Q: Will I gain weight if I eat at McDonalds?

Answer:

McDonalds, just like any other fast food place, has food that we should be eating only every once in awhile in order to stay healthy. Some of these foods include French fries, chicken strips and nuggets, fried fish, double patty hamburgers and soft drinks. These are foods that aren’t as healthy for us as other foods. They are fine to eat sometimes, but it’s a good idea to limit your trips to fast food restaurants.

Eating more calories than your body uses can cause weight gain. This means being active everyday is important for keeping your body at a healthy weight and to keep your heart, lungs, muscles and bones strong and healthy. If you watch TV, play video games, or sit at the computer for longer than an hour at a time, it may be time to get up and get active!

If you do eat out, most places have healthier foods you can choose. For example, McDonalds offers apple dippers, low fat milk (regular and chocolate), a fruit and yogurt parfait and salads. Wendy’s has mandarin oranges and low fat milk to go with your sandwich instead of French fries and a soft drink. Whenever you can, skip the soft drinks in favor of low fat milk or water and choose fruits and vegetables over French fries.

You can always try helping your parent or guardian cook dinner at home…this can be fun! Try your own version of chicken nuggets by asking an adult to buy chicken breasts and cut them into strips. Then you can coat the chicken strips in buttermilk and roll them in crushed crackers crumbs, salt and pepper. Ask an adult to put these chicken nuggets in the oven at 400ºF for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center.

Remember that everyone looks different so try not to compare yourself to other kids. If you are worried about your weight, talk to a family member or an adult about it.

Jennifer Prish, MS, RD, LDN, Employee Wellness Coordinator

Activities:

Think About It!

In the Healthy Living section of today’s Herald-Sun, find articles or recipes about healthy foods. Make a menu of healthy meals that you can eat with your family. Survey your classmates to find out how many times per week they eat at a fast food restaurant. Make a pie chart comparing eating out to eating at home.