What's with the Sodium? :(

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cdickey
cdickey Posts: 230
in Food and Nutrition
I have to take my boys to the dentist tonight and we'll have to eat out instead of at home. I figured we would hit McDonald's or Wendy's since I know the boys will want to go to one of those places. I decided to be proactive about it and go check out the nutrition guidelines and choose something within my calories. Well, I picked out a nice salad with lowfat dressing and looked at it and low and behold there was a TON of sodium in it. Well that just sucks. I retain fluid like a sponge and have to really watch with the sodium. So much for being a "healthy" salad.

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  • aslavich
    aslavich Posts: 250 Member
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    Bummer... their salads are really good too... I guess I'll avoid them too!
  • shanerylee
    shanerylee Posts: 298 Member
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    Im the same way. You could always take off 1/2 the chicken and not eat the croutons. at least its less. The dressing is really high too.
  • jowily
    jowily Posts: 189 Member
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    Most of the time when you have low-fat items, they obviously take out the fat (which has a lot of the flavor) and they then replace the missing flavor with salt. Not to mention I bet some of the toppings (be it cheese, croutons, or chicken) are usually loaded with sodium.
  • lt_mrcook
    lt_mrcook Posts: 389 Member
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    Skip the chicken...where the most of the sodium is...and skip the croutons....it's expensive veggies, but not too bad.

    wendy's get the small chili...still sodium heavy (all processed food is sodium heavy, but not a complete waste...

    Processed foods contain lots of sodium for flavor (since most of it is processed out) to make you thirsty (which most people confuse with hunger so they buy more food) and to help preserve items that will sit on a shelf or in a freezer for years....
  • DawnOf1969
    DawnOf1969 Posts: 726 Member
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    I vote for skipping McDonalds and Wendy's altogether. Get the kiddos eating healthier while they are young. If you can't skip it, then go for the fruit and walnut salad, yogurt parfait and if meat is a necessity, then the the grilled chicken snack wrap with no sauce or cheese. Have them add extra lettuce.
  • cdickey
    cdickey Posts: 230
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    I think I'm going to go with sour cream and chive baked potato, small chili and a side salad with fat free french dressing from Wendy's. It's 610 calories and 1080 in sodium but it sounds filling. It's just easier to eat at home though. I just know that my boys won't be able to wait until we get home and we'll be hitting the grocery store too so I don't want to go there hungry. LOL. I'll just drink water to flush all that extra sodium out.
  • ScarletTarah
    ScarletTarah Posts: 117 Member
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    I work at Wendy's on the weekends and found I have to bring my own food I can't eat anything there but the romaine letttuce I bring my own tuna or chicken to put on it. You can eat a side salad with no dressing from either place, but I prefer the croutons over the dressing anyways. I ate a piece of the grilled chicken at wendys on Saturday and felt so bloated and uncomfortable 610mg. of sodium.

    You can also pack yourself something to eat even a snack and have something prepared for yourself after.
    I take my kids out to eat once a week at McDonalds because of the playground and I just wait to get home to eat.
  • learning2bfit
    learning2bfit Posts: 61 Member
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    You're gonna have to avoid the dressing...

    I had a bit of fat free ranch on my salad and when I entered it, the sodium count alarmed me. I don't know why I never really paid much attention to it before...but it jumped out at me today. I'm gonna have to give up.
  • DawnOf1969
    DawnOf1969 Posts: 726 Member
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    Sometimes I just use salsa on my salads. almost no calories in it, although some can be higher in sodium.
  • junipuni
    junipuni Posts: 264 Member
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    Sometimes I just use salsa on my salads. almost no calories in it, although some can be higher in sodium.
    A few months ago this would have sounded so gross to me but ITA. I do a taco salad - usually with ground turkey - and use salsa, fat free sour cream and a little bit of cheese and it's so good and filling. I never would have thought to use salsa on salad otherwise. :)

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