Look, it's not surprise that I am not the biggest fan of fast food restaurants. However, I do know that sometimes you just have to eat there so I am always on the hunt for healthier fast food joints and Au Bon Pain gets my stamp of approval.

Au Bon Pain provides Nutrition Kiosks, which allow guests to plan their meals before ordering them. You can sort the menu by a specific nutritional requirement (high fiber, high protein, low carb, low fat, low calories, etc.). They also launched Kids Nutrition Kiosk in their suburban and hospital locations. The children's version includes interactive games intended to teach the basics of making healthy meal choices. What's more? They've moved to using preservative-free chicken and they've recently introduced a new product line called Portions — a line of 14 dishes made fresh daily, packaged individually and with 200 or less calories per dish. And to bring it home, all products at Au Bon Pain have zero grams trans fat.

So next time you're going for fast food, you may want to think about stopping at Au Bon Pain. They have made every effort to help you become aware of the healthy choices they offer, all you have to do is choose them.