Fast Food options?

lizdustan48

By nature of my job I spend a lot of time at fast food places. I work with high risk youth and food is the #1 way to connect, but it needs to be fast, cheap and easy - all awesome for making me gain 10 lbs in a matter of months. I need suggestions for healthy options from fast food places. McDonalds, Wendy's, Tim Hortons, Subway, etc. I'm in Canada, so our options are a bit different than the states.

TavistockToad

Or maybe look at what else you eat in that day and balance it out that way?

emmamcgarity

Wendy’s has great salads or a baked potato. If eating a burger helps you connect with the youth a smaller burger and side salad instead of fries is another option.

kommodevaran

Connect through cooking together? Consider the opportunities in learning how to plan meals, grocery shop, budget, the kids can eat healthy, get to try new foods, feel empowered and practice social skills by sitting down and share a meal they have made themselves.

TeaBea

TavistockToad wrote: »

Or maybe look at what else you eat in that day and balance it out that way?

This^

Figure out what your fast food "calorie budget" is. Then look at fast food menus on-line and make it fit.

I do Wendy's plain baked potato topped with chili. Salads can be calorie bombs, or they can be budget friendly.....be careful. Firehouse subs is a favorite of mine, but I can't make it fit lunch unless I do a half sandwich and bring a cup of soup from home. Figure out what is worth it to you.

jgnatca

Canadian here, and frequent fast food visitor. These are my favourites.

McDonalds - chicken wrap, NOT crispy, no sauce. Skip the fries and sugar pop.

Wendy's - half order chili salad. Skip the fries and sugar pop.

Tim Hortons - I just order the chili deal as the price can’t be beat. Or get the yogurt cup.

Subway - You can order a salad instead of a bun. The flatbread does not save you any calories. Skip the tuna and egg salad (loaded with mayo; we watched them making it up once), skip the creamy sauces. Skip the sugar pop.

kimny72

All the nutrition info is online. Spend some time on their websites, make a list of choices that fit in your calorie goal for the meal, and keep the list with you. Some people allot 350 cals to lunch, others 650, and so will have very different ideas of what a "good" option will be.

If you are eating their often, skipping the fries most times and getting a diet drink or water is a great place to start.

seltzermint555

I really like hamburgers in general and don't eat beef at home, so my typical order (McDonald's, BK, Steak & Shake, whatever burger joint I'm in) is a hamburger with mustard, pickles, onion or lettuce when available...and black coffee, water, unsweetened tea, or diet soda. Sometimes I'll eat 1/2 bun instead of the whole bun.

Taco Bell I like most of their $1 items, cheesy rice burrito or mini beef quesadilla...or even the Mexican pizza once in awhile. I usually just pick 1 thing and go by the calories I'm looking for (200, 360, 500, whatever).

Long John Silvers (no clue if they have it in Canada) I like to get a piece of fish and green beans for the side. It's very greasy and probably terrible for me but cheap, tasty, and fits my calories.

No idea if you have Arby's roast beef but I love their large sandwich with 1/2 bun and a packet of horseradish. Yum.

Salads in fast food places (IMO) are often quite expensive for what you get, and/or only palatable with lots of high cal dressing. So I typically just get 1 smaller entree item and a no calorie drink.

VUA21

Eat the kids meals and stick to water or diet soda. Let the kids order whatever, you just stick to the kids meal sizes. A McDonald's chicken nugget Happy meal with the apples and water/diet soda has a bit over 400 calories.

ptuck196

Wendy's grilled chicken minus the bun includes the salad that would have been on the sandwich. Tastes great with the honey mustard sauce on the side . All for 260 calories .... filling and delicious. My fave go to when eating there !

Hamsibian

What kind of work do you do? Case Management, community outreach? I've worked with youth in several types of settings, and I don't know one where I had to go to fast food often - just on rare outings or if a client worked at one.

Anyway, the above suggestions are fine. Other things might be to set up a homemade meal and go to a park together for a picnic. Or cook meals together (community centers, YMCA, and local co-op often have classes). Or have outings where you can have both fun and constructive meetings - play basketball, free art festivals, petting zoo, volunteering, etc. They dont always have to be food based , plus you will be widening their world as well.

ashxtasticness

Most fast food places have some pretty decent salads. I'm a huge fan of Wendy's salad! Baked potatoes and grilled chicken wraps are also pretty decent as far as fast food is concerned.

Dani9585

Hamsibian wrote: »

What kind of work do you do? Case Management, community outreach? I've worked with youth in several types of settings, and I don't know one where I had to go to fast food often - just on rare outings or if a client worked at one.

Anyway, the above suggestions are fine. Other things might be to set up a homemade meal and go to a park together for a picnic. Or cook meals together (community centers, YMCA, and local co-op often have classes). Or have outings where you can have both fun and constructive meetings - play basketball, free art festivals, petting zoo, volunteering, etc. They dont always have to be food based , plus you will be widening their world as well.

This.

I'm in Canada and work with youth (counselling). I understand the point about connecting with food, because I do it all of the time, but it definitely does not have to be fast food. Often times, I'll just bring snacks for them, such as fruit, cheese string, granola bars or single serving popcorn bags (if I'm going to a school or bringing the youth my office). I have a small, soft shell cooler that I can pack daily with a couple freezer packs.

Besides that, I agree with what others have said about checking the nutritional info and just making it fit for you. It takes some work, but it's not difficult and you will be better educated for it.