As a college student, you have lots to do--classes, assignments, maybe a part-time job. There are always places to go, people to meet, projects to get done--and maybe not enough time to get to the dining commons. Grabbing meals on the run may happen regularly.

You aren't alone. Americans eat out an average of four times per week, often at fast food restaurants.

Fast food fits in with the current hectic lifestyle of many Americans, because it's easy to find, cheap, and of course as the name implies, fast.

With Americans consuming one-third of all calories away from home--nearly twice the amount as just ten years ago--and some 10 percent of their calories from fast food, it's easy to point the finger at the fast food industry and blame them for the obesity in this country.

Not surprising since "Value Meals" or "Super Sized Meal" can pack up to 2,100 calories, which is more than the total recommended daily calorie intake for most people.

By the way, McDonalds dropped its Super Size fries and drinks last year, in the wake of the movie "Super Size Me," which graphically depicted the beefing up of a fast-food eater.

Morgan Spurlock, who filmed and starred in this movie, will be at Penn State next Monday night, October 3 at 8 p.m. at Eisenhower Auditorium preceded by a Nutrition and Health Exhibit at 7 p.m. Up to two free tickets per person are available to students, faculty and staff, and beginning tomorrow to the general public.

Tickets can be picked-up at the Eisenhower office, the HUB or the Downtown Theatre.

Because of consumer demand, fast food restaurants are adding foods that are both good for you and delicious. More fast food restaurants are providing nutrition information to help consumers make informed choices. Unfortunately, some of the more nutritious menu items have been dropped by fast food chains because consumers aren't buying them, for example, McDonalds Go Active Happy Meals for adults, and Burger King's Lite Combo Meals.
So yes, you can eat healthy and still eat fast food.

But keep a few pointers in mind. Beware of the trend toward big, deluxe or super size portions. Paying just a few cents more for a "value meal" or an upgrade to a "super-size" snack may seem like a good deal, but a new report says your waistline winds up paying the price.

Balance fast food meals with other food choices during the day.

The recommended daily allowance for one full day consists of approximately 2000 calories and 65 grams of fat.

To be on the safe side, limit your fast food meal to no more than one third of those amounts. Go easy on the mayo and salad dressing. Choosing diet beverages can save you more than 300 calories. Choose fried foods less often. Rely mostly on grilled, broiled, and steamed foods instead.

In March 2005 the Center for Science in the Public Interest published Fast Food in '05.

They surveyed current offerings at popular fast-food restaurants and made recommendations about the best menu items based on fresh, low-fat ingredients, taste and convenience. You can read this excellent guide online at http://www.cspinet.org/nah/03_05/fastfood.pdf

Keep in mind that a few fast food splurges here and there won't cause obesity.

What counts is what you eat in a day or over several days--what you eat over a period of time. Nutrition is about balance. And that also means moderation.

For more information on the nutrition content of your favorite fast food restaurant, visit one of these websites:

McDonalds:

http://www.mcdonalds.com/usa/eat.html

Click on "nutritionfacts"

BurgerKing:

http://www.burgerking.com/Food/Nutrition/NutritionWizard/index.aspx

Subway:

http://subway.com/applications/NutritionInfo/index.aspx

Arby's:

http://www.arbys.com) Click on menu/nutrition

KFC:

http://www.kfc.com/kitchen/nutrition.htm