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Mall Madness

It's the mall and it's a nutritional minefield to navigate during the holiday season. Here's how to emerge with your waistline no wider.

Holiday shopping at the local mall is an annual tradition. But crowded stores, long lines, and cranky kids inevitably lead tired shoppers to the food court for downtime and refueling. Whether you choose pizza, a sandwich, Chinese food, or a simple snack, you can cut calories and fat without feeling deprived. Tuck these tips into your purse before your next shopping trip.

Eat first, then go shopping. You'll be less tempted by the food court if you've eaten a meal at home.

Pack healthy snacks. Carry bottled water, crackers made with whole grain and spread with peanut butter, cereal, carrot sticks, pretzels, or an energy bar, suggests Jan Hangen, RD, a Boston-based clinical nutrition specialist. Snacks can help curb your appetite as well as your urge to splurge on food-court fare.

Avoid temptation. When you're least hungry, shop in stores closest to the food court.

Sometimes less is best. Have a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread instead of one made with four types of meat and cheese. Have a small cheeseburger with a side salad in place of a double cheeseburger and a large order of French fries. Ask for the small-size beverage, even if your meal comes with a larger size—better yet, drink water.

Special order it. Ask the server to go light on dressings or put them on the side, skip the spreads and cheeses, and go easy on condiments.

Order soup as a main course. It's low in calories, yet filling. Look for soups with vegetable or chicken broth instead of a cream base, which tends to be higher in fat and calories. Choose one loaded with veggies or beans for filling fiber.

Get what you like. Even at your favorite place, you can cut fat, reduce serving sizes, and focus on healthy choices without sacrificing taste:

Order a slice of cheese pizza, or add veggie toppings. Skip extras, such as pepperoni, that can double the calories.

Select pasta dishes with tomato-based (red) sauces, which are much lower in fat and calories than cream-based (white) sauces. Skip the garlic bread and choose plain Italian bread with a little olive oil.

Share a Chinese entrée or take half the order home. Opt for lots of veggies and brown rice instead of fried rice or fried noodles.

Choose a grilled chicken burrito instead of one packed with "the works" when going Mexican. Request vegetarian refried beans in place of beans cooked in lard, and ask for guacamole, a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, on the side to replace sour cream, which is high in saturated fat.

Get the grilled chicken sandwich without the cheese, and forgo chicken nuggets or chicken tenders.

Satisfy dessert cravings with something low fat, such as sorbet or frozen yogurt, or a choose a dish of fresh fruit. 

Choose water instead of soda. Drinking water is an easy way to consume fewer calories.

Watch portion sizes. "Supersized" meals can add up to 25% more fat and calories than normal portions. Whatever you order, stop eating before you feel full.

Strap on a pedometer. Even if you've overindulged at the food court, you can feel good about the number of steps you've taken at the mall.