Healthy Options at Fast Food Restaurants

-

We are always busy and on the go, but that shouldn’t be an excuse to poorly fuel our bodies. If you don’t have the time to cook every meal at home, pack food for the entire day, or go grocery shopping once a week, going through the drive through at your favorite fast food restaurant is a great way to get a quick meal. It’s not always easy to pick out the healthiest options at fast food restaurants, so I’m here to help you! 

A few things to remember: 
1.     Most fast food restaurants have their nutrition facts online. I recommend looking at this before ordering so you know the amount of calories, macronutrients, and sodium you are eating.
2.     Pick something that contains fruits or veggies and a decent amount of protein. 
3.     Most foods are cooked in additional oils and contain more fat. You may ask for it to be cooked without oil.
4.     Create your meal to have a protein (lean meat), carbohydrate (fruit, veggies, whole grain), and healthy fat source (avocado, olive oil, peanut butter). 
5.     Pay attention to the amount of sodium. Most fast food places have a lot of sodium, so if you eat out for a meal try to reduce the amount of sodium in the rest of your meals for the day. 
6.     A salad is not always the healthiest choice. Dressings and toppings can add a lot of calories. Ask for dressing on the side and pick one with a protein source and veggies.
7.     Order drinks with little to no calories. E.g. water, coffee, diet soda

My favorite fast food places to eat with healthy options are: Chick-Fil-A, Subway, Wendy’s, Chipotle, and Starbucks. 

Chick-Fil-A: https://www.chick-fil-a.com/nutrition-allergens
Breakfast
1.     Egg White Grill (300 kcal) 
2.     Greek Yogurt Parfait (270 kcal)

Lunch
1.     Grilled Chicken Sandwich w/ honey BBQ sauce (330 kcal)
(may add Grilled Nuggets (110 kcal) for more protein)
Superfood Salad (140 kcal) 
Diet Lemonade (50 kcal)

Subway: 
https://www.subway.com › Documents › Nutrition › US_Nutrition_Values

*there are many options here, below is my lunch favorite. Remember lean protein, veggies, carbohydrate source, & healthy fat source
            1. Spinach Wrap (290 kcal) or 6” Honey Oat Bread (190)
    Deli Turkey (4 slices/100 kcal) 
    Fat Free Honey Mustard (20 kcal) 
    Avocado (60 kcal) 
    American Cheese (40 kcal) 
    Lettuce (2 kcal) 
    Tomato (5 kcal)

Wendy’s: https://menu.wendys.com/en_US/categories/
1.     Grilled Chicken Sandwich (370 kcal) 
2.     Grilled Chicken Wrap (300 kcal) 
3.     Half Apple Pecan Chicken Salad (340 kcal) 
4.     Half Parmesan Caesar Chicken Salad (320 kcal) 

Sides
1.     Side of Apple Bites (35 kcal) 
2.     Side of Large Chili (250 kcal) 

Starbucks: https://www.starbucks.com/menu
1.     Black coffee (hot or iced) w/ almond milk & 2 Splenda (40 kcal) 
2.     Reduced-Fat Turkey Bacon & Cage Free Egg White Sandwich (230 kcal) 
3.     Spinach, Feta, & Cage Free Egg White Wrap (280 kcal) 
4.     Cheese & Egg Protein Box (470 kcal) 
5.     Seasoned Turkey & Green Pepper Pico (390 kcal) 

Chipotle: https://order.chipotle.com/entree/bowl
1.     White Rice (210 kcal) 
Chicken (180 kcal) 
Black Beans (130 kcal) 
Fajita Veggies (20 kcal) 
Fresh Tomato Salsa (25 kcal)
Roasted Chili Corn Salsa (80 kcal) 
Lettuce (5 kcal) 
            Sour Cream (110 kcal)

AB



Comments

  1. UnknownOctober 24, 2019 at 5:40 PM

    I love posts like these! Sometimes when you're busy and running around, eating out is your only option. It's always nice to know what the healthier options are and where to find them.
    In addition, I like how you addressed that many people think that ordering a salad is always the healthiest way to go--which isn't always the case!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Charli SmithMarch 6, 2020 at 4:20 AM

    The rules and regulations for food service trucks vary from state to state. Basically you will need to contact your local Health Department.
    Food & Drink

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Are All Sugars Created Equal?

-
Image
Are All Sugars Created Equal?  I think one of the most confusing nutrition topics for people is sugar. With so many conflicting stories out there, it’s difficult to separate the facts from the fiction. Not to mention, the types of sugars are endless. How do we know what’s best for our bodies? White or brown sugar? Cane or raw? Should we just go with Stevia instead? Is it even okay to consume artificial sweeteners? Should we avoid foods with high amounts of natural sugar in them? Each answer only seems to lead to another question!  Let’s start off with distinguishing the purpose of sugar in the first place. Do our bodies even need it? The short answer is yes! Sugars are carbohydrates (what we commonly call “carbs”), one of the three main macronutrients that our bodies need for fuel to function and survive. One of the major ways to categorize sugar is by separating the “natural” sugars from the “added” sugars. Natural sugars are, well, naturally found in foods. They give us the energy th
Read more

Do you struggle with pre and post exercise nutrition?

-
Image
What should i eat before and after a workout? First things first…carbohydrates, proteins and fats are important for the body before  and after exercise. Exercising muscle preferentially uses carbohydrates from stored glycogen, but fats are also an important fuel source for energy production during exercise. Fats and carbohydrates are the two major fuel sources during exercise. Fats must be translocated and broken down from their storage form before they are used. Typically there is enough carbohydrate stored as muscle glycogen for exercise but as muscle glycogen stores decline, the skeletal muscle will then use some amino acids (basic components of all protein). More specifically, the amino acid leucine is used for energy.              It is important to consume an adequate amount of carbohydrates exercise to delay fatigue and minimize gastrointestinal distress. It is also important to consume enough fluids to prevent hypohydration. Now, lets talk about pre-exercise me
Read more