Eating Healthy at Fazoli's

Good news for Italian-food lovers: Fazoli's, a mid-western family restaurant chain, now offers healthier menu options. The chain boasts economical meals for picky eaters and health-conscious parents alike. Here are some of our favorite nutritious picks:

• When total calories matter, look for the 400-Calories or Less options first. Great choices would include the Chicken Penne & Peppers (with whole-wheat pasta) (340 calories, 12 g fat, 920 mg sodium), Three Cheese Baked Ravioli (340 calories, 19 g fat, 940 mg sodium) or the Chicken Mushroom Alfredo Bake (400 calories, 17 g fat, 1,070 mg sodium).
  
  
• You can also build your own pasta dish with the Pick Your Pasta options. Three of the better choices would be the Ravioli with Marinara (450 calories, 15 g fat, 1,500 mg sodium), Spaghetti, Fettuccine, Penne, or Bowtie Pasta with Marinara Sauce (560 calories, 2.5 g fat, 970 mg sodium) or Whole Wheat Penne with Marinara (560 calories, 2.5 g fat, 111 mg sodium).
  
  
• Breadsticks are always a hit, especially with children. If you have room in your meal plan for a fun extra, check out the Pepperoni Stuffed Pizza Sticks (280 calories, 9 g fat, 560 mg sodium), Cheese Stuffed Pizza Sticks (270 calories, 8 g fat, 480 mg sodium) or the Toasted Ravioli Sticks (six) (340 calories, 8 g fat, 1,220 mg sodium). You could even eat these as your full meal for built-in portion control. You can also go with plain breadsticks as a side, but order them dry without the garlic butter (100 calories, 2 g fat, 160 mg sodium).
  
  
• Flatbread Pizza provides another tasty Italian alternative to pasta. Good choices would be either a Tuscan Chicken (480 calories, 17 g fat, 1,570 mg sodium) or Chicken Broccoli Florentine (500 calories, 19 g fat, 1,440 mg sodium), but keep in mind the high levels of sodium.
  
  
• Kid's Meals focus on healthier options, too. Steer children in the direction of the Fettuccine Alfredo (290 calories, 8 g fat, 470 mg sodium), Spaghetti with Meat Sauce (260 calories, 4 g fat, 560 mg sodium) or Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce (220 calories, 1 g fat, 330 mg sodium) for better options.