Despite popular belief, it is quite possible to eat nutritional meals at fast food restaurants with little effort.

When people think of fast food, one of the first things that comes to mind is grease, high calories and high fat. Fast food is considered a dieter’s worst nightmare, a parent’s archenemy and a doctor’s biggest caution. Luckily, it does not have to be this way.

According to Rebecca Roach, teaching associate for Food Science and Human Nutrition, “it is quite possible to make healthful choices anywhere, but it is a challenge because there are so many choices to make.”

In other words, the healthy options are definitely available, the real issue is being able to choose what’s healthy over what is unhealthy.

On the other hand, however, this does not mean that choosing a salad over a hamburger is the best choice. According to Roach, because being full is both mental and physical, if you are craving a hamburger, but you get a salad, you are not going to be satisfied, therefore, you will not feel full. Roach noted that it is better to order a burger with lettuce, tomato, mustard and ketchup, while taking the top of the bun off to cut down on the calories, than to order a salad. This way one can satisfy a burger craving while remaining in a reasonable calorie range, rather than eat a salad and feel unsatisfied.

In terms of burgers, it is easy to take something that has potential to be outrageous and make it a reasonable and nutritious meal. For example, Roach said, it is best to order a regular hamburger with nothing on it and add toppings yourself. She does caution, however, not to get carried away. Low calorie toppings include ketchup, mustard, lettuce, tomato, pickles and onions. Higher calorie toppings include mayonnaise, bacon and tartar sauces, which are not the best for weight management.

In terms of soft drinks, there is some controversy over what is the best option.

Karen Chapman-Novakofski, professor of Nutrition, said that because the government has approved the artificial sweeteners found in diet drinks, they are safe. The only reason to worry would be if someone has had a problem in the past. However, they are empty calories and not required but certainly okay.

Roach said soft drinks should be consumed less.

“I don’t care if they are diet or regular, I just think that carbonated beverages are something that we as Americans drink way too much of,” Roach said. “I would really prefer that our society learn how to use sugar wisely.”

Because people have varying nutritional needs and concerns, Roach stated that there is no one answer to healthy eating for everyone. If someone is not concerned with high blood pressure, then watching sodium is not as important as watching total caloric intake.

“It is very important for everybody to have a good idea of what their parameters for energy needs are, then they can figure out how to eat healthfully practically any place,” Roach said. “Everywhere has choices, you just have to find how to fit it best into your own personal health goals.”

To do this, Roach offers some simple tips including avoiding supersizes and fried options, getting educated by doing research on a restaurants nutritional information before going out to eat and paying attention to sodium content.

“I usually try to find the healthiest thing on the menu that I would like if I am at a restaurant that isn’t like Subway,” said Laura Carroll, freshman in LAS. “I also always choose water or tea as my drink and I try to stay away from things that are really greasy or loaded with carbohydrates and fat. I also avoid red meats for the most part. Anything fresh and lean I am sure is okay for me to eat.”

On the other hand, Zach Meyer, senior in ACES, said he eats what he wants no matter how nutritional it may be.

“I eat an incredible amount, usually spending $10-12, when I get fast food,” he said. “I do not pay much attention to how healthy I am eating, therefore, I don’t really try to make healthy decisions, only satisfying ones.”

Chapman-Novakofski said people don’t have to be afraid of eating fast food.

“I think that variety is part of the eating experience, and so, you have everyday foods, and not everyday foods, and foods that you don’t eat as much of as you could, but you can still have all foods,” she said.

According to Chapman-Novakofski, you can eat all kinds of food in moderation and make minor changes, such as taking off extra cheese or eating half the fries, to lessen the calorie intake.

In addition, to help consumers make informed decisions, she said there is new legislation being considered that if a fast food chain has more than twenty locations, it is required to put the calorie content next to the menu item.

Some tips Chapman-Novakofski gave were to stay away from excess meats and cheeses if concerned about calories, and gravitate towards fruits and vegetables. In terms of salad dressing, vinaigrettes generally have fewer calories, but there are also fat free options for those concerned with fat.

Roach said it is up to the individual person to consume the right food.

“It’s your body, it’s your health, it’s your life,” she said.