| Don't think that by ordering a kids meal | | | | and a slushie. There are healthy |
| at a fast food restaurant because it's | | | | choices, but parents have to reall be |
| smaller will save you on salt and | | | | aware of the true amount of calories and |
| calories - it won't. | | | | salt that the foods contain. The report |
| On Monday, August 11, a non profit | | | | also found that 45 percent of children's |
| public health group released a study | | | | meals exceed recommendations for |
| highlighting kids fast food choices. | | | | saturated and trans fat, which can raise |
| Over all, parents are left with very few | | | | blood cholesterol levels and increase |
| healthy choices. All the kids meals at | | | | the risk of heart disease, and 86 |
| Taco Bell, Jack in the Box, Sonic, | | | | percent of children's meals are high in |
| Kentucky Fried Chicken,and Chick-fil-A | | | | sodium. |
| are too high in calories, says the | | | | Applebee's, TGIFriday's, Outback |
| Center for Science in the Public | | | | Steakhouse, Olive Garden, Red Lobster |
| Interest. Fast food restaurants are | | | | and IHOP, weren't included in the report |
| included. | | | | because they do not disclose nutrition |
| Examining the nutritional content of | | | | information about their meals even when |
| kids meals at 13 major restaurant | | | | asked, the center said. Wendy's, Arby's, |
| chains, the center found 93 percent of | | | | Dairy Queen, and Denny's were also in |
| 1,474 possible choices at the 13 chains | | | | the report. |
| exceed 430 calories - an amount that is | | | | The report recommends that all |
| one-third of what the National Institute | | | | restaurants start including more fruit |
| of Medicine recommends that children | | | | and vegetables,whole grain foods, and |
| ages 4 through 8 should consume in a | | | | reformulate all meals to have fewer |
| day. | | | | calories, saturated and trans fat, and |
| For example, Chili's Bar and Grill, | | | | salt, with choices like fruit and |
| including Chili's, has 700 possible | | | | vegetables and low fat milk the default |
| kids' meal combinations, but 94 percent, | | | | sides instead of French Fries and soda. |
| or 658, of those are too high in | | | | It was suggested that restaurants add |
| calories. One Chili's meal composed of | | | | nutrition information on boards and on |
| country-fried chicken crispers, cinnamon | | | | menus. Few cities have started labeling |
| apples and chocolate milk contained | | | | menus with nutrition information - New |
| 1,020 calories, while another composed | | | | York and San Francisco are among them. |
| of cheese pizza, homestyle fries, and | | | | Hopefully Fast Food Restaurants will |
| lemonade contained 1,000 calories. | | | | follow suit. |
| The "Big Kid's" Meal at Burger King has | | | | Zach Hunt is a Fast Food expert, |
| a double cheeseburger, fries, and | | | | personal trainer and owner of Physzique, |
| chocolate milk at 910 calories, and | | | | a fitness coaching service in Spokane, |
| Sonic's have a "Wacky Pack" with 830 | | | | WA. Go here: Personal Training in |
| calories worth of grilled cheese, fries, | | | | Spokane for more fitness tips. |