Managing Hunger Pangs
So, your child loves fast food? Most kids and teenagers do. Accept that your kids will like these foods – banning them will only increase the appeal of chips and the like. Instead, give burgers, pizza and cutlets/sandwiches a healthy boost with fresh ingredients such as whole grain cereals, vegetables and low-fat dairy products. By the way, there are also some low-fat and nutritious alternatives that kids may enjoy eating. Here are a few examples.
Fast Food – checklist
As the name implies, fast food is food that can be prepared and eaten quickly. It comes in many forms: from hamburgers to hot dogs, pizzas to kebabs, not forgetting sandwiches, cutlets and chips. Not all fast foods are necessarily high in fat and low on nutrition. However, fast food chains and take-away outlets tend to offer products that are higher in fat and less well-balanced. If you choose dishes that include the following, you can rest assured that you've made the right choice:
• low-fat
• a cereal product, wholegrain or multi-grain preferably
• fruit or/and vegetables
• a low-fat dairy product
That's one way to boost the goodness in fast food!
What sounds good in theory often doesn't work in practice. Kids can rarely be convinced by being told something is "good for them". If you put pressure on them, you generally get nowhere. It's best to lead by example. With the tips in our table, you can add your own healthy zing to everyone's favourite fast foods. But be careful. Fast foods should only be eaten now and then.
| Fast food / profile | Comments / tips |
|---|---|
|
Hamburgers |
A plain hamburger from a fast-food restaurant contains an average of 9g of fat. Eat it with salad or a dairy product. That will increase the overall nutritional content of the meal. Tip: make it yourself and put the burger in a wholegrain crispy bun, instead of a fluffy white roll. Eat it with salad, fruit or a low-fat dairy product. |
|
Pepperoni pizza |
Everybody loves pepperoni pizza. But with more than 25g of fat per portion, its fat content is very high. Most of this comes from the pepperoni coating. Why not add variety to a pizza with some vegetables? Even better, make your own pizza – use thin wheat crust if possible. Get your kids to put their own toppings on. Put out some small bowls containing grated cheese, tomato sauce and different types of vegetables, such as tomatoes, peppers or mushrooms. |
|
Cutlets and chips |
Because potatoes absorb a lot of fat when they're fried and because a lot of fat is used in the production of fried foods like cutlets. Cutlets and chips are generally loaded with calories and fat. Tip: as an alternative, we recommend hot dogs and thick cut home-made chips or low-fat oven chips instead. Serve with salad with a low-fat yoghurt dressing and fresh fruit for dessert, . |
|
Noodles and pastas |
Snacks like noodles MAGGI VEGETABLE ATTA Noodles, MAGGI MULTIGRAINZ Noodles and pastas are everyone’s favourite. Opt for wheat based noodles and add vegetables, paneer etc to it to make it more nutritious for the children. |
Fast food is not just for kids
If you're in a hurry, you can find perfectly acceptable fast food in your local bakery, or take-away. Or you can prepare fast food for yourself and your kids at home. Here are a few tips:
• Mixed salad with lots of vegetables, fruits with low fat yoghurt dressings or or eggs
• Vegetables dishes and stews with a small amount of sauce
• Wholegrain pasta, brown rice or potato dishes with low-fat sauces
• Soups and stews like MAGGI HEALTHY Soups
• Homemade kebabs and cutlets or multi-grain bread with plenty of fresh vegetables, low-fat meat such as chicken,and a low-fat yoghurt dressing or, low-fat homemade paneer, cheese, lean meats etc.