Life

Two-for-one deals, kids-eats-free night, complimentary appetizers or desserts ... they can all save families money, but a good value and a good meal are two different things.

Many kids menus are full of what Rachel Riddiford calls "sometimes foods." For Riddiford, the manager of clinical dietetics at The Children's Medical Center of Dayton and a mother of five, healthy choices start long before the children step foot in a restaurant.

"As a parent, first and foremost, you need to educate them about good choices," Riddiford said. "And you have to make sure you are walking the talk."

"Sometimes foods" include kid favorites such as fried chicken tenders, macaroni and cheese, milk shakes and soft drinks, Riddiford said. Parents should guide their children to healthier options such as fruit, baked or broiled entrees and low-fat milk.

"Another option would be ordering an adult entree that is probably healthier, and having the kids split it," Riddiford said.

But how unhealthy can a kids' meal be? The answer might surprise you.

According to a study released in August 2008 by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, nearly every possible combination of children's meals at Kentucky Fried Chicken, Taco Bell, Sonic and Chick-fil-A are too high in calories. Of the 1,474 possible meal choices available at the 13 restaurant chains in the study, 93 percent of the meals exceeded 430 calories, one-third of what the Institute of Medicine recommends that children 4 to 8 years old should consume in a day.

A preschooler, depending on their level of activity, should consume 1,200-1,500 calories a day while a teenage boy might be able to pack away 2,500 calories, Riddiford explained. A Burger King "Big Kids" meal with a double cheeseburger, fries and chocolate milk has 910 calories while a Chili's kids' meal with country-fried chicken crispers, cinnamon apples and chocolate milk has a whopping 1,020 calories, practically a whole day's worth of calories for a 5-year-old.

It's not just the calorie count that concerned the CSPI. Researchers found that 45 percent of the kids' meals at the 13 chains were too high in saturated and trans fat, and 86 percent were too high in sodium.

"People may not get a heart attack until their 50s or 60s, but arteries begin to clog in childhood," CSPI nutrition policy director Margo Wootan said.

It is getting easier for parents to do their homework when it comes to kids menus. Many restaurant chains have nutritional information available both on site and online. Champps and Chili's have links for nutrition information online on their menu pages. Taco Bell, KFC and Subway have nutritional information one click from their home pages.

Beyond education, the keywords for healthy eating are substitutions and portions.

"Substitute a vegetable for fries, milk for soft drinks and fruit for dessert," Riddiford said. "Maybe add a side to their dinner so they fill up before dessert."

Substitutions are easy at most chains, as many fast-food giants offer apples or mandarin oranges in place of fries. Burger King recently launched BK Positive Steps, a health and nutrition program that includes in-store nutrition posters, the addition of BK Fresh Apple Fries (skinless red apples sliced to resemble fries) to the menu and the elimination of all trans fat cooking oils.

Sit-down restaurants also offer healthy options. Lone Star Steakhouse and Saloon serves a variety of sides including steamed mixed vegetables, applesauce and carrots while Champps offers grilled chicken tenders on its kids menu in addition to the always popular deep fried variety. Waffle fries are one of the options for a side dish, but so are mandarin oranges, broccoli and mashed potatoes. Mandarin oranges are offered at Fazoli's, along with baked ziti, spaghetti and pizza

"The key is to plan ahead," Riddiford said. "Know what the options are and help your kids make good choices."

Food Guide Pyramid for children

A daily guide for 2 to 8-year-olds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Grains: Make half your grains whole. Look for the word "whole" in front of the grain name on the list of ingredients.

Vegetables: Vary your vegetables. Eat more dark vegetables and eat more orange vegetables. Eat more dry beans and peas.

Fruits: Focus on fruits. Eat a variety of fruits (fresh, frozen, canned or dried). Go easy on fruit juices.

Oils: Know your fats. Make the most of fat sources from fish, nuts and vegetable oils. Limit solid fats like butter and stick margarine.

Milk: Get your calcium-rich foods. Go low fat or fat-free. Choose lactose-free products or other calcium choices if you can't consume milk.

Meat and beans: Go lean on protein. Choose low-fat or lean meats and poultry. Bake it, broil it or grill it. Vary your sources with more fish, beans, peas, nuts and seeds.