| Fast food - just fun, or the first step on a | | | | Ask for nutritional information. Many fast food |
| slippery road to dietary disaster? Imagine ... it's | | | | restaurants will provide, upon request, a nutritional |
| been a long day at work and you're too tired to | | | | breakdown of their menu items and this can be |
| think, never mind cook. Your child's too hungry to | | | | used to help you guide your selections. |
| wait and too cranky to sit in a restaurant and | | | | Try to be as "healthy" as possible. More and more |
| behave well. Those golden arches or that drive | | | | fast food chains are offering "lighter" "leaner" and |
| through window are calling to you, promising a | | | | "healthier" options across their menus. Pizza is a |
| speed, inexpensive and just about effortless | | | | nutritionally sound selection as is a baked potato |
| family meal. | | | | and broccoli. Hunt around at the salad bar and as |
| But fast food isn't particularly good food and as | | | | well as all those mayonnaise-drenched salads you'll |
| you watch your toddler happily dunking greasy | | | | probably be able to find grated carrots, chick-peas |
| chips and chicken nuggets into sugary ketchup | | | | and green and leafy accompaniments to your |
| and sauce, you determine that you'll be stronger | | | | meal. Frozen yoghurt is a good choice for dessert |
| net time and resist the temptation of a fast food | | | | and why not order a carton of milk or orange |
| fix, knowing deep inside, that this is a resolution | | | | guice instead of soda or a high fat milk shake. |
| you're doomed to break. | | | | This will help make your meal a lot healthier. |
| Don't beat yourself up about his. Fast food | | | | Compensate at home - OK, maybe lunch wasn't |
| franchises are there to answer our most basic | | | | nutritious, but you can provide an after-dinner |
| need - to eat. And when you're an exausted | | | | extra. Snuggle up with a great book from |
| working parent, you're only human for giving in | | | | Scruffy's Bookshop and nibble on carrot, fruit or a |
| from time to time. It's important that you keep | | | | whole grain muffin as a treat when you get |
| your fast food meals limited though to avoid | | | | home. |
| compromising your own and your family's | | | | Finally - don't spoil your outing by feeling too guilty. |
| wellbeing. Try to stick to the following guidelines: | | | | If you're not overdoing the excursions to fast |
| Don't let fast food become a habit. Limit your | | | | food outlets, then you're not putting your |
| visits to outlets to a couple of times a month at | | | | children's health in danger. So hold the guilt, relax |
| most. Make those fast food meals a special treat | | | | and enjoy. |
| that you and your children can enjoy together. | | | | |