Order Smart at Fast-Food Spots

Quick Win

The devil’s in the details when it comes to ordering at fast-food restaurants. Use these guidelines to help you make better choices.

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• Tailor your toppings. A burger may come with cheese, mayo and other calorie-laden ingredients. Ask for sauces on the side or swap them out for less caloric options, like mustard and pickles. 
• Know the buzzwords. When you see terms like “crispy,” “battered” and “stuffed” on a menu, they typically translate to “high in fat and calories.”
• Be smart with beverages. Skip the sweet tea and soda, which may contain 40 and 77 grams of sugar, respectively. (That’s more than the American Heart Association’s recommended limit for an entire day.) Order water or unsweetened iced tea instead.
• Pick grilled over fried. Choose a grilled chicken sandwich instead of a fried one, which can be loaded with unhealthy fats.
• Be smart about sides‚ even salads.  Avoid french fries and other deep-fried sides in favor of healthier options. If you order a salad, watch out for high-calorie toppings and dressings.
• Consider a lettuce wrap. Typical burger buns are high in calories and low in nutrients.

Why 

Understanding how to make healthy choices at fast-food restaurants is important, given that more than a third of U.S. adults eat fast food on a given day, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That can spell bad news for health. Compared with food cooked at home, fast food is higher in calories, fat and sodium, according to a 2018 report from the USDA — and frequent consumption is associated with a higher risk of early death, according to a 2016 report in Public Health Nutrition.