Fast food fit
Counting carbs with on-the-go meals

By By Penny Randall / staff writer
May 19, 2004
Are you one of the millions of Americans who count their carbohydrates but still crave fast foods? If so, help is here.
McDonald's is one of the dozens of fast food restaurants that are expanding their menus to include healthy, low fat, low carbohydrate and low calorie meals.
The eatery, long known for Big Macs and french fries, began offering the "Go Active! Happy Meal" for adults last month. Penny Parker, manager of the North Hills McDonald's, said people love the meal.
The adult Happy Meal includes bottled water, a pedometer, walking and exercise tips and a choice of the Fiesta, California Cobb, Caesar or Bacon Ranch salads. All salads, except the Fiesta, come with chicken.
Sonic Drive-In also is expanding its menu with more healthy meals. Sonic just began offering its carb-friendly bun that has 21 grams of carbohydrates. The eatery already offers a carb-friendly tortilla and a low calorie diet cherry limeade.
Daniel Ward, manager of the North Hills Sonic Drive-In, said the carb-friendly bun is offered with "The Little Cheese" hamburger. The bun also is available with other sandwiches.
Next month, Sonic will add three new salads the Jumbo Popcorn Chicken, Grilled Chicken and Santa Fe Grilled Chicken salads to its menu.
Beginning May 31, Chick-fil-A will offer "The Trim Trio" featuring a chargrilled chicken sandwich, a fresh fruit cup and a bottle of water all for $6.15. The meal has a combined total of 330 calories, 33 grams of carbohydrates and less than 4 grams of fat.
Chick-fil-A already offers a wheat bun, salads and cool wraps for hungry customers wanting a more healthy meal.
Russell said he believes counting carbohydrates is just a popular fad.