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Fast food Healthy Choices
If you are looking for a healthy way to still eat at fast food chains, there are still some options. A lot of these restaurants like Hardee’s, McDonald’s, or Arby’s, are all filled with many deep-fried items like French fries, chicken nuggets, or cheese sticks. As well, many of these restaurants offer salads. Not only do they offer just salads, places like McDonald’s offers other healthy options.

If you’re wanting a salad, try to avoid dressings high in saturated fat like Ranch Dressing and aim for something like Italian or balsamic vinaigrette, or just follow everything in moderation advice. You can get a grilled chicken salad, fruit n yogurt parfait, or a fruit smoothie from McDonald’s which seems like a pretty big meal which is nutritious and lower in calorie than a hamburger or a deep fried chicken sandwich. If you want a burger, you can make it a little bit healthier by swapping the bun out for a lettuce bun.

Taco Bell has options such as the power menu items which are full of avocado, beans, lettuce, and meat. Avocado and guacamole are very healthy for their healthy fat content. Beans have protein and fiber. You can get a lot at taco bell, the only risks are the excessive wraps or bread that are low in nutritional value but high in calories. Taco bell can be a good restaurant to incorporate every now and then to help healthy eating easier. A good restaurant could be Captain D’s or Long John Silvers, they offered grilled fish with vegetables on the side. This is a very light meal but can also get pricey.

It can be hard to find something due to the high sodium content many fast food restaurants put in their food. Arby’s may have a great source of protein for people who are into weightlifting by offering roast beef in a bowl, up to 1lb! But the amount of sodium can be bad for those with hypertension. When it comes to finding healthy fast food options, look for things that are grilled like chicken or steak, avoid deep friend items like sugar or fries. Dressings can also turn your salad into a very fattening meal. A lot of the fast food meals offered contain lots of sodium, so the main items you’re looking for in a healthy option from fast food include grilled meats, greens, fruit, yogurt, avocado, and beans.

Sit-In Restaurants Healthy Choices
Eating out for dinner in America has almost become a part of many Americans daily routines. As we become more aware of how important it is to incorporate healthy food choices into our diets, many restaurants are adapting and offering healthy choices. Many restaurants now have healthier menu options set aside in a new section on their menus. The real discussion is how do you know what is healthy and are these healthy options really what they say they are.

You can find healthy foods at almost any restaurant. The trick is to know what the restaurant offers before you go and get tempted by enticing menu descriptions. Many restaurants have their menus online and most have the nutrition information readily available. You will be able to choose the destination with the healthiest options, and go into the restaurant ready to order the best meal and ask for substitutions where necessary.

The way a meal is described on the menu can give you clues to how nutritious it will be. Look for words including "grilled," "broiled" or "steamed," meaning the food is prepared with less fat, and avoid dishes with descriptions such as "fried," "breaded," "smothered," "alfredo," "rich" and "creamy" as these all imply the addition of unhealthy saturated fats and unhealthy cooking methods. This is a great way of avoided unhealthy menu options because almost all menus use these words to lure you into ordering these options.

Do not be afraid to ask your server to help you substitute unhealthy options for better, more nutritious ones. For example, you could ask for a salad in place of the French fries or chips with a meal. You can also ask for items to be prepared with less oil or cheese, ask the server to take away the breadbasket and serve salad with dressing on the side, and request a lunch portion of a main meal. Focus on what healthy items you can add to your plate instead of only what foods to avoid. Look for whole-grain breads, pastas and sides. Go for foods with healthy fats such as olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds. Be sure to order fruits and veggies; and go for lean meat such as, turkey, chicken or fish instead of fried meats. Another simple way to make your meal healthy is to drink water, avoiding sugary drinks is an easy way to avoid unnecessary calories.

Beware of the low-carb, low-fat options. Restaurant chains have jumped on the low-carb, low-fat bandwagon, offering numerous options on their menu. Low-carb or low fat does not always mean low-calorie or even mean it is healthy. They often will add in other unhealthy ingredients to make up for the lack carbs or fat to make the meal taste good. This is a trap many people fall in; carbs and fat are vilified when in reality it is better to have a balance of both healthy fats and carbs to truly have a healthy diet.

Hospital Healthy Choices
Heathy menu selection is a vital component for the treatment of patients in health care facilities in which I work to execute daily. As a cook for Morrison healthcare foodservice I am committed to providing my very best to every meal, every customer, every day. I am a part of a massive team network that includes over 300 registered dieticians, 1,200 chefs and 17,00 professional foodservice members, and we all believe in the power of food that heals, rejuvenates, and comforts.

Heathy menu selection within the heath care facility begins with understanding the unique conditions of the patients within the facility, along with RDI`s. RDI`s is the core principals of which menu development begins in any health care facility. Recommended daily intake (RDI) are levels of a nutrient that in considered to be sufficient to meet the requirements of 97-98% of healthy individuals in every demographic in the united states. However, knowing patients who have been admitted into a heath care facility are not always the healthiest, we must make proper adjustments to our menus in order to accommodate for each patients’ condition. With the understanding of how much of each nutrient is recommended daily we can now begin to develop our healthy menu. The USDA Food Guide and the dietary approaches to stopping hypertension (DASH) will also be the basis for the recipe selections of a healthy menu. Following these appropriate dietary guidelines which encompass two primary concepts; Maintain calorie balance over time to achieve and sustain a healthy weight, and focus on consuming nutrient-dense foods and beverages within basic food groups while controlling calorie and sodium intake, allows menus to be feasible for all Americans, healthy and those mentioned earlier who have increased risk of chronic disease.

Recommended daily intake takes in consideration patients’ weight, height, physical activity, and body mass index (BMI). Planning healthy menus with RDI`s include: Recommended estimated daily amounts of calories needed to maintain energy in females age 4-51+ ranges from 1,200- 2,200 per day, and males age 4-51+ ranges from 1,200-2,800 per day. These recommended calculated energy intakes come from both macro and micro nutritional factors. Macro nutritional factors include water, Carbohydrate, Fibers, Fatty acids Linoleic (omega-6) α-Linolenic (omega-3), Proteins. Daily total water intake including all water contained in food, beverages, and drinking water for females ages 9-70+ ranges from 2.1L/d-2.7L/d and males ages 9-70+ ranges from 2.4L/d-3.8L/d. The recommended estimated daily total carbohydrates in females and males ages 9-70+ is 130g/d. The recommended estimated daily total fiber for females ages 9-70+ ranges between 21-26g/d, males ages 9-70+ range between 30-38g/d. The recommended estimated daily total for fats are split into two fatty acid groups, Linoleic (omega-6) In females ranges between 10-12g/d and males 12-17g/d, and α-Linolenic (omega-3) for females ages 9-70+ ranges between 1.0-1.1g/d and males ages 9-70+ ranges between 1.2-1.6g/d. The recommended estimated total daily protein for females ages 9-70+ ranges between 34-46g/d and for men 9-70+ ranges between 34-56g/d. There are many micronutrients that are factor into menu development also including both vitamins and minerals.

Modifications are made for patients who are not accurately accommodated by a regular diet such as patients who require higher calorie intake. Other alternate diets make modifications for patients who has difficulty chewing or swallowing, also for patients who have esophageal inflammation or varices. These diets are known as mechanical soft diets, and pureed diet. Modifications in menu selections also takes account for vegetarians and vegans. Although we

must make Modifications to satisfy Patients within the health care facility, RDI`s and the USDA Food Guide and the dietary approaches to stopping hypertension (DASH) will always be the basis for the recipe selections of a healthy menu of health care facilities.

School Lunch Healthy Choices
School lunches are not always the healthiest due to funding. Tight budgets make it hard to provide healthy options. Luckily the USDA Foods Program provides agricultural products to schools for free. There is also the School Milk Program that helps fund the dairy products in school. According to MyPlate, it is best that we drink 8oz of milk with every meal. A lot of students do not get their 9 essential vitamins that they are supposed to, so providing the dairy options at school is helping them do so.

Healthy food options at schools are of great importance. It helps students learn and concentrate. It is better for their overall health and there has even be a correlation with better behavior in students. According to The New England Journal of Medicine, most 2 year-olds in America will experience obesity by the time they turn 35. Taking control of school lunch programs and doing the best to make them healthy is a key factor in efforts of reducing obesity numbers in children. Another focal point is that if children are provided with these healthy options at school they will create better eating patters that will set them up for better habits for home and for the future as well.

Schools are required to offer fruit daily. They must offer fruit at breakfast and lunch. Vegetables are also required to be offered at lunch. Students must accept a fruit or vegetable on their tray with each meal. Sodium levels must be reduced and the amount of whole grains must be increased. As beneficial as milk is for our essential vitamin intake, we also have to consider the fat content. That said, only fat-free or low-fat milk varieties are offered. Calories have to be taken into consideration. There has to be limits on calories for each meal served. There are no trans fats allowed!

Believe it or not, kids who eat a school lunch are more likely to have a healthier, well balanced meal than those who bring lunch from home. School meal nutrition standards are having a positive impact on student food selections. Very few packed lunches from home meet the National School Lunch Program standards.

These healthy menu options for kids are provided every day, twice a day. Not only are schools constantly working on ways to make them healthier, they are working on ways to make them more affordable. Some children get very little food at home and whatever food they do receive, may be of poor nutritional quality. Children experiencing hunger are more likely to be absent, tardy, or act out. They have lower math scores and poorer grades.

School lunch programs are meant to provide the vitamins and minerals needed for children the thrive. With current and ongoing updates, school lunches are providing students with more protein, fiber, vitamin A, and calcium than the ordinary lunches in the past and the lunches being brought in from home.