Guide to Healthy Fast-Food Eating. Hope S. Warshaw

have a few willing dining partners in your midst.

      

Meat (protein) is front and center. A primary focus of the American diner is summed up in the catchphrase “Where’s the beef?” Whether it is fish, chicken, or beef, the “meat” or main source of protein often takes center stage, particularly in restaurant meals. For example, a portion of red meat in table service restaurants is often 8 oz or more cooked. (It’s easier to order just-right portions of meats in fast-food restaurants by sticking with those small portions.) A chicken breast is often a whole chicken breast. A goal to eat healthier is to think about moving meat from front and center to the side where the portion takes up only one-quarter of your plate. Fill about half of the rest of your plate with vegetables and the other quarter with whole-grain starches. Yes, a goal to strive for, but not easy to do with restaurant meals!