Showing posts with label food and nutrition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food and nutrition. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 26, 2021

Dining Out: Healthy Choices for Kids at Tim Hortons

Where we live, there are Tim Hortons everywhere. Nearly on every street corner. It's inevitable that we end up stopping there, and typically more than I'd like. But when you're on the go and you have kids and you want coffee...well, sometimes you just end up where you end up. And now the kids want something too.

Luckily, Tim Hortons is far more than donuts and coffee these days. They have sandwiches and wraps which can easily satisfy the young ones. Try to steer your kids away from that Ice Cap they want and skip the donuts. If the kids want a bite of something sweet, a Timbit will do. Less calories, less sugar.

Sandwiches are good. The whole wheat option for breads is ideal, but don't get the soups. They're really high in sodium.

Order

The toasted chicken club is a good choice. It's tasty and kids seem to love it. Add an apply juice and just 3 honey-dipped Timbits and you only have 680 calories. For a sandwich and a handful of tiny donuts, that's a really good number. And the kids will happily eat it up.

Don't Order

Again, skip that Ice Cap. If you get an Ice Cap, a chocolate chunk cookie, and a BLT sandwich, you're up to 900 calories and over 1100 mg of sodium. There's also 17 g of saturated fat. That's a lot of salt and fat and they won't be any happier with the meal. 

Monday, January 26, 2015

Dining Out: Healthy Choices for Kids at Pizza Hut

My two boys love Pizza Hut. My oldest, in fact, saves up his money to treat himself as often as I allow. The gooey cheese that everyone loves is unfortunately a source of naturally occurring trans fats, so that's not all good. The "Eat Well" (it might be called something else in your area) menu, however, has plenty of options that limit or eliminate trans fats, get the fiber up, and lower the calories. You just have to watch what your little ones order.

Order

Try to get your kids to enjoy the delightful Margherita pizza. It's delicious enough for everyone, so perhaps order one pizza for everyone to share. Two slices of this paired with a side salad (try the raspberry dressing; it's excellent) and you have only 480 calories. Not bad for a Pizza Hut lunch. If you can convince your kids to have a glass of water, all the better, but a glass of juice doesn't add too much to the calorie count.

Don't Order

That pepperoni personal pan pizza might be tasty, but it's not all that healthy. If you add a side Caesar salad (with the dressing, of course) and an Orange Crush to drink, you're up to a whopping 1269 calories with 50g of fat. That's a little much for a single meal, so try to get your kids to look elsewhere on the menu. Their health will thank you for it.

Monday, January 19, 2015

Dining Out: Healthy Choices for Kids at McDonald's

Let's face it, modern families are busy and just about all of us end up eating out once in a while. If we're in a rush, fast food joints may be the only places that fit our schedules and our kids' finicky appetites.

Love it or hate it, most of us end up stopping at McDonald's with our children, but even though it may not be our first choice there are still choices available for the health conscious parent. This chain has taken most of the trans fats out of their fries, reduced the sodium in many foods, and now offers milk, apple slices, and even yogurt.

Order

Happy Meals are a big thing for kids, and they used to be pretty darned unhealthy. Today, however, there is more variety. Consider a Grilled Chicken Snack Wrap, apple slices, and a milk to drink. Even a chocolate milk if your child prefers. And they still get the toy. This combo has approximately 450 calories, 690 mg of sodium, and 12 g fat. While this may not be ideal, it's not terrible.

Don't Order

I have nothing against chicken nuggets and fries, and one of my sons really loves them, but if you're looking the healthiest option, pass on this Happy Meal combo. If you add a small Fruitopia to the mix you end up with approximately 600 calories, 640 mg of sodium, and 25 g fat. Another option is probably best.

Stopping at a fast food place such as McDonald's isn't all that bad if you're careful and discerning. If your children do prefer the less healthy options, limit the number of times they're allowed to choose the nuggets or cheeseburger.