FROM MY WINDOW...: FAST FOODS versus HEALTHY FOODS

General tips for making good fast food choices:

Choose a plain hamburger. Extras like cheese and sauces can triple the calories.
Choose grilled chicken over breaded options like nuggets or “crispy” varieties.
Choose “snack” sizes, which often have half the calories of the full-size version.
Be a small fry. If you must have fries, keep it to a small size; or if your meal comes with a larger size, throw half of them out before you even start eating.
Salads aren’t always healthy. Salads provide lots of nutrients and fiber, but some pack in more calories than a hamburger and fries. So avoid toppings like bacon, cheese, crispy lo mein noodles and fried tortilla strips. See if the restaurant offers a half portion.
Choose vinaigrette over creamy salad dressings.
Skip the soda and the shakes.
Other good choices include chili, baked potatoes and bean burritos
Don’t make it a habit. Try to make fast food an occasional treat for you and your kids. Even when making decent choices, children and teens are unlikely to meet the nutrient demands of a growing body on a diet of fast food.

25,000th Big Mac: McDonald’s Is Bad, But Is Subway the Real Devil in Disguise?
25,000th Big Mac in one man’s belly. A Wisconsin man is going to eat, yes that number you read is correct, his 25,000th Big Mac today — the 39th anniversary of his very first Big Mac. Don Gorske sometimes has two Big Macs a day. Gorske rose to “fame” from the documentary movie Super Size Me. The movie followed director Morgan Spurlock as he ate nothing but McDonald’s for 30 days. Though Spurlock came down with a host of health problems eating nothing but McDonald’s, Gorske is living the McDonald’s dream. Unbelievably, he still has low cholesterol. Some people are just genetic marvels, but for a majority of the U.S. population, cholesterol is a major issue.

America is obsessed with bacon. No longer is it just a side with eggs or the 'B' in a BLT; bacon and bacon flavoring have managed to find their way into chocolate, into mayonnaise, and even into vodka. As the slogan of America's Pork Checkoff Program says, "Bacon makes it better."

Denny's is no stranger to bacon, having served it up at breakfast for decades with their Grand Slams. However "America's diner," along with support from America's Pork Checkoff Program, has stepped up its bacon offerings with the new, limited-time menu called "Baconalia!: A Celebration of Bacon." The crispy and salted pork product invades Denny's like never before, with items like Bacon Flapjacks, Bacon Meatloaf, and the BBBLT. But the most peculiar and talked about new offering is the new Maple Bacon Sundae.
The Claims: Denny's Maple Bacon Sundae starts with a layer of maple-flavored syrup, topped with a layer of vanilla ice cream, topped with a layer of diced hickory-smoked bacon. All of this is topped by an additional set of the same layers.

The Price: $2.99. (Prices may vary at participating locations.)

POOL: (Real Simple magazine)