SHAPE UP
You can dine in a food court without eating the wrong stuff

By Charles Stuart Platkin

There are roughly 1,182 shopping malls in the United States, and more than 35 percent of Americans will be visiting (at least) one of them between now and Christmas.

Going to the mall is a great American tradition — we shop, we stroll, we go to the movies, we mingle, we go see Santa, we run into old friends — it's an entire day's worth of activity. And in every mall, in every city, in every corner of the country, sits our favorite place to gather, meet, and of course, eat: the food court.

The food court is entertainment for our mouth — a kind of smorgasbord to accommodate every culinary desire. And although there are plenty of healthy and energizing options, a quick scan across the sea of tables shows that few of us think about our choices before we order.

"When we shop for clothing, electronics or toys, we don't just grab the first thing we see without comparing value, price and how well it works with our needs. The same should be true for food choices," says New York City nutritionist Leah Nemerson.

So where does that leave us during this shopping season? Is there anything we can eat without adding "extra trimming" to our waistlines?

Plan to eat: Don't starve yourself and then run to the food court and eat the first thing you can get your hands on.

For instance, a couple of slices of pizza with pepperoni can mean more than 500 calories and 20 grams of fat. How about a quick Burger King Double Whopper with cheese? That's 1020 calories and 65 grams of fat (without the fries and soda).

Ideally, eat before shopping or, if it's going to be a full day at the mall, schedule a meal break somewhere in the middle.

Shop around: Look for the best nutritional bargains and take advantage of the variety available at the food court.

Remember, you can mix and match foods — you don't have to limit yourself to one place. For example, you can get the chicken teriyaki at the Japanese restaurant, a vegetable soup at the Italian place, and a low-fat frozen yogurt from the ice cream shop.

Don't be shy: Find out if they use oil, sugar, butter and anything else that might add on calories and fat. To insure that these high-calorie add-ons don't make their way into your meal, it helps to ask before they start the preparation. Most food court restaurants prepare the food right in front of you, so keep your eyes open after you place your order.

Have a real meal: You think you just want something to "hold you over," but sometimes it's better to go ahead and have a full-blown meal. Snacks can easily add up to the same amount of calories and fat as a meal — and you end up not being satiated.

• Instead of a Mrs. Fields Peanut Butter Dream Bar (670 calories / 42 grams of fat), try a Blimpie's roast beef sandwich (390 calories / 7 grams of fat.)
• Instead of a Dunkin' Donuts Glazed Cake Donut (270 calories / 15 grams of fat), try the Low-Fat Chicken Salad from Subway (250 calories / 4 grams of fat.)

Don't get fries with that: Skip the french fries and deep-fried chicken available at most food courts and opt for the lighter stir-fries, vegetable soups and salads. One supersized order of french fries can pack 610 calories and 29 grams of fat. And what about a piece of KFC fried chicken? One Extra Crispy Breast has 470 calories and 28 grams of fat.

Charles Stuart Platkin is a syndicated health, nutrition and fitness writer.