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Cheeseburgers, chicken fingers, pizza and mac 'n' cheese. They're staples on kids' menus at chain restaurants across the country. Oh, and did I mention fries? Most kids' menus offer little variety and plenty of calories, fat and sodium.

What's more, it's next to impossible for parents to make informed choices on feeding their children healthy meals in full-service restaurants. Nutrition labelling does not exist on menus for children (or adults).

Given that 26 per cent of Canadian children aged 2 to 17 are considered overweight or obese - and Type 2 diabetes among youth is on the rise - it's surprising that healthy menu options offered to adults have not made their way to kids' menus.

If left unmanaged, accumulating weight problems in childhood can spell trouble in adulthood. Obese children are more likely to become obese adults. Being overweight increases a child's risk for developing Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, "adult" health problems that now belong to kids too. Evidence is piling up that obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol in children can predict heart problems later in life.

When I was a kid, restaurant meals were a rare treat. Once a month, my mom would take my brother and me to White Spot (a Vancouver family restaurant) for the kids' Pirate Pak - a small cheeseburger, fries, a soft drink and ice cream. But most nights, we ate home-cooked meals at the dining room table.

Times have changed. Putting a homemade meal on the table is a challenge for many time-crunched families. Frozen entrées, prepared foods, takeout and restaurant meals are gaining a greater share of household menu plans.

If you knew that one kid-sized meal of chicken strips - along with fries, juice and dessert - met Health Canada's total daily recommendation for calories and almost two days' worth of sodium, would you suggest your child rethink his or her order?

To help get an idea of how many calories and how much fat and sodium full-service restaurants are serving your children, The Globe and Mail and CTV's Canada AM commissioned an independent laboratory to analyze popular kids' meals at three restaurants - Kelsey's, Jack Astor's and The Keg.

If you think kids' meals at full-service restaurants are healthier than fast-food burgers and fries, chicken nuggets and fries, or cheesy pepperoni pizzas, you are mistaken.

For perspective on the numbers in the tables, consider these Health Canada recommendations:

"Low active" boys, ages 4 to 9, should consume about 1,600 calories a day. Low active girls, ages 4 to 9, should consume roughly 1,480 calories daily. (Kids are considered low active if they participate in 30 to 60 minutes a day of moderate activity, such as walking.)

Kids who get at least one hour of exercise a day need about 1,800 calories (boys) or 1,680 calories (girls) a day.

Sedentary kids require, on average, 1,300 calories daily.

Children following a 1,500-calorie diet should consume no more than 17 grams of bad fats (saturated and trans fat) each day.

Kids also need less sodium than adults. Children aged 1 to 3 should consume no more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium a day; kids aged 4 to 9 should limit their intake to 1,900 milligrams.

Leslie Beck, a Toronto-based dietitian at the Medcan Clinic, is on CTV's Canada AM every Wednesday. Visit her website at lesliebeck.com.

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ABCs of choosing wisely

Some restaurants do provide healthy alternatives for kids. The Keg and Jack Astor's offer grilled chicken and lean sirloin steak served with salad or vegetables. And some menus offer rice, baked potato or corn instead of greasy fries.

To navigate kids' menus, follow these tips:

Choose pasta with tomato sauce (one of few menu items not served with fries), plain burgers, grilled chicken, grilled sirloin steak or steamed fish.

Be smart about sides. Instead of French fries, opt for rice, baked potato, corn, salad or veggies. The menu may not say so, but most chains will substitute vegetables for fries.

Skip the pop and sugary iced tea. Order milk, unsweetened fruit juice or water.

Split a healthy adult meal with your child - such as grilled chicken and vegetables or a salad.

Leslie Beck