Healthiest fast food alternatives?

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  • codapea
    codapea Posts: 182 Member
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    Carl's Jr. will substitute a lettuce "bun" on any of their burgers or chicken sandwiches. My fav is the teriyaki chicken with grilled pineapple wrapped in lettuce minus the cheese. 280 cal.
  • blinkiii
    blinkiii Posts: 90
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    Grilled chicken sandwiches. I also LOVE unsweet tea, so at Starbucks I'll get an unsweet GREEN tea, at fast food, an unsweet tea instead of soda (not a HUGE soda person anyway.

    I've really got to start getting used to unsweetened tea, or just tea in general for that matter. It's so much better for me than coffee!
  • alisiaendris
    alisiaendris Posts: 213 Member
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    If at Mc Donalds, Wendys, BK I get the kids meal. I love to go to Panera then I get the pick 2 with either black bean soup or ckn noodle and a half ckn cesar salad w/o croutons. YUM!
  • Cohee8001
    Cohee8001 Posts: 1
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    I plan ahead and check the menu online when possible and narrow down the menu before I get there. Also, I love AquaFina bottled water and take a bottle with me in my purse. Decline the free bread basket, chips, etc. and ask questions about how the food is cooked. I moved to a more rural area after my marriage last year and gained 15 pounds! I call it my "Freshmen 15" for my first year of marriage. It is challenging when my husband is naturally thin and loves to eat fattening food. I plan ahead and he has learned where not to take me. Best to you!
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    I don't agree that eating fast food "happens to everyone", you make it sound like people are taking you there against your will. Or perhaps I'm just lucky that doesn't happen to me.

    But, if I found myself eating fast food for some bizarre reason, I would just use the same rules I use when eating out anywhere else (which I do a lot, just not at fast food and only rarely at chain restaurants):
    - be aware of how much I've already eaten for the day and how many cals I want to consume.
    - pick an option that contains as much actual food as possible (i.e. veggies or fruit or meat or eggs in as unprocessed state as possible)
    - pick a reasonable sized portion
    - don't get extras if I know I don't want to eat them (i.e.. no chips/fries unless I'm prepared to eat at least some of them)
    - if there is something I know I will really enjoy - I'll eat it, even if it takes me over my cals for the day. I'm in this for life, not for just a few days.
  • RAWBMEOW
    RAWBMEOW Posts: 64
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    in n out no bun no cheese no sauce, still really good!
  • blinkiii
    blinkiii Posts: 90
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    I don't agree that eating fast food "happens to everyone", you make it sound like people are taking you there against your will. Or perhaps I'm just lucky that doesn't happen to me.

    Haha, fair point (: I suppose I just find myself there a lot seeing as I'm living off a teenage salary (nothing) and that's just usually the place where my friends decide is cheap enough to meet our income :P
  • kalexander13
    kalexander13 Posts: 2
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    If you just must do fast food, skip the soda and get water instead- there are tons of empty calories in sodas. Sauces are real killers too- loaded down with fats. Try simple items like Chic-fil-a's 6-piece grilled chicken nuggets and bowl of fruit (in a kid's meal- less than $4.50). Or Taco Bell chicken fresco taco- only 150 calories (Get 2, and it's a 300 calorie meal for under $4). Basically, make the meal as basic (with as few extra stuff that doesn't do you much good like buns, sauces, and fries)
    Also, you want to be really careful with salads. Sounds strange, I know, but Taco bell's salad includes a gigantic fried shell (fried= fat, shell=carbs and extra calories) as well as sour cream (fat), cheese (good for you but still: fat) and ranch dressing (I was shocked at how much fat is in ranch dressing!) I once looked at Taco Bell's menu and the salad was the least healthy thing on it!

    What I like to do is keep an apple and/ or fiber one 90 calorie bar and a bottle of water with me as often as possible, because if I'm hungry I am likely to eat the worst things possible for the sake of eating now. And when I have dinner at home, I wrap up my simple meat (seasoned grilled chicken breast for example), throw some raw veggies in a ziploc (don't even need dressing if you toss them with pepper and a little salt), throw in a container of non-fat flavored greek yogurt (delicious, and packed with protien to keep you full), and I have a yummy, healthy lunch that takes less time to prepare than it takes to order, pay, and get food at the fastest drive through in town!
  • kalexander13
    kalexander13 Posts: 2
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    I very much like your last statement about wasting precious calories on crap food. That's a great mentality to have if you've made a decision to be healthy! I may just write that on a card and keep it in my wallet next to my debit card as a reminder.
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
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    I'd order whatever contained the most meat and veggies and just ditch the starch.

    I hear ya about budgets ... it ain't optimal nutrition by any means but eating Maccas (or wherever) daily does not have to make you fat ...
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    Just about anyplace with a grilled chicken wrap.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    I don't agree that eating fast food "happens to everyone", you make it sound like people are taking you there against your will. Or perhaps I'm just lucky that doesn't happen to me.

    Haha, fair point (: I suppose I just find myself there a lot seeing as I'm living off a teenage salary (nothing) and that's just usually the place where my friends decide is cheap enough to meet our income :P

    Sometimes life happens outside of what has been planned.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    In the worst of pinches?

    Taco Bell's taco fresco tacos.

    Sodium is the primary culprit.

    Or: Taco Bell refried beans.

    Otherwise? I'd skip.

    I've completely lost my taste for fast food.

    Maybe a Subway salad, but they're pretty bad.
  • Titus105
    Titus105 Posts: 2
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    well being a truck driver I am in the fast food scene all the time. if I have to order I just usually get a sandwich only no fries or extras. when eating the sandwich I usually take off one slice of bread and eat it that way. But I try to bring food from home it helps me alot.
  • firedancer8780
    firedancer8780 Posts: 338 Member
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    Wendy's Berry Almond Chicken Salad is about 270 for the 1/2 size and delicious!
  • ScottRy76
    ScottRy76 Posts: 31 Member
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    Healthiest fast food lol seriously!?

    Your better off making your meals at home, its not the calories that would bug me its the sodium in everything fast food is so massive that's what makes you say is it really worth eating this "healthy Fast food" crap to be bloated in the morning for a good 2 days +

    It is so easy to surpass your calorie requirement as well, no one is going to eat 1 taco
  • HogSandwich
    HogSandwich Posts: 146 Member
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    fast food should never be an option.

    Why are you even in this thread?
  • HogSandwich
    HogSandwich Posts: 146 Member
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    Healthiest fast food lol seriously!?

    Your better off making your meals at home, its not the calories that would bug me its the sodium in everything fast food is so massive that's what makes you say is it really worth eating this "healthy Fast food" crap to be bloated in the morning for a good 2 days +

    It is so easy to surpass your calorie requirement as well, no one is going to eat 1 taco

    And same goes for you. The whole point here is that if you're stuck in a situation where junk food is the only option (family pressure, lack of options, unexpected change in plans). I'm sure given the option, most people in this thread would rather go home and make something tastier/healthier.
  • blinkiii
    blinkiii Posts: 90
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    fast food should never be an option.

    Why are you even in this thread?

    Thank you lol!
  • AmberLeighD
    AmberLeighD Posts: 112
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    Chick fil a has grilled chicken nuggets, sometimes I get a regular chicken sandwich with out fries. Arbys roas beef sandwich, Mcdonalds grilled chicken sandwich and a small fry. 2 tacos from taco bell ( no nachos with cheese :( )

    eta: I love Mcdonalds banana nut blueberry oatmeal! yum!

    Chick fil a Grilled nuggets are great!!!

    ** 6 count **
    110 Calories
    1.5g Fat
    0g Fiber
    0g Sugars
    25g Protein

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