-Diet”, lost 54 pounds over the course of two years by switching her fast food choices to the Fresco items on the Drive-Thru Diet menu at Taco bell.  If you read her story, you will also find that she consumed 1,250 calories per day.  This was a reduction of about 500 calories per day compared to what she was eating before.

So what made her lose the weight?

a.)    The Taco Bell Menu items

b.)    The reduction in the number of calories she consumed daily

 If you answered B, you are correct!  Weight loss comes down to calories consumed versus calories burned, and it does not matter where those calories come from.  By creating a calorie deficit of about 500 calories a day, you expect to lose about 1 pound per week.  This is exactly what Christine did.

 The 7 Fresco items on Taco Bell’s Drive-Thru Diet menu are lower in calories than many fast food items.  All of them have less than 350 calories and <8 grams of fat.  Therefore, they can be some of the better choices if you are going to be eating fast food.    

However, would I recommend eating these items regularly to lose weight?  No, I wouldn’t.  While they may be better choices than many items on a fast food menu, they are not great.  Many of the items are very high in sodium.  For example, the Fresco Burrito Supreme has a whooping 1,410 mg of Sodium, which is over half of the recommended level for the entire day!  The Chicken soft taco and Steak soft taco only has 2 grams of fiber.  When meals are low in fiber they often leave people feeling hungry shortly after eating and can make it difficult to meet the recommended 25-30 grams per day.  Not to mention, all of the vitamins and minerals that are lacking. 

If you are short on time, frozen entrees would often be a better choice.  They are still processed and high in sodium, but the sodium is often less than what you would find in fast foods (~500-600 mg).  Many of them also include a serving of vegetables.  Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice, Kashi and Smart Ones are some of the better options that are calorie controlled.  Have yogurt or a piece of fruit along with it to add some nutrition value.

Bottom line, if you need to stop at a fast food restaurant.  The items on the Drive-Thru-Diet at Taco bell are going to be some of the better choices.  All fast food restaurants now offer some healthy options.  Reading the nutrition facts before ordering can help to make better choices.  Click here for some tips on making good choices when eating at fast food restaurants.  Check back next week for more fast food menu items that are less than 500 calories.

 There is good news for all of you health-conscious people living in Philadelphia.  A law just passed last week requiring chain restaurants (those with more than 15 stores nationwide) to post calorie counts on menus and menu boards.  But move over New York City, Philadelphia’s new law is the most stringent in the country.  In addition to calories, the new law requires that printed menus list sodium, carbohydrate, trans and saturated fat content also.

 However, don’t expect to see these changes anytime soon because the new law will only go into effect January 1, 2010.  This will give restaurants time to prepare for the changes.  (Hopefully, part of this preparation will be coming up with new menu items that are lower in fat, calories and sodium!)

According to an article in Nation’s Restaurant News, the Pennsylvania Restaurant Association (PRA) has “asked for a meeting with Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter in hopes of convincing him to veto the law.”  The PRA recognizes that a veto is unlikely and could be overridden by the council since the bill was passed with a 12-5 vote.  Regardless, they will probably try for a veto or an amendment to the bill.  So, if you would like to see this law go into effect unchanged, it could be a good idea to let your local member of congress know that you support the law.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest makes it easy to take action if you support this law or want a similar law to pass in your area.

Resource: Philadelphia Gives Menu Labeling a Twist.  http://www.nrn.com/breakingNews.aspx?id=359940&menu_id=1368  Nation’s Restaruant News.  November 6, 2009.

Football can make weekends a time to look forward to in the Fall.  However, along with action-packed games, comes calorie-packed foods for many football fans.  From tailgates to take-out, many of the traditional game-day foods are unhealthy, but the following tips can help to modify your menu so you can enjoy many seasons to come:

Don’t forget to watch the beverages too.  Sodas and Alcoholic beverages can add a lot of calories and have no nutritional value.  Try to drinking water throughout the game to replace some calorie-laden beverages and stay well hydrated.

A Vegetarian diet is one which excludes all animal products.  However, there are several variations of vegetarian diets.  For example, some vegetarians include dairy products, others include eggs and some include both.  With dietary restrictions like this, it can make eating out challenging.  Below are some tips for choosing vegetarian meals in a restaurant.

• Choose restaurants that offer more vegetarian Choices
  • i.e.- Asian, Middle Eastern and Indian restaurants often have many options
  • http://www.happycow.net/ , http://www.vegdining.com/ and other websites can help you find a vegetarian restaurant in your area
• Talk to the staff at a restaurant
  • Ask what vegetarian meals they offer
  • Ask how things are prepared and what ingredients are used
  • Don’t be afraid to special order
  • Chef’s may be able to create a meal for you
• Create your own meal
  • They may have several vegetarian side dishes or appetizers that you can use to create a meal. Some examples:
    • Minestrone soup, salad and breadsticks
    • Baked potato with peppers, onions and steamed broccoli
    • You can ask for larger portions of side dishes to help create a meal (i.e. instead of a fruit cup, ask for a fruit platter with an English muffin)

The following can give you some ideas for vegetarian meals for specific cuisines:

• Italian Restaurants
  • Pasta Dishes with Marinara Sauce
  • Pizza (plain or with veggie topping)
    • If you do not include cheese, try a tomato pie
  • Vegetable Lasagna
  • Grilled Vegetable Hoagie
  • Minestrone Soup, Salads and Vegetable Sides
  • Breadsticks with Marinara Dipping Sauce
• Mexican Restaurants
  • Bean Burritos or Bean Soft Shell Taco
  • Vegetable Fajitas
  • Rice and Beans
  • Refried Beans
  • Guacamole and Salsa are Vegetarian Sides
• Fast Food Restaurants/ American Restaurants
  • Veggie Burgers
  • Portabella Mushroom Sandwiches
  • Fruit Platters or Side Dishes
  • Baked Potato with Steamed Veggies or Salsa
  • Salads
  • Fruit Smoothie
  • Bagel, English Muffin or Toast with Peanut Butter and/or jelly
  • PB&J Sandwich
  • Grilled Cheese and Tomato Sandwich
  • Vegetable Soups / Bean Soups/ Lentil Soup
  • Vegetarian Chili
• Asian Restaurants (These restaurants usually offer many vegetarian choices)
  • Vegetable Stir-fries or those made with Tofu
  • Many noodle dishes do not include meat
  • Curry dishes made with Tofu
  • Miso Soup, Seaweed Salad, Salad

Do you have an ethnic cuisine that you love?  Perhaps Chinese takeout is your weakness, or maybe you love spicy Mexican food.  No matter what your preference is, it can be difficult to make good choices when eating.  This can be especially true when you are not familiar with a specific type of cuisine.  For example, is Saganaki or Yalanji Yaprak a better choice??  If it’s all Greek to you, you may want to take a look at Sparkpeople’s “Dining Strategies for Specific Cuisines“.

This website allows you to click on a specific type of cuisine to get information about the best and worst choices on the menus.  Knowing which words indicate high-fat dishes and those that indicate more figure-friendly dishes can be half the battle when eating out.  For more information, click on the following link: http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=548

 As you may know, New York recently passed a law that all fast food restaurants have to post nutrition facts on their menu boards.  Many people argue that the nutrition information that is currently available is either not accessible at the time you’re ordering (i.e. the internet) or it is hard to find (i.e. pamphlets behind the counter).  Posting the nutrition facts on the board could help increase awareness of the calorie content of the foods and hopefully help people to make better decisions.  In the long run, it may also force restaurants to offer more lower-calorie options.

According to Center for Science in Public Interest (CSPI), “In April, the Public Health and Human Services Committee of the Philadelphia City Council voted unanimously in favor of menu labeling. Next, the full City Council will take up the issue.” 

If you would like to support menu labeling, you can click on the web address below and send a letter to your City Council representative.  CSPI makes it easy- they already developed a letter, and all you have to do is add your name and address.  This is your chance to make a difference if you would like to see this change.

http://takeaction.cspinet.org/campaign/phillymenu

As we all know, it can be very challenging to make good food choices when eating in a restaurant.  Not only are the portions frequently over 2 ½ times larger than what a serving should be, but the foods are often loaded with extra fat and calories.  Unfortunately, even when we are trying to make wise choices, they often end up being much higher in fat/calories than we think.  For example, you choose a Chicken Caesar Salad at Chili’s because salads are healthy, right?  Little did you know that this salad is packed with 76 grams of fat and 1,010 calories.  It is almost unfathomable that a serving of the Original Baby Back Ribs could have less fat and calories (66gm fat and 970 calories) than this salad with grilled chicken on it.

Because it is difficult to know exactly what you’re getting when you eat out, planning is essential.  Healthy Dining Finder is a great website that can make the planning process quicker and easier.  This website, designed by dietitians and health professionals, lists the “healthiest” food options at all types of restaurants.  You can search by restaurant name, city or zip code, price range, etc.  When you click on a restaurant, it will tell you all the menu options that meet the nutrition criteria set by the website.

Not only can this website help you to make the best choices at a restaurant, but it can also help you to choose a restaurant that you know has good choices.  After all, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. 

There is no longer a need to ask “where’s the beef” when fast food burgers now pack in up to 1,420 calories.  That is an entire days worth of calories for many people in one sandwich alone.  Take a look at the following link to see how burgers at other fast food restaurants compare:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6504934/