Fast Food-I know it's not ideal but...

gamesandgains

Lots of chain restaurants have the macros for their menus online. Find something that fits your caloric intake for the day. If I must eat out, I like Chipotle and Subway as choices.

fish2find

El Pollo Loco has some great under 500 calorie items on the menu. Tasty, filling and affordable for a quick meal.
Semi fast - Rubios Fish Tacos has salad with grilled fish or chicken that is filling and tasty.
Fresh Griller is a local favorite (Santa Ana) near Hutton Center. M-F only so really just a work lunch.

cccoursey

Chic Fil A - Grilled nuggets or strips, side salad, and Diet Lemonade. You are still around 300 calories with a nice amount of protein. From Website: 295Calories 9gFat 5gSaturated Fat 0gTransFat 125mgCholesterol 920mgSodium 16gCarbohydrates 3gFiber 6gSugar 39gProtein

dougpconnell219

Subway, Chuck fill a, zaxbys.

My favorite is newks. Not really fast food, but I love thier salads.

missiontofitness

estherlion wrote: »

I'm usually pretty good at packing my lunch and being prepared. There are times though that I need a quick healthy meal and don't have anything on hand. What are some of your healthy fast food places/options that you can suggest?

If I need or want to get fast food, I am not too concerned about "healthy". I just get individual size items, instead of full meals; it's also cheaper! McDonald's for instance, I will just get a cheeseburger, and a small fry if I'm really hungry. If I do Subway, can't go wrong with a six inch ham and provolone!

0somuchbetter0

I don't like fast food -- tastes like plastic. When I'm in a hurry and don't have time to make my lunch, I often pick up a protein bistro box from Starbucks (there's one right across the street from my office). Hard boiled egg, sliced apple, cheddar cheese, grapes, a whole grain looking flat bread thingie, and a packet of peanut butter. 380 calories, 19g fat, 13g protein.

LandyBreigh

Wendy's small chili and side salad with Pomegrante dressing, no croutons. It's my go to when I want to grab fast food.

LandyBreigh

jgnatca wrote: »

LOL

I love this!

dawnmcneil10

Subway isn't something I consider to be fast food but it is something I reach for when leftovers aren't available. I will also consider...
Wendy's plain baked potato and small chili or side salad with chicken nuggets.
McDonald's fruit and yogurt parfait.

Those have saved me while on the road a few times.
Most grocery stores now have premade salads and self checkouts, those don't take much time either as long as you can stop to eat.

jemhh

I don't really think of Panera as fast food. When I eat there, I get the avocado turkey blt on sesame semolina. Usually the whole sandwich but sometimes I get a half sandwich and half Greek salad. Plus a chocolate pastry.

Lounmoun

Look up the menu in advance of places in your area and just see what things might fit your goals.

Recently, I got a regular hamburger from McDonald's with a side salad and an unsweetened tea. I used my own dressing on the salad because I preferred it.

fatcity66

jgnatca wrote: »

Oh, I just had a horrible visual of a "tropical smoothie flatbread". Yuck.

Nope, the chicken pesto flatbread and the wasabi roast beef sandwich are both good, and around 400 calories.

jhall260

I get Subway. Either a 6'' ham or oven roasted chicken on either flat bread or whole wheat. I usually get flat bread because I like it the best. I skip cheese and dressings too, not a big fan of their cheeses and an easy way to save a few calories. I have never been a fan of mayo or the like so that is easy to skip. I load it up with veggies too.

JustinAnimal

I agree with doing a smaller sandwich from Subway, Jimmy John's or Quizno's. Pick cheese or mayo and omit the other one, no creamy sauces, extra veggies.

I also agree with the folks who say eat what you want and just log it, but that sometimes leaves you with no calories for dinner.

hdsqrl

Mmmm....double whopper, no cheese, no mayo, no bread. Just dig right in with a knife and fork. (The knife/fork option works anywhere, btw. That lets you turn a sandwich into a meat + veggies.)

acheben

Chick-fil-a - Grilled Chicken Sandwich with a Fruit Cup
Jimmy John's - Beach Club Unwich with no mayo

The best bet is still looking at the nutrition information before you order/eat. A lot of food can fit into your calorie allotment if you think about it before and don't just order whatever your old usual was.

DustoniousMonk

I always just go for the salad with grilled chicken and no dressing if I need to. I pack an apple or two when I'm out just in case though, since I also have to budget my money as well as my calories right now haha

Amanda4change

I'm not a big fan of fast food, if I have a choice I prefer subway, or other sandwich shop. If I don't get a choice I usually order a kids meal with fruit (I do not like French fries, so no cravings to beat).

katherine_startrek_fan

I believe all major fast food places have nutritional info posted online, so you can easily look up your favorite places and see what fits into your calorie allowances.

BarbieAS

Yeah, I usually bring my lunch, too, but once in awhile stuff happens (or you bring something and you look at it and you're all "Nope, not today." Lol).

If I go out to a "fast food" restaurant, I'll usually hit Chipotle (bowl with veggies, protein, salsa, sour cream every time, and then depending on how my day shakes out will dictate whether I get rice [or salad] and/or beans and/or cheese and/or guac). Sometimes Potbelly (TKY with no cheese or mayo or oil, double hot peppers), or Panera (whatever soup looks good plus 1/2 Fuji Chicken Salad) is good, too. Actually, though, more often than not, I end up hitting a nearby grocery store (either Whole Foods or our local chain) and loading up on the salad bar - lots of veggies, oil and vinegar dressing, a bit of something calorie-dense but tasty to keep it interesting (pasta salad, marinated feta, bacon, etc), and then I make sure to get a protein of some kind.

AllOutof_Bubblegum

McDonald's grilled chicken salads are actually pretty good. I use about 1/2 or 2/3 of the dressing on them.

Hornsby

Grilled chicken and bacon premium McWrap from McDonalds. 460 cals.

sherbear702

Subway. Most of their "healthier" sandwitches are 320 calories and under.

Azexas

Take a look at your macros and cals for the day. If you know what restaurant you are going to, take a look online and scope out the nutritional menus. A lot of the bigger chain places have them online.

If you are ordering a salad, ask for the dressing on the side that way you can control how much you are putting on. ( I do this anytime I order a salad)

terar21

runner475 wrote: »

TwinsRaGift wrote: »

If you have a Panera Bread near you that is my favorite! They have a chicken hummus power bowl that is filling and super yummy and something like 300 calories.

+1

Panera Bread has a good selection of "Hidden Power Menu".

They do not advertise about it ... ofcourse!!!!

You gotta specifically ask them. Silly Panera.

Ok now I'm just pissed. Why would they keep a steak and egg bowl secret!? How evil.

sahead710

I like the burrito bowl from qdoba, it's only 500 something calories and fills me up and easily fits into my calories for the day, it's only a once and a while thing for me though because I'm always tempted to get chips and queso too

Azexas

terar21 wrote: »

runner475 wrote: »

TwinsRaGift wrote: »

If you have a Panera Bread near you that is my favorite! They have a chicken hummus power bowl that is filling and super yummy and something like 300 calories.

+1

Panera Bread has a good selection of "Hidden Power Menu".

They do not advertise about it ... ofcourse!!!!

You gotta specifically ask them. Silly Panera.

Ok now I'm just pissed. Why would they keep a steak and egg bowl secret!? How evil.

Wait a minute.....there's a steak and egg bowl at Panera??? Is this only a breakfast food? I want to try it.

terar21

I eat out regularly. Chipotle is my first choice, a weekly visit. I do a bowl and nix the rice because it doesn't really affect the taste imo, add a couple different salsas, lettuce, corn, veggies, black beans, steak, and of course guacamole. I enjoy salads from panera and I just had the soba noodle bowl (edamame) and it had a really good flavor to it...plus...noodles . I hate hate hate places like Burger King and McDonalds but BK's Apple cranberry salad is actually really tasty (I don't eat the cranberries though, personal preference). The grilled chicken on the salad is surprisingly big and not dry. I don't care for McDonald's grilled chicken so I just go for nuggets. I do jimmy johns regularly. Like others have said, just don't do the mayo. Have some packets handy and add your own or just do mustard. If you have one near you, salad bars are my absolute favorite because you can actually do a wide range of veggies.

keziak1

I found out Panera has another sandwich off the menu but it's the "Big Kids Grilled Cheese", not exactly diet food. I like that Panera has built-in half-sandwich options with their Pick Two. I like the barbecue flatbread in particular, paired with a salad.

I once read an article slamming Subway and it made me irritated because surely many of their subs are a much better choice than a typical cheeseburger, Coke and fries meal! Not everyone is going to have tofu and wheatberries for lunch.

lemurcat12

When I buy lunch I often go to Pret a Manger. There are local chains I also like (Protein Bar, Hannah's, Potbelly's) which won't help unless you live near me, but there might be similar things in your area. Chipotle works too. Panera would be fine too, there's just not one right by my office.