Truth be told. We all ADORE fast food. We shove the ‘its-unhealthy‘ thoughts while ordering the mouth watering noodles and relishing all those colorful shakes. ‘Some indulgence is fair enough‘, ‘I can compensate with a little more treadmill time tomorrow‘ or may be ‘I freakin’ don’t have any time to spare for cooking‘ – We tell ourselves. And later next morning, we’ll swear not to get flown away with desires. But, does that happen??

So, when we can’t resist those guilty pleasures, we sure can make them a little less guilty inducing. I mean, there are EASY ways to make Fast Food Healthy. Sounds great?! Let’s see how.

SIZE UP THE PORTION

Asking for a custom size or topping is time consuming and we generally tend to avoid that. Many restaurants assume you want more food for the same price. So, next time when you order fast food, make sure your portion hasn’t been super-sized without you realizing. If unsure, ask for a regular or medium size.

Some of these ways are also listed under 29 Smart Eating Habits Of The Super Fit People, you might wanna enjoy reading.

HALF AT A TIME

Pre-made sandwiches in supermarkets are often designed for the hungriest people. Be aware of how much you eat by serving yourself one half at a time and only starting the second half if you are hungry.

AVOID UNREFINED

Subjecting foods to processing and refining, often at high temperatures, is a very effective way of robbing them of any nutritional value they might have originally possessed. Some processed foods have added vitamins in but others have none at all. So, it’s best to avoid them.

TAKE IT AWAY

When stuck with a choice of ordering a take away and eating in restaurant, always go for a take-away meal. Studies show that, people tend to consume more food when not eating at their own table (household dining). Plus, you also have the option of providing a healthier side dish such as fruit or vegetables.

DELI- BELLY

If you’re heading out for fast food, choose the deli-style shops and counters rather than pre-made options. Staff are more likely to take into account your requests to make your choice healthier, such as reducing butter or mayonnaise, and they’re usually made with fresher ingredients.

You can pick up few tips and tweaks to make your meal even healthier and tastier: 15 Awesome Nutritional Guidelines To Make Your Meal Tastier

BUN OFF

If you’re eating out at a burger joint, reduce the amount or refined carbohydrates and calories in your meal by removing the top half of your burger bun and eating it with a knife and fork. ask for a salad rather than fries, but keep the cheese and tomato.

CHOP THE CHINESE

Next time you reach for the phone to order that Chinese takeaway meal, be aware that the average take-away contains a whopping 1000 calories, which means it’s likely to be around half of your daily intake. And that’s before pudding!

A SHAKY CHOICE

Milk shakes might sound like a healthy option, and they are if you make them at home with skimmed or semi-skimmed milk and fresh fruit. However, in restaurants they are usually made with full fat milk, sugary fruit syrup and flavorings – in which case they’re not a good choice. Far better to lime water or a smoothie if they’re on offer.

LIGHTER OPTION

Most fast-food establishments now offer healthier menu options such as soups. salads, sushi, chicken sandwiches and non -meat hamburgers. Choose these lighter options if you’re in a rush and need to buy something to eat on the go. Here, I suggest you read: 6 Healthy Burgers You Must Try

VEGGIE BURGER SUBSTITUTE

Next time you’re tempted by a burger — which is high in saturated fat as well as salt, and may not be made from good-quality meat – order a vegetarian version instead. With the same sauces, its often hard to taste the difference, and it’s much better for you.

DON’T CUT THE MUSTARD

Choose mustard instead of mayonnaise on restaurant or fast food meals to cut calories by reducing fat. If your fast food option is pre-made with lots of mayonnaise, get the same effect by scraping off the excess.

GRILL YOUR BIRD

Chicken is a great source of protein but it’s not always the healthiest menu choice. Make sure you choose grilled chicken pieces rather than those which are fried or breaded, and don’t go for food like nuggets, unless you are sure they’re made with real chicken meat.

BEWARE OF BIG

In recent years, the portion size of salty snacks like crisps has increased by 93 calories, soft drinks by 49 calories and chips by 68 calories! Consequently, you’re getting more than you used to even if you order the same thing. Check the labels when you’re choosing unhealthy snacks.

For more healthy snacking ideas, read: 17 Healthy Snacking Ideas That Work For Everyone

CURRY’S FINE

Don’t think you can’t have a curry on your healthy eating plan. Curries can be fattening but, there are ways around it. Simply choose plain boiled rice over fried, and opt for dry meats like tandoori, instead of those with creamy sauces. Add a vegetable dish like lentil soup instead of oily bread.

FISHY FRIDAYS

One of the UK’s favorite take-away meals is fish and chips – far from being banned from healthy-eating lists, its much better news than many Chinese or Indian alternatives. To make it healthy, go small on chips or remove them altogether, and replace with a salad at home.

So, this is how you can have a healthy and happy ‘fast’ meal:

Look for healthy replacements while ordering like mustard sauce, salad, etc. ( 11 Snack Swaps To Cut Down 500 Calories a Day )

) Go for take-away meals instead of eating at the restaurant.

Try to get a custom portion made for you as per your preferences.

Avoid Chinese and fish.

Go vegetarian!

For more such healthy habits, read: 7 Healthy Habits You Might Have Missed