The Best and Worst Kids' Fast Food Meals | Men's Health News

Easy on the Mickey D's, buddy.

Your own health is in jeopardy when your stress levels are high, but a new survey shows that stressed parents are more likely to put their child?s health in danger, too. When researchers analyzed the data from 2,100 parents, they found that moms and dads who are stressed are more likely to have children who are obese.

The analysis also found that parents who perceived themselves to be stressed fed their children more fast food. Being too busy to cook a homemade meal?or too focused on your work to pay attention to what your kids are eating?can cause frequent visits to the drive-through. Heed our advice on how to Beat Stress Wherever It?s Hiding.

What?s a dad to do? You know the obvious: eat in more. But we know sometimes that?s a lot to ask, so we?ve gathered some of the worst kids menu items at 5 popular restaurants and provided just as tasty?but significantly healthier?alternatives for your kids.

Cheesecake Factory

NOT THAT!
Kid?s Pasta with Alfredo Sauce
1,810 calories
696 mg sodium

CALORIE EQUIVALENT: 775 Parmesan-flavored Pepperidge Farm Goldfish?that?s two bags!

Alfredo sauce is never a good idea, but the Cheesecake Factory manages to fit more calories onto this pint-sized plate than what?s found in most restaurants? adult-sized portions of fettuccine Alfredo. More disturbing though, is the total fat tally?this constitutes two days? worth of the very maximum amount a child eating 1,600 calories a day ought to consume, just in one meal!

EAT THIS!
Kid?s Pasta with Marinara Sauce
490 calories
515 mg sodium

Many times restaurants will stick you with a severe sodium load to compensate for fewer calories. Fortunately, in a rare, commendable move, the Cheesecake Factory keeps the sodium stable while cutting the calories significantly. Plus, the marinara sauce boasts high levels of lycopene, an antioxidant compound that may bolster your kid against a whole range of maladies down the road. (Find more smart restaurant swaps in Eat This, Not That!)

On the Border

NOT THAT!
Kid?s Cheese Quesadilla with Mexican Rice
1,120 calories
1,690 mg sodium

CALORIE EQUIVALENT: 14 El Monterey Steak Taquitos

Not only is this kid?s meal doused in grease, but between the tortilla and the rice, it packs an astonishing 78 grams of carbohydrates. In short, you?re providing your kid with almost 75 percent of her calories for the day, but shorting him nutritionally?the quick-burning, cheap carbs will leave him hungry again in no time.

EAT THIS!
Kid?s Mexican Plate with Crispy Chicken Taco
260 calories
540 mg sodium

This powerhouse plate packs a full 17 grams of protein, which will keep your child energized and feeling full for longer. The key is skipping the starchy side of rice (if he?s hungry enough, opt for beans instead) and eschewing the heaps of free chips on the table.

KFC

NOT THAT!
Popcorn Chicken Kids Portion, Potato Wedges, and Pepsi (16 fl. oz)
730 calories
1,535 mg sodium

CALORIE EQUIVALENT: More than seven Eggo Chocolate Chip Waffles!

The stats for this meal read like a rap sheet of fried chicken?s nutritional offenses. The total fat is high?32 grams?as are the carbohydrates, with 96 grams. Factor in the high sodium, and it becomes clear why this cuisine bears the expression, ?Heart attack on a plate.? (See the other Worst Chicken Dishes in America.)

EAT THIS!
Grilled Chicken Drumstick, Mashed Potatoes (no gravy), and Capri Sun Roarin? Waters Tropical Fruit Juice Drink
210 calories
625 mg sodium

Though this drumstick is grilled, KFC leaves the skin on for a crispy, flavorful crust. And unlike the popcorn chicken, which is largely spackled in thick, starchy batter, the bulk of the chicken here is actual meat?15 grams? worth of protein. (

McDonald?s

NOT THAT!
Mighty Kids Meal with Double Cheeseburger, Fries, Apple Slices and Fat Free Chocolate Milk Jug
770 calories
1,190 mg sodium

CALORIE EQUIVALENT: 17 slices of Kraft Singles 2% American cheese?more than an entire package!

McDonald?s features pretty decent Happy Meals, but watch out for the Mighty Kids menu. In theory, an intermediate meal for older kids is great, but it raises the inevitable issue of not-yet-quite-mighty-enough younger kids wanting to prematurely supersize their order. And given that this ?kids? meal is atrocious enough by adult standards, no child has any business consuming this many calories in one sitting.

EAT THIS!
Happy Meal with Hamburger, Apple Slices, and Apple Juice Box
360 calories
510 mg sodium

Make this your child?s go-to meal for when you?re on the go. He?ll rack up protein from the burger and fiber from the apple.

Chili?s

NOT THAT!
Pepper Pals? Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Pepper Pals? Side Cinnamon Apples
850 calories
54 g fat (16.5 saturated fat)
1,135 mg sodium

CALORIE EQUIVALENT: 24 Dunkin Donuts Cocoa Glazed Munchkins

A grilled cheese sandwich is a staple on the kids? menu, but Chili?s has managed to turn this simple meal into a high-calorie gut bomb. The cinnamon apples is the worst option for sides on the kids menu, racking up 270 calories and 11 grams of fat.

EAT THIS!
Pepper Pals? Cheese Quesadilla with Pepper Pals? Side Pineapple
405 calories
21 g fat (14 saturated fat)
710 mg sodium

Your kid will still get his fix of bread, cheese, and fruit in this meal but with less than half the calories and fat, and a fraction of the sodium. Keep it simple with a side of pineapple?it?s sweet and juicy and only 35 calories. (Want to know the secret to dropping serious pounds? Just learn The Truth About Calories.)

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Source: http://news.menshealth.com/best-and-worst-fast-food-meals/2012/10/27/

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