Most children’s meals at drive-throughs are limited to the worst items on the menu. Look beyond the kids' menu (and always skip the soda) to provide your children with the healthiest possible meal at these national fast food chains.
Healthy McDonald’s and Happy Meal Options
McDonald's Happy Meals lure kids with toys from the hottest movies, making them tough to bypass. The healthiest Happy Meal combination is a hamburger or cheeseburger with added tomatoes, 1% milk, and Apple Dippers (but toss the caramel dipping sauce, which contains nine grams of sugar).
Other more nutritious options for kids at McDonalds include grilled chicken Snack Wraps, Fruit & Walnut Salad (although the walnuts are candied), and Fruit & Yogurt Parfait. A kid-sized vanilla cone is also a viable dessert option, with only one-half a gram of saturated fat, six grams of sugar, and 40mg of calcium.
Burger King Kids' Meals Made More Nutritious
Burger King also tempts children with toys in their BK Kids' Meals. Opt for a hamburger or cheeseburger with added tomatoes, or Kraft Macaroni & Cheese. Choose 1% milk and the Fresh Apple Fries (which are simply apples cut to look like fries). Add a Side Salad for $1, and let the kids dip carrots and tomatoes into a bit of dressing for a healthful addition to their meal.
Other options not on the kids’ menu include the Tendergrill Chicken Sandwich (skip the mayo) and the Tendergrill Garden Salad, which includes cucumbers, carrots and tomatoes for kid-friendly finger-food.
KFC Unfried Chicken for Kids
There are no healthful options on the KFC kids' menu. Instead, get them a two-piece KFC grilled chicken meal with corn on the cob, green beans, or macaroni & cheese for the sides. Depending on your child’s appetite, one order may serve two kids (choose corn for both sides and each child will have one piece of grilled chicken and one small ear of corn).
Nutritious Wendy’s Options for Children
The most nutritious Wendy’s Kids' Meal is a hamburger or cheeseburger (with added tomatoes), mandarin oranges, and low-fat milk. Add a side salad so the kids can also snack on cucumbers and tomatoes. Other healthy Wendy's choices are the grilled chicken Go Wrap, broccoli and cheese baked potato, and chili. If you need to bribe your kids to eat their veggies, offer them a junior-sized Frosty at the end of the meal.
Keep in mind that, although you can make more nutritious choices for your kids at fast food restaurants, the high sodium content in almost all of the protein options means that drive-throughs should only be a once or twice a month visit for your children.
Better yet, make your own fast food for kids at home. With just an hour of work a month, you can stock your kitchen with super-fast and nutritious children's meals that are ready in minutes.
KSC101
Christine E. Taylor - Christine E. Taylor is a freelance writer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Christine is currently writing a series of articles ...
Join the Conversation