Healthiest fast food alternatives?

24

Replies

  • smarty3
    smarty3 Posts: 11
    At Starbucks I get a skinny vanilla latte and a bistro box! They're a yummy assortment of healthy foods and most are around 300 cals
  • blinkiii
    blinkiii Posts: 90
    At Starbucks I get a skinny vanilla latte and a bistro box! They're a yummy assortment of healthy foods and most are around 300 cals

    Oh I've seen the bistro boxes but I haven't tried one yet because I wasn't sure if they were worth the money. They look good though!
  • ModoVincere
    ModoVincere Posts: 530 Member
    Subways Turkey sandwich...either hold the cheese or hold the mayo.
    Capt. D's salmon diinner
    Salad and drink if it's one of the burger joints
    popeye's naked chicken
    KFC baked chicken
  • katy84o
    katy84o Posts: 744 Member
    Chipotle is a good one. You can mix and match the healthy stuff... and it's packed full of flavor.

    I love Chipotle, which is the problem. As soon as the scent hits my nose I'll ask for every god-awful ingredient until I've got myself a hefty 1000 calorie burrito :P

    For chipotle, I know that you can get online and order and also fax an order in. That's what we normally do at work, it helps me because i'm not standing in line looking at all of the ingredients. I normally get the burrito bowl with no rice, no cheese and no meat. But I do get the fajita veggies and guacamole. I know it still has a lot of sodium, but cutting out the tortilla, rice, cheese, and sour cream i'm sure cuts out at least 500 or so calories.
  • photokelley
    photokelley Posts: 2
    I'll eat Taco Bells chicken fresco tacos or if I go to McD's a chicken wrap and a side salad. Otherwise I just try to look for freshest options or the ones with the most veggies and least meat. Oh, and at Subway a turkey sandwich.
  • poetgurl2005
    poetgurl2005 Posts: 90
    If I get fast food it's either a sandwich, or fries or rings (or chilli cheese fries). I make the rest when I get my food home. I have small children though so I don't do eating at the restaurant often. I also like chicken nugget happy meals.

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  • blinkiii
    blinkiii Posts: 90
    Chipotle is a good one. You can mix and match the healthy stuff... and it's packed full of flavor.

    I love Chipotle, which is the problem. As soon as the scent hits my nose I'll ask for every god-awful ingredient until I've got myself a hefty 1000 calorie burrito :P

    For chipotle, I know that you can get online and order and also fax an order in. That's what we normally do at work, it helps me because i'm not standing in line looking at all of the ingredients. I normally get the burrito bowl with no rice, no cheese and no meat. But I do get the fajita veggies and guacamole. I know it still has a lot of sodium, but cutting out the tortilla, rice, cheese, and sour cream i'm sure cuts out at least 500 or so calories.

    Oh that's a fantastic idea!!! O: I never even knew that was possible! I'm going to start doing that so that we I can't change my mind about a healthy burrito once I'm in line!
  • OneFitDude16
    OneFitDude16 Posts: 169
    fast food should never be an option.
  • cvitez1
    cvitez1 Posts: 39
    Chipotle is a good one. You can mix and match the healthy stuff... and it's packed full of flavor.

    I love Chipotle, which is the problem. As soon as the scent hits my nose I'll ask for every god-awful ingredient until I've got myself a hefty 1000 calorie burrito :P

    For chipotle, I know that you can get online and order and also fax an order in. That's what we normally do at work, it helps me because i'm not standing in line looking at all of the ingredients. I normally get the burrito bowl with no rice, no cheese and no meat. But I do get the fajita veggies and guacamole. I know it still has a lot of sodium, but cutting out the tortilla, rice, cheese, and sour cream i'm sure cuts out at least 500 or so calories.

    Oh that's a fantastic idea!!! O: I never even knew that was possible! I'm going to start doing that so that we I can't change my mind about a healthy burrito once I'm in line!

    Also, before you head to chipotle, figure out what you want and put it into this calories counter: http://www.chipotlefan.com/index.php?id=nutrition_calculator

    You'd be surprised how fast the calories add up.
  • smarty3
    smarty3 Posts: 11
    At Starbucks I get a skinny vanilla latte and a bistro box! They're a yummy assortment of healthy foods and most are around 300 cals

    Oh I've seen the bistro boxes but I haven't tried one yet because I wasn't sure if they were worth the money. They look good though!

    Yeah I had it for lunch today and the total was around $10, But I got the chicken and hummus and it comes with some veggies and pita. There's a lot of variety. So yummy!
  • bezbaby
    bezbaby Posts: 1
    Sushi! It's my favourite, and very cheap
  • 13turtles
    13turtles Posts: 183 Member
    I find that it's just as "Fast" to go to the grocery store and get a California sushi roll instead. It's usually cheap (less than $5), and really filling. I can get Brown rice in mine for extra fiber and the calories are great! Stop by the olive bar, and grab a few of those babies and you have a good fat as well. Easy peasy!
  • mickey_weathers
    mickey_weathers Posts: 17 Member
    McDonalds, Southwest Chicken Salad with Southwest Dressing!!! (Grilled Chicken) 300 Calories, fills you up, and is super delicious:)
  • micahnelson
    micahnelson Posts: 92 Member
    Taco Bell
    Fresco Crunchy Taco - 140 Calories
    Cantina Bowl Veggie or Chicken (Black Beans, Rice, Pico, Guac) - 540 Calories

    Burger King
    Chicken BLT Salad w\ Avocado Dressing - around 500 Calories

    Mcdonalds
    Southwest grilled chicken Salad- 390 Calories

    Subway
    Flatbread Eggwhite and Swiss 6 Inch- 240 Calories

    KFC
    10 Piece "Bites" meal with Green Beans- 333+35 calories
  • kinkylovely1
    kinkylovely1 Posts: 6 Member
    Chipotle totally gets my vote although their portioon sizes are crazy, so beware
  • MouseTmom
    MouseTmom Posts: 201 Member
    I also check out the calorie count on MFP. At McDonalds I like the Southwest Salad. Most places have a chart on the wall somewhere that has calorie counts also. For sit down restaurants Applebees and Chilis have low cal food on their menu's.
  • kinkylovely1
    kinkylovely1 Posts: 6 Member
    Sushi is also a great choice , whole foods sells a pretty good sushi and they have brown rice or multi grain rice if you want to punch up the fiber
  • SmileyFaceGuy
    SmileyFaceGuy Posts: 201
    Personally, if I go to a fast food restaurant, I just get whatever I want and eat low cal foods the rest of the day.
  • organiclove
    organiclove Posts: 12
    When I do eat out, I love to find the healthiest options on Any menu, at any restaurant. Some places I wouldn't consider fast food at all, but that's just my opinion. Fast food to me, usually lacks nutritional value, is often greasy or high-fat, and processed to the point that the original item is practically unidentifiable. That said, the following places to eat-out I would go to on a daily basis, if I could afford such splurges..

    Crispers.
    New Leaf Market.
    Chipotle.
    Panera Bread.
    Earth Fare.
    Whole Foods.
    Jason's Deli.
    The Fresh Market.
    1Fresh Stir Fry & Grill.

    You can find reasonably healthful meal options almost anywhere! As long as you don't wander into a Diner famous for their late night All You Can Eat Pancakes! and hand-spun Chocolate shakes, you should be just fine!
  • AZKristi
    AZKristi Posts: 1,801 Member
    Grilled Chicken Sandwiches at ChikFilA and Wendy's aren't too bad. If you can steer clear of the fries you're better off (and have more willpower than I do, LOL).
  • RobynMWilson
    RobynMWilson Posts: 1,540 Member
    Taco Bell crunchy tacos, or Wendy's chili and baked potato. Careful with fast food salads - some of them have more calories than a burger.

    But your question says what healthy choices do you get when you splurge... I don't make healthy choices when I splurge, that's the point.

    Amen! A splurge is a splurge! I allow one once to twice per week and eat right the rest of the time and that has kept me on the beam for YEARS!
  • sharleengc
    sharleengc Posts: 792 Member
    Subway..

    I cutout fast food "burger joints" when I started trying to loose weight. I went for the first time yesterday as we were in one of those quick traveling situations...I had a salad and i still felt sick after it! Could have been the grease smell too lol
  • cowgirlashlee
    cowgirlashlee Posts: 301 Member
    Apple Pecan Chicken Salad from Wendy's...hold the cheese, only one packet of dressing for a full, or half the packet for a half size. I always use my pecans, though, no matter what :)

    Footlong Turkey on Wheat with lettuce, onion, and sweet onion sauce from Subway. Eat half for lunch, and the other half for dinner.

    I'm fortunate that I have a little deli 15 minutes from my house that offers wonderful sandwiches and salads that are filling and reasonably priced, so I frequent there for a chicken caesar salad light cheese and dressing on the side so I can dip my bites instead of drowning it in dressing.
  • MyOwnSunshine
    MyOwnSunshine Posts: 1,312 Member
    Starbucks oatmeal is yummy! McDonalds oatmeal is good, too.

    Chipotle is a good choice, but keep in mind that a whole bowl or burrito is probably more like 2 servings than 1, so get it to go so you can take some home.

    Chik Fil A's chicken nuggets with fruit or carrot raisin salad (they're always out) is healthy.

    Paradise Bakery/Panera Bread can have some healthy choices, but I would check nutrition and make a choice before you go because some of the so-called healthy stuff there is deceivingly high in calories.

    Those are pretty much the only fast food items that I will eat. The rest is too high in calories and too low in taste for me. I have totally lost my taste for fast food burgers and fries. I'd rather go to Red Robin or somewhere similar and get a decent burger in a lettuce wrap then use my precious calories on crap food. :-)
  • blinkiii
    blinkiii Posts: 90
    Sushi is also a great choice , whole foods sells a pretty good sushi and they have brown rice or multi grain rice if you want to punch up the fiber

    I absolutely love sushi! I just need to start getting a different order since I always get the spicy tuna, and the mayonnaise in there is not helping anyone :P
  • kluvit
    kluvit Posts: 435 Member
    At most burger places, the small hamburger without mayo is typically fewer calories than the larger grilled chicken sandwiches or the salads. At McDonald's, small burger = 250, and small fry = 230, so for less than 500 calories, you can get your fast food "fix." Taco Bell has lots on their fresco menu, but I love nachos supreme, so I just enjoy for 440 calories and count it as a meal. At Chipotle, I get the burrito bowl with lettuce instead of rice, then add my favorite ingredients skipping the dressing and cheese, since I hardly miss it with the flavorful pico salsa.

    Oops...forgot about Starbucks...LOVE the Mocha Frappachino Light (Grande=130), but you can get it with Sugar Free Syrup for even less.
  • Snail313
    Snail313 Posts: 214 Member
    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!
  • kms1104
    kms1104 Posts: 110 Member
    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.
  • mcedes02
    mcedes02 Posts: 56 Member
    sonics has a great grilled chicken on wheat bun that doesn't 'break the bank'. If you get it w/o mayo it's only about 240 cals.
  • vegas711
    vegas711 Posts: 92 Member
    Subway 6" on whole wheat. Turkey lettuce, tomato, green peppers and light mayo. Also Roast Beef. no cheese on either.

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