Shocking Stats About Fast Food
Do you know how many pounds of sugar your family can avoid consuming if you cut out one sugary beverage a day? How about how many calories you can cut if you replace that large order of French fries with a small order? The good news is that many fast food restaurants now offer healthier options, so you can eat better while on the go.
Making healthy substitutions on a daily basis will improve your family’s health. You are your child’s biggest role model, so the best way to encourage your kids to make healthy substitutions at fast-food restaurants is to lead by example.
In this article:
What to eliminate
By eliminating one 20-ounce soda a day, your child will avoid consuming almost 61 pounds of sugar over a year.
If your family loves soda or other sweetened drinks, try this step-down method:
- If you typically order/pour large drinks, switch to medium or small.
- Rather than refills, get water for round two.
What to replace
Selecting a small order of fries instead of a large order of fries once a week will cut 14,040 calories over a year.
If fries are a must for your family, order a large and share.
What to choose
Choosing fruit as your child’s side instead of a large order of fries once per week will cut out 25,220 calories a year.
Most fast food restaurants now offer a few healthy options, such as apple slices and side salads, but watch the dressing as that can pack on the sugar.
What to swap
Three times per week, swap that morning glass of fruit juice with a fresh piece of fruit and avoid consuming around 468 teaspoons of sugar a year, plus you’ll get fiber from the whole fruit, too.
Frozen fruit is just as healthy as fresh and in some cases may be less expensive.
