FOX Medical Team: 5 Unhealthy fast food meals

By Deena Centofanti, FOX News

You'd think grilled chicken nuggets would earn high praise for being better for you, but one group says no way.

Fast food restaurants are offering fruit in kids' meals and grilling chicken instead of deep frying it -- but that doesn't mean it's healthier.

The non-profit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine found some so called healthy kids meals aren't so healthy.

Chik-Fil-A Grilled Nuggets Kids Meal:
Contains the same amount of cholesterol as a McDonald's Big Mac

McDonald's Cheeseburger Happy Meal:
Contains moer sodium than 13 orders of McDonald's kids fries

Sonic Kids Jr. Burger Meal:
Contains more sugar than two Twinkies

Burger King Hamburger Kids Meal:
Contains almost as much cholesterol as six slices of pork bacon

Denny's Build Your Own Grand Slam:
Contains almost 100 more milligrams of sodium than the government recommends children consume at breakfast

Are high levels of sodium and cholesterol something children need to work about?  Yes, however dietician Christine Eagle also believes once in awhile, fast food is okay.

"If you're eating fast food or packaged convenience foods three times a day, that's probably excessive. If you're choosing it once a week when your'e in a time crunch, it's probably going to be okay if you make a good choice," she said.

The best choice probably comes from the produce aisle.  Which means throw a cooler in the car and instead of hitting the drive through, try a backseat picnic.

"Getting nitrate-free deli meats and having sandwiches and cheesesticks and fresh fruit and nuts and seeds and good choices of beverages like water. Water or milk would be the best things," said Eagle.

Online:
www.eatright.org/kids
www.pcrm.org