If you worry about your kids not eating healthy outside home, whether eating in restaurants, at the mall, at the movies, at fast-food joints that they insist upon visiting, at birthday parties and more, know that they can. Here are a few tips to help them choose better…
- When at a fast-food place, avoid ordering burgers, sandwiches, fries or other foods described as supreme, jumbo, double, mega or monster. Choose items that are small for younger children, or medium for older.
- Order a 6-inch sub rather than a footlong for your child.
- Encourage your child to choose mustard or ketchup instead of mayonnaise and creamy dressings.
- Whenever possible, order foods made of wheat or whole grain instead of refined flour and brown rice instead of white rice.
- If your children enjoy Chinese foods, choose healthy options like steamed vegetable or chicken dumplings.
- Go for the right soups like hot and sour soup, bean, vegetable, mushroom, barley or pea soup. They are all filling and nutritious.
- Milk shakes or ice cream shakes are calorie bombs. They usually have as many calories and fat as a whole meal! If your child insists on having them, get a small one as dessert.
- Choose frozen yoghurt over hard ice cream with added toppings. They add extra calories and fat.
- Select unbuttered popcorn or baked chips instead of nachos or fried chips. Look for trail mix, nuts and seed mix.
- Buy single-size servings for your child, so there is no temptation to eat more than a serving.