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SALT LAKE CITY — You've shopped until you dropped; now you must shop the food court looking for the best diet deal. But you don't have to let a day of shopping spell disaster for your healthy eating goals. We asked Intermountain Healthcare registered dietitian from the Orthopedic Specialty Hospital Ashley Hagensick to come to the City Creek food court to give us some tips and tricks to avoiding a nutritional mine field.
You must do your homework first, said Hagensick. "If you have time to look at an app beforehand or look at the menu, you can add up the calories, or even look up the fat grams or sodium before you even step into the place," she said. This will help you to know before you go and help avoid temptation from other items.
If you're looking for Mexican food, watch the tortillas and the sauces. Hagensick said, "If they have the option of a whole wheat tortilla or a corn tortilla that's going to be better than a full flour." As for what goes into the tortilla, Hagensick says to opt for chicken over the beef and pork. She also said, "Watch how much cheese is added. Watch how much sour cream you're adding, because it's these little things that just add up." Also avoid fried over grilled, so skip the chimichanga.
On the fast-food front, look for restaurants that advertise their calories. McDonald's and Chick-fil-A both do at the City Creek Mall. While looking at the McDonald's menu Hagensick said, "If you look over at fries over there on the far left, you can see how many calories are in the small fries and just choosing the small over the extra-large or the biggest size you can see is definitely a better option." So she says fries are OK, just not in large portions.
Chick-fil-A also has a portion of its menu dedicated to meals under 350 calories. Hagensick said it's all about moderation and, "it's helpful to know exactly what those calories mean because some of them are ranges. Usually it's choosing the dips and the sides and the ketchups and mustards, so there's always things you can be adding to it. But to have the baseline up there, that's really helpful for consumers."
Other tips and tricks Hagensick suggested:
- Avoid anything with mayonnaise or ask for less
- Eat only half of the meal and then ask for a to-go box
- Avoid creamy dressings and creamy sauces
Hagensick also said, "It's always more fun to eat than to drink your calories. You miss out on a key component to eating — chewing." So, if you choose a smoothie at the mall, check the calories and opt for frozen yogurt over full-fat ice cream to keep the calories down.
