With a plan, eating out can be nutritious and tasty. The goals for good nutrition still apply when eating away from home. Consider the following choices for meat, vegetables, beverages and dessert.

• Fast foods tend to be high in fat, salt and calories. You can encourage your family to make wise food selections. Extra meat and sauces add up to three times the calories and fat. Choose a small roast beef sandwich or a small hamburger. Limit big burgers and tacos with names like "Super," "Double" or "Triple." Pass up or request smaller amounts of the high-fat toppings. Examples are bacon, mayonnaise, extra cheese and special sauces. Instead, add lettuce, tomatoes and mushrooms to dress up your low-fat burger.



• Order your baked potato plain. Choose toppings such as low-fat sour cream or cottage cheese. These are slightly better choices than butter, margarine or regular cheeses. Flavor your potato with herbs like garlic. Add herbs like cilantro to your burrito. Select a small portion of french-fries if you order them. Try steamed instead of fried rice.



• Excellent thirst quenchers are available. Choose low-fat milk, juice, diet sodas, low-fat shakes, water or flavored water. For dessert, try low-fat frozen yogurt. Fresh fruit with low-fat topping satisfies a sweet tooth.

Teach youth to make wise food selections when away from home. Habits learned at a young age can result in a lifetime of healthy eating. At buffets, help children select broiled meats, grilled or baked fish, baked chicken and steamed vegetables. Young children tend to enjoy moist foods that are easy to chew, like casseroles, meat loaf or macaroni and cheese. They will like a thin-crust pizza topped with lots of vegetables, and it is low in fat.

Finally, fast food restaurants often provide nutritional analysis of their menu items. Look at the contents of your favorite foods and create ways to reduce calories. Eating out can be fun, tasty and nutritious.

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