Fast food is a force in the world of cuisine for a few very good reasons. It can taste great, is readily available with little fuss, and often won't break the bank. As we know, this can often come with a caveat; fast food is generally thought of as not the healthiest option, with some swearing off it entirely.
What many people might not know is that there a few tricks that can be commonly used to lower some of the more unwanted content in these foods down to more acceptable levels, whether salt, calories or anything in-between. By keeping an eye on a few of these rules, it can be possible to enjoy a treat of fast food without going over your sodium or calorie limits, while also maintaining the taste which we so love.
The Most Common Enemies
Salad is a food jumped on by many fast food outlets in the recent years. It makes sense; it is regarded as healthy and it helps fill out a menu that might otherwise turn some customers away. The issues here usually come with the dressing. Just a small quantity of dressing can have a considerable quantity of salt or fat, which, as we all know, is not good in excess. Instead of dressing, think of going without or consider switching to the light alternatives. It's a small change but one which your arteries will thank you for.
Mayonnaise is another culprit in the crime of unhealthy fast food. This is one of those little additions which can make so much of a difference. One single tablespoon of mayo can come with a whopping 93 calories so cutting this out can reduce total calorie intake by around a quarter.
The final big trick we have is to go for straight grilled, rather than fried or breaded. When fried, a food retains a greater level of calories, which is only exacerbated by whatever addition comes with breading or coating. Going grilled not only cuts down on the total calorie level but can help bring out the natural flavor often fought off by the grease of fried food.
Know the Tricks, Applying your Knowledge
Of course, simply knowing a few key tricks for the food itself is not always going to cover your bases. Every industry has a few established ways to entice you, and this can make it even harder to resist a delicious meal. For instance, takeaway companies often lure people in with offers or buy-one-get-one-for no charge promotions. Luckily for us, there are many websites that can help us sort the good from the bad, and the too-good-to-be-true from the too-good-to-not-take-advantage-of.
Websites such as Offers can help with finding the right deals for fast food, and finding exactly what you want when you want it. It's a concept that could have been lifted wholesale from the casino industry, with websites like Nodeposit Canada providing a blueprint for sites collating offers. Just as the former lists deals from major franchises like McDonald's, the latter carries promotions from popular casinos like 32Red, the home of the Fruit Salad slot.
Take what you learn from places likes these and weigh them against the tricks you learned above. This can help you narrow down what you can expect next time you go out for fast food, and knowing ahead of time is a big part of winning the battle of taste vs satisfaction.
Nobody Starts Perfectly
Learning exactly what is going to work for you can be a bit tricky. With a little time, by studying the menus and nutritional information of what is on offer, you might be surprised at how easy and second nature the above tricks can become. A burger without mayo, a salad without dressing, food grilled and not fried - enjoyment without stress or guilt. Remember that every little bit helps, both mentally and physically, so these tiny little changes might just be enough to get you to your own personal tipping point.
