Fast food - just fun, or the beginning of the long slope to dietary disaster? Consider ... it's been a long day at work and you're too exhausted to even think about cooking, never mind get the saucepans out. Your child's too hungry to be patient and too irritable to sit in a restaurant and behave well. Those golden arches or that drive through window are calling to you, promising a speedy, affordable and just about effort-free family meal.

But fast food isn't particularly good food and as you watch your toddler contentedly dipping greasy chips and chicken nuggets into salty barbeque sauce and mayonnaise, you decide that you'll be stronger next time and resist the temptation of a fast food fix, knowing deep inside, that this is a promise you're doomed to break.

Don't feel bad about his. Fast food outlets are there in response to our most basic need - to eat. And when you're an exausted working parent, you're only human for giving in from time to time. It's vital that you keep your fast food meals limited though to avoid compromising your own and your family's wellbeing. Try to follow to the following guidelines:

Don't let fast food become an everyday occurrence. Restrict your visits to outlets to a couple of times a month at most. Make those fast food meals a much anticipated treat that you and your children can enjoy together.

Ask for nutritional information. Many fast food outlets will provide, if you ask for it, a nutritional summary of their menu items and this can be used to help you guide your selections.

Endeavour to be as "healthy" as possible. More and more fast food chains are offering "lighter" "leaner" and "healthier" selections across their menus. Pizza is a nutritionally sound selection as is a baked potato and broccoli. Take a good look at the salad bar and as well as all those mayonnaise-drenched salads you'll probably locate grated carrots, chick-peas and green and leafy accompaniments to your meal. Frozen yoghurt is a good choice for afterwards and why not order a glass of milk or orange guice instead of soda or a high fat milk shake. This will help make your meal a whole lot better for you.

Make up for it at home - OK, maybe dinner wasn't nutritious, but you can provide an after-dinner extra. Read to your kids from a great book from Scruffy's Bookshop and nibble on carrot, fruit or a whole grain muffin as a treat when you get home.

Finally - don't spoil your outing by feeling too guilty. If you're not overdoing the outings to fast food restaurants, then you're not putting your children's health in danger. So hold the guilt, relax and enjoy