Keep portion sizes small
If the fast-food restaurant offers several sandwich sizes, pick the smallest. Bypass hamburgers with two or three beef patties, which can be close to 800 calories. Choose instead a regular- or children's-sized hamburger, which has about 250 calories. And skip the large serving of french fries and ask for a small serving instead. This switch alone can save 200 calories.
Choose healthier side dishes
Take advantage of the healthy side dishes offered at many fast-food restaurants. For example, instead of french fries choose a side salad with low-fat dressing or a baked potato. Or add a fruit bowl or a fruit and yogurt option to your meal.
Other healthy choices include apple or orange slices, corn on the cob, steamed rice, or baked potato chips.