If you’re like most people, you’ve eaten at Wendy’s, McDonalds, Burger King, and other fast-food restaurants plenty of times. Restaurants like these are known for serving “fast food” and yet often they are not fast at all. Think about it. The last time you went to a fast-food restaurant, how much time did you spend driving and waiting in line? Or if you placed an order with DoorDash or Uber Eats, how long did it take to arrive? Probably it wasn’t any faster than it would have been had you prepared your own meal.
Even more of a concern, fast food tends to be high in fat, sugar and calories and low in fiber and nutrients. When consumed in excess, these foods can lead to overweight and obesity, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other health risks.
With a little planning and not much effort, you can prepare yourself a delicious weight-conscious meal that is much healthier than anything you could get at a fast-food restaurant.
Homemade Healthy Hamburgers – healthy, quick and easy.
These premium chicken burgers take just 10 minutes to cook and can be grilled, pan-fried, or air-fried. Keep things classic with hamburger buns, slices of tomato, red onion, and lettuce. Serve with a tossed green salad or any veggies you prefer. Keep it simple and quick with frozen veggies – lightly steam or microwave and season with olive oil, fresh squeezed lemon juice, grated parmesan, black pepper or other spices.
If you have a bit more prep time, check out these Bruschetta Burgers. Very delicious!
Meanwhile, if you find yourself in a fast-food restaurant, use these strategies to make healthier choices and stay on track with managing your weight.
- Choose a single burger rather than a double or triple – and ask for extra lettuce, tomato, onions.
- Opt for a small-size French fries or, better yet, skip them all together.
- Drink water instead of regular or diet soda.
- Add a vegetable salad to your meal but be wary of the high fat, high sodium dressings.
- Skip dessert unless fruit is an option.
Lorraine Matthews-Antosiewicz, MS, RD
PS –
Summer is the perfect time to re-focus on taking care of yourself. Let’s talk about how we can work together so you can improve your health and fitness, achieve your personal best weight, and maintain it with ease. NO MORE DIETING.
Message me or call 732-494-1149. Let’s start with a conversation.
