3 tips for enjoying fast food even if you’re cutting down on ultra-processed foods, from a dietitian

Think about the meal’s purpose

When deciding what to order, it’s important to think about what your nutritional needs for the rest of the day are, Garcia-Benson said.

“What you need that meal to do for you will oftentimes determine what would be the best choice for carbohydrates,” she said. If you’re going to be sitting at a desk for the rest of the day, you might opt for a salad. But if you’re about to work out, you might want to include some more carbs for an energy boost.

“I like to focus on what to add versus what to take away,” Garcia-Benson said.