Children are unpredictable, that’s the understatement of the year. When it comes to nutrition you never know when they are going to be hungry or in need of a snack. When traveling, parents with kids who can be hungry at any minute see fast-food restaurants as an easy way out. Even though many fast-food establishments have improved nutritionally, multiple trips to these places show an increase in added sugar, saturated fat, sodium, and calories to your child’s diet. However, there are ways that you and your kids can make these tempting food places still enjoyable for children and teenagers. Here are 4 easy steps to make eating healthy, traveling, and hungry kids easier to manage.
What are you drinking?
Almost all fast-food restaurants have a variety of coffee drinks and carbonated sodas. Stay away from regular-sized or larger size beverages if you do decide to let your kids enjoy those kinds of drinks. Instead, choose water or milk as a refreshing drink for a more appropriate option.
Portion control is key.
Bigger is not always better, especially for children and food. Kids like French fries, most people do. Encourage kids to split these kinds of side dishes or tell them that they can get the kid-sized food or drink option. By doing this, you can take control and cut your kids’ caloric intake in half. By setting the standard for fast food options kids can still enjoy fast food as a treat but do so in a healthier way.
Knowledge is power.
When you do decide to choose fast food as an option, it is essential to know what nutritional foods are on the menu. Planning ahead of a trip or a sporting event and knowing which restaurant you are going to can help aid in the decision-making process for healthier options. If you cannot find nutritional values on their physical menu it can always be found online. Also, it is okay to take your time while ordering to make sure you find the best meal for your child. Some healthy options could be chicken salad, grilled meat items, low-fat yogurt, low-fat milk, wraps, fruit cups, and many more.
Pack the Snacks!
If you buy and store quick snacks in your car this can help prevent going through the drive-thru. Having your kid's favorite snacks available makes any trip easier and healthier. For long trips, a cooler can be packed to help store food that needs to be chilled like fresh fruits and vegetables. Easy items to pack can be nuts, dried fruit, crackers, low-fat yogurt, or any other single-serving snack.
Hungry kids and drive-thru quick meals are needed at times. We have all been there and done that! Hopefully keeping fast food to a minimum and empowering kids to make good food choices can lead to healthier lifestyles
Source: https://www.eatright.org/food/planning/away-from-home/happier-meals-for-kids-at-the-drive-thru
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