Kids Menus Aren't Getting Healthier, New Study Finds - low fat thai restaurant dishes

In chicken fingers, French fries, and mozzarella cheese sticks, finding healthy food on the children's menu can be a challenge.
Over the past five years or so, some restaurants have been trying to remedy the situation by making changes, such as removing soda from the children's menu, adding fruit, and offering vegetable options other than French fries
But according to a new study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, in general, these measures did not reduce the nutritional quality of children's food in restaurants.
In this study, the researchers investigated the nutritional data of over 4,000 beverages, main courses, side dishes and desserts in 45 chain restaurants --from fast-
Food Joint Sittingdown eateries—
Listed on the children's menu between 2012 and 2015.
During this period, several restaurants launched initiatives to improve children's dietary health, according to researchers.
The broadest commitment was an effort launched by the National Restaurant Association in 2011 called the children's LiveWell program.
At least one meal must be served at the restaurant (
Main course, side dishes and drinks)
A side dish that meets the guidelines for healthy nutrition of calories, fat, sodium and other nutrients.
Of the 45 restaurants in the study, 15 were participants in LiveWell.
Their findings are: if you're looking for a healthy option on the children's menu, it's still a small one.
According to Alyssa Moran, the lead author of the study, there is little improvement even in the chain of part of the LiveWell projectP. H. , R. D.
Doctoral candidate in the Department of Nutrition, Harvard UniversityH.
School of Public Health.
"When we started doing this research, we looked forward to seeing progress. . .
So, over time, we were surprised that calories, saturated fat and sodium remained fairly stable, "she said.
Although several chains have dropped soda from their children's menu, sugary drinks still account for 80% of the chain's children's drinks.
"This means that the restaurant is changing soda to other sugary drinks like flavored milk," Moran said . ".
Moran said that the study was based on previous studies from other teams that looked at the nutritional ingredients of packages, entrees and side dishes offered on the children's menu, but these studies did not involve a large number of national chain restaurants as the study did.
It is worth noting that these results represent the average level of the entire catering industry, and they may not reflect the huge changes that some chains are making individually. (
The chart below highlights some healthier options for the top five popular chains. )
Also, the team was not sure what food the children ate
Or their parents.
Actually order from the menu.
Lesley Sheder, vice president of communications at NRA, said, "We have just received this study and are currently under review.
LiveWell begins to promote a healthy diet among children, and we welcome any opportunity to encourage children to make healthy choices.
Moran's team found that a regular children's meal, including drinks, main courses, side dishes and desserts, was about 1,000 calories.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, children between the ages of 4 and 8 need to consume only 1,400 to 1,600 calories a day.
Use these tips to help you navigate the nutritional minefield on the children's menu: Ph. Julie Downs says: "the periphery of a meal can have a big impact . "D.
Associate Professor of Decision Science at Carnegie Mellon University.
"Someone chose a lower one.
Calorie entrees may feel like they made a good choice, just removing it with calorie side dishes, sugary drinks or desserts.
Happy meal at McDonald's with cheeseburger and fries (No ketchup), low-
Strawberry Yogurt and fat
Free chocolate milk, for example, contains 590 calories, 18 grams of fat, 925 mg of sodium, and 35 grams of sugar.
Order burgers without cheese, change yogurt to apple slices, chocolate milk to normal low
Fat milk, you can save 110 calories, 2 grams of fat, 240 mg of sodium and 14 grams of sugar.
Ask your child to pick a main course, but choose healthier foods like fruit instead of fries, or milk instead of juice, says Downes.
The children's menu is usually for children only, but this does not mean that the rest of the menu is closed
Amy Keating said the restrictions on them. D.
Nutritionist at consumer report Food Testing Laboratory
"There are foods on the regular menu that children may be used to eating at home, such as grilled chicken or steak," she said . ".
Appetizers may be better than options on the children's menu.
Or you may see green beans, sweet potatoes or other vegetables as side dishes in one of the regular menus.
"If the restaurant offers healthier options, please replace the fries with vegetables in your child's main course," Keating said . ".
Share a dish with your child and order something from the normal menu that you all like and share.
The portion size of the restaurant is too large, so it is also good for making your diet healthier.
See what you're drinking, sugary drinks like sodasand flavored milk will quickly increase liquid calories.
Order clear water or seltzer, replace soda with orange juice or chocolate with regular milk.
Snacks are allowed occasionally, and if your child wants chips, desserts or chocolate milk --
But there is only one option per meal.
When it comes to dessert, order one and share it with everyone at the table. Even kid-
The size of the dessert can easily get as many calories as the main course and twice the saturated fat, Moran said.
Away from the cheesy, cream and sauces of cheese or sauce, macsin Siegel says, almost guaranteed to wrap your stomach with fat and sodiumD.
A nutritionist and consumer reports the head of the food testing laboratory.
Use a little sauce and seasoning.
Also try to simply ask your waiter if the dishes of your home order can be prepared with less salt and then choose to bake instead of fried or bread.
Around 100 chain stores nationwide participated in the project.
While there may not be many options on the menu, Moran says that when you see dishes with symbols, you can be sure that this is a better option for your child.
According to the standard of the program, a whole meal (
Main course, side dishes and drinks)
There will be 600 or less heat;
Fat, sodium and sugar will be restricted;
And contains at least two of the following: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, thin protein, or low-fat dairy products.
Side dishes will contain 200 or less calories and will contain fruits, vegetables, whole grains, thin protein or low caloriesfat dairy.
5 Selected restaurants in 5 chain stores provide healthier restaurant products for children, and nutritionists reporting by consumers review the menu in 5 popular chain stores (
In alphabetical order)
Some better options have been selected, as detailed below.
Meal4 Oz kids menu.
Steamed broccoli, garlic mashed potatoes, low
Green beans, Southwest rice, and fat milk Turkey made by watkey himself-
Crispy tortillas, brown rice, black beans, avocado sauce, lettuce with long leaves and Grilled Chili corn salsa
Citrus, and low
Happy Meal (
Burgers, kids fries, apple slices and lowfat milk)
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