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A Brief History of Fast Food• 1876: Harvey Houses• 1921: White Castle• 1940: McDonald’s• 1954: Burger King and Taco Bell• 1965: Subway• 1969: Wendy’s

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History of the Drive-Thru• Started in the 1930s• Speaker systems hit the scene in the 1950s• Double drive-thru debuted in the 1980s

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Consistency: The Hallmark of Fast Food• Restaurants look alike and food tastes the same– Food is mass produced in a factory, then frozen– Cooks use kitchen equipment

reheat and cook the food for a specified time

– Employees follow same instructions for predictable customer experience

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Pros to Eating Fast Food• Low Cost– Many inexpensive meal options

• Speed– Your order is ready in minutes

• Variety– You can get any kind

of food at anytime

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Cons to Eating Fast Food:• Fast food can be high in:– Fat–Carbohydrates– Sodium (Salt)–Cholesterol

• Healthy choices hard to find

• Can lead to health problems

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Fast Food: What To Watch• Super-sized portions• Saturated fat• Trans fat• Sugar• Sodium (Salt)

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Healthier Fast Food Choices• Drink water with your meal• Limit sauces and add-ons• Special order your meal• Order thoughtfully• Watch your portion size

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Drive-Thru Breakfasts• Look for names that indicate

large portions• Know your meats and

choose wisely• Choose breads carefully• Limit sauces and add-ons

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Best Breakfast Bets at the Drive-Thru• Pancakes• English muffin and egg sandwiches• Low-fat or

reduced-fat muffins• Yogurt parfaits• Fruit and nut salads• Oatmeal

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LESS Healthy Choices at Burger Chains• Big burgers (1/4 lb or more)

or double burgers• Cheese, mayo, bacon, and

special sauces• Fried chicken or fish sandwiches• Chicken nuggets or tenders• French fries• Salad with high-fat toppings• Milkshakes

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• Garden salad with grilled chicken and low-fat dressing

• Regular hamburger• Grilled chicken sandwich• Veggie burger• Baked potato or side salad• Apple slices• Yogurt parfait

Healthier Choices at Burger Chains

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LESS Healthy Choices at Taco Chains• Adding sour cream or cheese• Crispy hard shell tacos• Refried beans• Chalupas• Crunch wraps or

gordita-type burritos• Nachos

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Healthier Choices at Taco Chains• Veggie and bean burrito• Grilled chicken soft taco• Black beans• Grilled burritos with

tomato salsa• Limiting sour cream

and cheese

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LESS Healthy Choices At Fried Chicken Chains• Fried chicken• Popcorn chicken• Chicken wings and

boneless “wings”• Caesar salad• Potato salad or coleslaw• Chicken and biscuit

“bowls” or pot pies• Extra gravy and sauces

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Healthier Choices at Fried Chicken Chains• Chicken breast without breading or skin• Grilled chicken• Honey BBQ chicken sandwich• Side salad• Green beans• Corn on the cob• Mashed potatoes• Limiting gravy and sauces

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LESS Healthy Choices For Subs/Sandwiches• Foot-long subs• High-fat meats:– Bacon– Meatballs– Steak– Tuna salad

• Extra cheese• Mayo and special sauces• White bread

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Healthier Choices For Subs/Sandwiches• 6-inch• Veggie toppings• Lean meats:– Roast beef– Turkey– Chicken breast– Lean ham

• Low-fat dressing/mustard• Whole-grain bread• Limit cheese

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LESS Healthy Choices For Chinese Takeout• Egg rolls• Battered or deep-fried dishes– Sweet & sour pork– General Tso’s chicken

• Fried rice• Salads with fried or

crispy noodles

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Healthier Choices For Chinese Takeout• Egg drop, miso, wonton or hot & sour soup• Steamed, roasted or broiled dishes• Steamed brown rice• Vegetable dishes• Sauces like:– Rice-wine vinegar– Wasabi– Ginger

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Pizza: The Healthy Way• Order thin crust• Choose vegetable toppings• Consider less or no meat• Ask for extra sauce and

half the cheese• Eat fewer slices

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Lookout For “Extra” Clues To Unhealthy Meals• Cheese or cream sauce• Fried• Au gratin• Braised• Buttered• Creamed• Escalloped• Hollandaise• Gravy• Pan-fried• Rich• Butter sauce

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Lookout For “Extra” Clues To Healthy Meals• Baked• Broiled• Grilled• Poached• Roasted• Steamed• Fresh fruits and vegetables• Lean meat• Whole grain

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Simple Tips To Eating & Living Healthier• Take the stairs in place

of the elevator• Eat meals slowly• Breakfast is the most

important meal of the day• Split a dessert with a friend• Savor every bite of

your meal

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Review Questions:1. Who was the first “official” fast food restaurant?2. What fast food chain is the largest in the world

today?3. What is the “hallmark” for fast food?4. Factories add what to fast food to make sure it

tastes the same?5. What are some things to avoid when ordering

fast food?

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Review Questions6. When choosing a beverage for your meal, what

should you choose to cut down on sugar?7. When ordering Chinese takeout, what is a healthier

choice than fried rice?8. At a taco chain, which is the better choice: soft tacos

or hard shell tacos?9. What are some alternatives to mayo on your

sandwich?10.What is the most important meal of the day?

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Fast Food Nutrition Web ResourcesHelpful sites to learn more about fast food nutrition:http://healthydiningfinder.com/http://helpguide.org/http://www.fatcalories.com/http://www.fastfoodnutrition.org/

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