Studies show that forty percent dollars spent on food away from home is spent at fast food chains.  That's a lot of hungry people in a hurry.  The easiest meal you get at a fast food chain is dangerously high in fat and blatantly low in fruits, fiber and vegetables as well as the low nutrients they bring.  It will take effort and knowledge on your part to know what to choose or not to choose.  Kids think that any foods that taste good separately will taste good together, but you know it is not always the case.

Fast Food From Your Home

According to a famous fast food exporter, back home you have a far healthier meal seconds away from being on the table that's because you have stocked up a "fast food" pantry in your freezer and refrigerator.  Family members can construct their own dinners from the items you have provided.  See to it that the entire meal is based on simple, basic, high-quality foods with little or no preparation on your part and it offers nutrients rich foods to your kids. 

Furthermore he share some quick dinner ideas which may fit your traditional concept of dinners and it's up for you to choose.

1) Try adding a can of tuna, raisins, sunflower seeds, sprouts, shredded cheese, leftover rice, canned peas, leftover cooked broccoli bits.  Serve with loaf of fresh-baked bread from the bakery.  You can plan to bake muffins too.  Kids are great in mixing up muffins.

2) Pancakes made from whole-grain, canned apple sauce, milk and store-bought mix.

3) Microwave tortillas filled with shredded cheese and canned beans and salsa.  Serve with oranges and green-pepper strips.

4) Grilled boneless chicken breast brushed with Italian salad dressing, cooked vegetables and rice.

5) Homemade pizza.  Buy ready-to use crusts in supermarkets.  You can control the amount and type of cheese that goes on top (to get rid of too much fat, use a little of low-fat variety).  Go heavy on the veggie toppings like onions, tomato sauce and green peppers.

6) High-quality frozen yogurt, low-fat cookies and fresh fruits is a healthy dessert.

Well-stocked "fast food" pantry. 

You can be more creative on the weekends if you like to cook.  From a foremost fast food exporter, here are some suggestions for a well-stocked "fast food" pantry:

• Lots of fresh vegetables: Always have a green peppers, cucumbers, onions, carrots, celery and lettuce.

• Lots of fresh fruits:  always have apples, grapes, bananas and oranges.  Add seasonal fruit like cherries, pears, melons and peaches.

• Canned beans like chick peas, refried beans and black beans
• Tortilla, tuna and salmon (canned)
• Seasonings like mustard, soy sauce, and mayonnaise
• Potatoes (can be cooked quickly in the microwave)
• Bread, instant oatmeal, and variety of ready to eat cereal
• Muffin mixes
• Pasta, pasta sauce, tomato sauce for pizza and peanut butter
• Eggs (hard boil some on the weekend to have for use as lunch or breakfast during weekends)
• 100 percent juices, in juice packs or in bottles

Healthy Fast Food Choices

There are those times when the only things in sight are the gas station and the fast food lane.  Hunger is intense, those healthy snacks you packed where finished off two stops back and home is hundred miles away.  If you want to minimize the short-term damage, some choices are better than others.  According to dieticians skip the cheese on the burgers, go for smaller size. (it means skip the double burger and the super size), hold the sauce (since they tend to be full of fat), go for grilled food not the fried, to drink ask for ice water or low-fat milk.  You can choose low-fat muffins, grilled chicken sandwich, plain baked potatoes, fresh salad or roast turkey.  If you are in a large city, look around for a bagel shop where low-fat choice are easy to come by and vegetables that are usually available to stack on the sandwich.

Source:

Anonymous, "Healthy Fast Foods."  Health & Fitness July 2005