Fast food options for kids

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Fast food options for kids

How do kid's meals at fast food restaurants and other kid-friendly locations fare when it comes to calories?

Officials in one California county have passed a resolution designed to ban restaurants from giving away toys that often come with high-calorie, unhealthy meals aimed at kids. While the resolution only covers unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County and will impact a small amount of restaurants, supporters hope the idea catches on across the country.

At Burger King, the best option may be to avoid the burgers. The macaroni and cheese kid's meal is only 330 calories. If your kid really wants a burger, consider a plain hamburger, which is 260 calories. The fresh apple fries, essentially just apple slices shaped like fries are only 70 calories. Order the apple juice for a 100 calorie beverage. This meal only totals 430 calories.

McDonald's Happy Meals have long been a fun treat for kids, but the nutritional content doesn't necessarily make health experts happy. To do the least amount of damage, stick with the chicken nugget meals and order the apple dippers instead of fries with apple juice as the beverage, which is 380 calories for the meal. On the other end of the spectrum, the worst kid's meal at McDonald's is the cheeseburger with fries and chocolate milk, which tops out at 700 calories.

The kids meals at Wendy's offer a range of healthier to less nutritious options. A cheeseburger with a junior vanilla Frosty and fries is 630 calories; a 4-piece chicken nugget meal with mandarin oranges and light lemonade is only 270 calories.

If you are heading to the Georgia Aquarium, stick to the Kid's Cove part of the menu at Cafe Aquaria, and avoid the hot dog and fries seen here. You won't see seafood, a healthier option on Cafe Aquaria's menu, because it would be an awkward setting to enjoy fish.

Kentucky Fried Chicken offers a lot of options, so a kid's meal could be relatively healthy here, or it can be really unhealthy. Selecting the grilled chicken along with a side of green beans with the included light string cheese stick and Capri Sun drink only totals 141 calories. But let your child be naughty and the calories pile on: the popcorn chicken with potato wedges option tops out at 601 calories.

Kids love the curly fries at Arby's, but they are 240 calories, more than the junior roast beef sandwich with small bun which is only 200 calories. Skip the potatoes altogether and order the applesauce for a healthier side dish for the kids. Stay away from the milkshakes and milk and get a Capri Sun to drink instead, which is only 80 calories.

Disneyworld does offer healthier options for kids, though you may have to do some hunting to find them. Look for fresh fruit kiosks as you navigate your way through the park.

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Officials in one California county have passed a resolution designed to ban restaurants from giving away toys that often come with high-calorie, unhealthy meals aimed at kids. While the resolution only covers unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County and will impact a small amount of restaurants, supporters hope the idea catches on across the country.

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