Childhood Obesity - Dining Out

While children’s meal combos typically included French fries and a soda, some restaurants offer a small salad or applesauce that could be substituted upon request. Additionally, many of the restaurants listed milk or juice as other more healthful drink options.

According to Jeanette Waite, MS, RD, CDE, Dietician at Mercy H.E.A.R.T. Center, parents should encourage their children to eat foods that are described as grilled, baked, poached, boiled or steamed. When it comes to side dishes, Waite suggests opting for substitutions, like steamed veggies, a salad, applesauce or a baked potato in place of French fries. It is also important to order milk or fruit juice instead of pop. Making these healthful choices allows parents to ensure their children are getting a variety of different food groups, while avoiding some of the unnecessary fats and sugars.

Waite suggests following the same guidelines when dining at fast food restaurants. Choose grilled chicken sandwiches or salads, baked potatoes, chili, chicken tacos, bean burritos or beans and rice, instead of deep fried fatty foods. If you choose wisely, eating healthy can be done almost anywhere!

Applebee’s

Chicken fingers
Cheeseburger
Macaroni and cheese
Hot dog, corn dog
Grilled cheese
Kid’s cup filled with favorite beverage

Big Boy

Hamburger
Grilled cheese
Hot dog
Chicken tenders
Macaroni and cheese
*Above entrees served as a combo with fries and a pop
Spaghetti
Fish ‘n’ chips

Bob Evans

Grilled cheese with potato faces
Chicken quesadilla with fresh garden salad
Pizza with fruit dish
Turkey with mashed potatoes and glazed carrots
Chicken nibbles with potato faces
Hot dog with potato faces
Macaroni and cheese
Spaghetti and meatballs with garlic toast
Cheeseburger and potato faces
Sides:

Potato faces
Buttered sweet corn
Glazed carrots
Fruit dish
Salad
Applesauce
Baked potato
Green beans
Rice pilaf
Mashed potatoes and gravy

Brann’s

Grilled cheese with fries
Macaroni and cheese with fries
Chicken strips with fries
Sizzler with fries
Pepperoni pizza with fries
BBQ meatballs with fries
Chili’s
Grilled chicken and veggies platter
Ribs basket with fries
Cheese pizza
Little Chicken Crispers with fries
Little Mouth Burger with fries
Gorilla Cheese Sandwich with fries
Corny Dog with fries
Macaroni and cheese

City Café

Cup of soup
Mini garden salad
Chips and cheese served with salsa
Fresh fruit and cheese
Pasta and cheese with applesauce and dinner roll
Grilled cheese with deli chips and applesauce
Egg salad sandwich with deli chips and applesauce
Sides: Fresh fruit cup
Applesauce

Johnny Carino’s

Age 2-7
Fettuccine alfredo
Spaghetti with meatball
Ravioli with cheese
Pizza with cheese and one topping
Pick your favorite pasta and sauce:
Pasta: Bowtie
Penne
Spaghetti
Fettuccine
Sauce: Tomato sauce
Butter and cheese

Age 7-12
Pick your favorite pasta and sauce:
Pasta: Spaghetti
Angel hair
Fettuccine
Bowtie
Penne
Sauce: Tomato sauce
Spicy marinara
Meat sauce
Alfredo
Meatball
Johnny Carino’s cont’d
Sausage cacciatore pizza
Pizza margherita
Three-meat combo pizza
Five cheese pizza
Make your own pizza
Baked cheese tortelloni
Chicken parmigiana
Chicken fettuccine
Cheese ravioli

All served with pop, lemonade, or Italian soda

Logan’s Roadhouse

Chicken tenders with fries
Hamburger with fries
Hot dog with fries
Macaroni and cheese with fries
Steak tips with fries

Olive Garden

Macaroni and cheese
Cheese pizza
Spaghetti with tomato sauce
Chicken fingers and fries
Fettuccine alfredo
Comes with pop, milk, juice or raspberry lemonade
Can share adult salad and breadsticks

Outback

Joey sirloin
Macaroni and cheese
Chicken fingers
Cheeseburger