Choose grilled or roasted chicken on a salad, on a bun, in a sub or in a snack wrap.

Have a salad as the main course but not topped with fried chicken or bacon. Ask for a reduced calorie dressing. A packet of regular salad dressing adds 200-300 calories to your salad.

Avoid stacked burgers. A single hamburger or cheeseburger is about 300 to 400 calories, which is reasonable. Double cheeseburgers can run as high as 900 calories.

Order a low fat sub. Roast beef, turkey and ham are good choices. Fill the sub with vegetables and ask for light mayo.

Limit fried foods. If you can't resist french fries, get a small order or share an order. Be aware that when chicken, fish or onions are battered and fried, they are no longer low calorie or low fat.

Choose mashed or baked potato. Gravy adds about 30 calories, sour cream about 50 calories.

Have a soft taco. A taco salad is not a good choice because it has almost 800 calories (more than 400 of those calories are in the shell).

Try some chili. It makes a filling meal when eaten with a salad.

Be wary of value meals. You are likely to consume half to all of your recommended daily calories in one of these meals. The larger the order of fries and beverage, the higher the calories in the meal.

Order a kid's meal. You get the same items as in a value meal, only in smaller portions. (Give the prize to your favorite kid).

Don't drink your calories. A large soda has 300-400 calories. A medium shake has 400-500 calories. Ask for water, diet soda or low-fat milk instead.

The good news is that shopping does burn calories. The bad news is that it would take about four hours of nonstop walking to burn off the calories in a fast food value meal.

Christine Gutelius, MA, RD, CDN, is a nutrition resource educator with the Eat Smart NY program at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County

Holiday Potatoes

Makes 4 servings

1 cup broccoli florets, finely chopped

4 medium baking potatoes

1 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream or nonfat yogurt

1 teaspoon paprika

4 green onions, sliced

Cook broccoli until tender. Drain. Wash potatoes and pierce skin several times with a fork.

Microwave until potatoes are soft, about 15-20 minutes or bake for 60 minutes.

Let potatoes cool until able to handle. Cut potatoes in half and scoop insides into a medium bowl.

Place potato shells in shallow casserole dish.

Add half a cup cheddar cheese, sour cream and paprika to potato in bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher. Stir in green onions and broccoli.

Evenly divide the potato mixture among the potato shells and sprinkle with the remaining half cup cheddar cheese. Microwave for 2-4 minutes or bake in 350 degree oven 15-20 minutes until filling is hot and cheese is melted.

Note: Stuffed potatoes can be prepared up to two days in advance.

Cover and refrigerate immediately after preparing them.

Follow directions in recipe for microwaving or baking them when ready to serve.