Fast Food; are there any heathy choices?

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Replies

  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Of the burger joints, McDonald's has the best variety of filling, low-calorie options that taste good.

    But they all have healthy food.
  • JuzDuIt
    JuzDuIt Posts: 222 Member
    No food is inherently unhealthy. This includes fast food.

    ^^agree!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    No food is inherently unhealthy. This includes fast food.

    It depends on how you are defining "unhealthy food".
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    I can't really think of any unhealthy examples
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
    Burger King offers a veggie burger

    Taco Bell will replace meat with beans in any of their options.

    Most places have salads. Wendys berrie salad is pretty darn good.

    McDonalds offers oatmeal and eggwhite options for breakfast. They also offer chicken breast on a whole wheat bun.

    I try to avoid FF as much as possible by preparation and planning on trips, but there is that point on the way home where it is going to happen, so all we can do is make the best choices for us. I, for one, do not do well digesting meat, and can not tolerate the almost meat at many fast food chains. I know that by having a car full of fruit and nuts, I will make a better choice at the window when I am not starving and think a large french fry is a good idea.

    Fruit is the original fast food.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    No food is inherently unhealthy. This includes fast food.

    It depends on how you are defining "unhealthy food".

    Presumably the definition would be "food that has a negative impact on some measure of health."
  • stacetherainbow
    stacetherainbow Posts: 131
    I recently went on chipotles website and they are very detail in their ingredient list. Which I can really appreciate, they have brown rice and good local meat ( I think I remember correctly) and fresh vegs
    If calories aren't so much a concern, but REAL food is, Chipotle might not be a bad idea

    http://www.chipotle.com/en-us/fwi/fwi.aspx
  • etoiles_argentees
    etoiles_argentees Posts: 2,827 Member
    No food is inherently unhealthy. This includes fast food.

    It depends on how you are defining "unhealthy food".

    Presumably the definition would be "food that has a negative impact on some measure of health."

    I've got your crown. ;)
  • Brige2269
    Brige2269 Posts: 354 Member
    most places lettuce wrap items now, so do that. get grilled chicken, no cheese take of the mayo off and or get something that isn't fried.

    that's about the best you can do... well the best I can do lol lots of places have fruit items for kids apple slices etc.
    With those apple slices in the bag at McD's, your getting major chemicals for freshiness. I don't even buy those presliced apples at the store.
  • Tonnina
    Tonnina Posts: 979 Member
    Grilled chicken from Burger King with no Mayo and either no bun or half a bun (toss the other half to the birds!) with a side salad and very little of the dressing of your choice is a good low calorie meal.
    Wendy's salads are all available in half size and you can ask to have the chicken removed or choose to not add the add ins like almonds or croutons. Their chili is large but has few calories.
    A kids cheese burger most places is relatively low calories and sometimes it's all you need to hit the spot.
    In the non-American food joints like Taco bell, they offer the Fresca menu with no cheese, lower calorie options... I like the potato taco there myself and the pintos and cheese... There's Panda Express where you can get VEGGIES instead of rice or lo mien, then get the veggie spring rolls and the mushroom chicken and you have an extremely low calorie very filling meal.

    Best part of fast food is that the nutrition information is usually easy to find. Most have it posted on the wall somewhere and they always have it online. If we are going out for fast food, I ALWAYS look at the nutrition information online first and make a choice before I go... Which can be hard when there's a promo item... They usually don't have to release or post promotional item's nutrition information because it's not something that will be permanently on the menu.

    I say, as with all things, EVERYTHING IN MODERATION! Have a cheesey burger tonight and a salad tomorrow... You don't have to give up everything to get healthy; variety is the spice of life! I wouldn't choose to eat boiled chicken and veggies everyday.
  • TheRunningGuppy
    TheRunningGuppy Posts: 651 Member
    Taco Bell, Fresco Chicken Soft Tacos, two of them for 300 calories. Not super filling, but good in a pinch when I'm low on cals and have to eat out. Otherwise, I just eat what I want from wherever and make it work.
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
    No food is inherently unhealthy. This includes fast food.

    ^^agree!

    Oh gesus. Here we go again. Saying it and agreeing with it does not make it true.

    Yall know about all the crap that goes into the "almost meat" and chicken nuggets right? If you do not mind chemical laden foods then hey, that is your prerogative but please, do not try to pass that crap off as healthy, because it is not. And there are dozens of scientific reports stating this as well.

    Pay attention to the truth instead of wanting to justify eating crap.

    http://www.criticalbench.com/unhealthy_fast_food.htm
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    most places lettuce wrap items now, so do that. get grilled chicken, no cheese take of the mayo off and or get something that isn't fried.

    that's about the best you can do... well the best I can do lol lots of places have fruit items for kids apple slices etc.
    With those apple slices in the bag at McD's, your getting major chemicals for freshiness. I don't even buy those presliced apples at the store.

    Apple Slices: Apples, Calcium Ascorbate (calcium + vitamin C)

    MAJOR CHEMICALS!!

    Good lord. Come on. This is crazy.
  • scottaworley
    scottaworley Posts: 871 Member
    I like getting chicken nuggets from chick-fil-a
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    No food is inherently unhealthy. This includes fast food.

    It depends on how you are defining "unhealthy food".

    Presumably the definition would be "food that has a negative impact on some measure of health."

    I've got your crown. ;)

    You can wear it for me ;)
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    No food is inherently unhealthy. This includes fast food.

    ^^agree!

    Oh gesus. Here we go again. Saying it and agreeing with it does not make it true.

    Yall know about all the crap that goes into the "almost meat" and chicken nuggets right? If you do not mind chemical laden foods then hey, that is your prerogative but please, do not try to pass that crap off as healthy, because it is not. And there are dozens of scientific reports stating this as well.

    Pay attention to the truth instead of wanting to justify eating crap.

    http://www.criticalbench.com/unhealthy_fast_food.htm

    It is healthy, and there are not "dozens of scientific reports stating this."

    This thread is now an "OH MY GOD CHEMICALS ARE BAD AND MCDONALD'S WILL KILL YOU" thread.
  • kikiboniki
    kikiboniki Posts: 398 Member
    honestly I think that starbucks has some good choices. They have a turkey bacon egg white multigrain english muffin sandwich that clocks in close to 300 cals with good protein. Thats my go to on the run food.
  • majica8
    majica8 Posts: 210 Member
    I'd happily eat at Subway for every meal. Lots of healthy options there really.
    It's only the price and inconvenience that stops me doing that.
  • K_Serz
    K_Serz Posts: 1,299 Member
    I would suggest going to jimmy johns and getting a sandwich full of the oh so healthy sprouts.

    But they dont sell them anymore because of the potential to get sick and die from an outbreak of the rare O26 strain of E. coli.

    MMmmmm Healthy!
  • sharleengc
    sharleengc Posts: 792 Member
    I just discovered that Jack in the Box has "grilled" chicken strips. It's in really fine writing under the chicken strip meal on the menu. Those were pretty good. Popeyes naked strips aren't bad either.


    I guess it's all based on what fits into your calories. If you aren't worried about going over, you're probably fine. I don't know of any places that have kosher fast food but I haven't really looked either.
  • IronPhyllida
    IronPhyllida Posts: 533 Member
    Do you have something similar to Itsu in the US? I thought that was relatively healthy. Just not cheap.
  • Amyp7777
    Amyp7777 Posts: 79
    I friggin LOVE Jason's Deli, and there are some in Denver. Check out their menu online, I think you'll like it. It is quick (they usually have a drive through) but such good food. Lots of healthy options for all types of diets. A little on the pricier side for "quick" food.
  • greglumpkin
    greglumpkin Posts: 24 Member
    I use this guide: http://eatthis.menshealth.com/content/14-best-fast-food-meals-under-500-calories

    G
  • missability
    missability Posts: 223
    I know if it comes in a box, it's processed to a degree....but we gotta eat, and sometimes "on the go" days with family, job, responsibilities, things come up that were not planned for....I use Panera bread....I had read 2 years ago, long before I began this journey, that it was the number 1 healthiest "fast food" chain In the US.

    Needless to say that kept me far away from it..lol....I cringed at the idea of sprouts and avocado....(Although I had no idea if they even sold that stuff)

    But back In march, 2 months after beginning on MFP, I got very ill, one day after an unGodly amount of running for medical tests I decided to swing by the drive-thru and try it...I was starving!

    The first thing I noticed was they have NO FRENCH FRIES on the menu board!!!

    Our Panera had a sign saying they used local produce when ever possible and in season.

    The following is copied and pasted from Panera's website:

    Panera's Perspective
    For you: You have the issue of taste. “One of the things we’ve learned is that simpler is often better when it comes to food,” says John Taylor, a member of the Panera Bread® Food Team. “The antibiotic-free chicken and roasted turkey we use in our salads and many of our sandwiches we believe tastes better because it is poultry as it was meant to taste: clean and simple.”
    For all of these reasons, Panera continues to work to offer more antibiotic-free meats and poultry at its own bakery-cafes and for the industry in general. Panera actively works with advocacy groups to help raise the awareness of legislators and the public about the issue of subtherapeutic use of antibiotics in farm animals. Panera is also working on supply-chain issues to help increase the availability of antibiotic-free meats and poultry not just at Panera, but at other restaurant and grocery chains. By banding together with others in the industry, we hope to be able to make antibiotic-free meats and poultry the rule and not the exception wherever you dine and shop.
    With more and more farmers caring for their livestock without antibiotics, you have the power to choose antibiotic-free meat when buying it to cook at home or when you’re eating out. You can check menus and labels—“No Antibiotics Ever” and “Raised without Antibiotics” are your label cues.

    This may not be important to you....But I know what eating antibiotic/hormone/ pesticide free has done for me, and my blood disorders....

    Hope it helped:)
  • Tigermum9
    Tigermum9 Posts: 546 Member
    subway is promoted as healthy in britain x
  • Angimom
    Angimom Posts: 1,463 Member
    Definitely try Chipolte! Or a rice bowl from Tijuana Flats.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    I know if it comes in a box, it's processed to a degree....but we gotta eat, and sometimes "on the go" days with family, job, responsibilities, things come up that were not planned for....I use Panera bread....I had read 2 years ago, long before I began this journey, that it was the number 1 healthiest "fast food" chain In the US.

    Needless to say that kept me far away from it..lol....I cringed at the idea of sprouts and avocado....(Although I had no idea if they even sold that stuff)

    But back In march, 2 months after beginning on MFP, I got very ill, one day after an unGodly amount of running for medical tests I decided to swing by the drive-thru and try it...I was starving!

    The first thing I noticed was they have NO FRENCH FRIES on the menu board!!!

    Our Panera had a sign saying they used local produce when ever possible and in season.

    The following is copied and pasted from Panera's website:

    Panera's Perspective
    For you: You have the issue of taste. “One of the things we’ve learned is that simpler is often better when it comes to food,” says John Taylor, a member of the Panera Bread® Food Team. “The antibiotic-free chicken and roasted turkey we use in our salads and many of our sandwiches we believe tastes better because it is poultry as it was meant to taste: clean and simple.”
    For all of these reasons, Panera continues to work to offer more antibiotic-free meats and poultry at its own bakery-cafes and for the industry in general. Panera actively works with advocacy groups to help raise the awareness of legislators and the public about the issue of subtherapeutic use of antibiotics in farm animals. Panera is also working on supply-chain issues to help increase the availability of antibiotic-free meats and poultry not just at Panera, but at other restaurant and grocery chains. By banding together with others in the industry, we hope to be able to make antibiotic-free meats and poultry the rule and not the exception wherever you dine and shop.
    With more and more farmers caring for their livestock without antibiotics, you have the power to choose antibiotic-free meat when buying it to cook at home or when you’re eating out. You can check menus and labels—“No Antibiotics Ever” and “Raised without Antibiotics” are your label cues.

    This may not be important to you....But I know what eating antibiotic/hormone/ pesticide free has done for me, and my blood disorders....

    Hope it helped:)

    It's difficult to find anything remotely filling on the Panera menu that's not a ton of calories. And it all has a butt-ton of sodium if you care about that.

    I love Panera, don't get me wrong. But I don't go there unless I have a ton of calories to blow and don't care about sodium intake. I hit McDonald's, Subway, Wendy's, or Taco Bell when I don't have that many calories.
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    No food is inherently unhealthy. This includes fast food.

    ^^agree!

    Oh gesus. Here we go again. Saying it and agreeing with it does not make it true.

    Yall know about all the crap that goes into the "almost meat" and chicken nuggets right? If you do not mind chemical laden foods then hey, that is your prerogative but please, do not try to pass that crap off as healthy, because it is not. And there are dozens of scientific reports stating this as well.

    Pay attention to the truth instead of wanting to justify eating crap.

    http://www.criticalbench.com/unhealthy_fast_food.htm

    Well instead of spreading propaganda with an editorial article I"ll give you some actual scientific studies.

    Consider this study showing that “reduced-calorie diets result in clinically meaningful weight loss regardless of which macronutrients they emphasize.” - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19246357

    Or perhaps this study which found “diets differing substantially in glycemic load induce comparable long-term weight loss.”- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17413101

    Results of Professor Mark Haub who lost 27lbs and improved markers of health while eating a diet consisting of Twinkies.
    http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/index.html

    Flexible dieting
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11707550

    Plus some decent articles here:

    http://dynamicduotraining.com/wordpress/15-nutrition-myths-you-want-to-knowallow-the-experts-to-tell/

    Carry on with your needless demonizing.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    I know if it comes in a box, it's processed to a degree....but we gotta eat, and sometimes "on the go" days with family, job, responsibilities, things come up that were not planned for....I use Panera bread....I had read 2 years ago, long before I began this journey, that it was the number 1 healthiest "fast food" chain In the US.

    Needless to say that kept me far away from it..lol....I cringed at the idea of sprouts and avocado....(Although I had no idea if they even sold that stuff)

    But back In march, 2 months after beginning on MFP, I got very ill, one day after an unGodly amount of running for medical tests I decided to swing by the drive-thru and try it...I was starving!

    The first thing I noticed was they have NO FRENCH FRIES on the menu board!!!

    Our Panera had a sign saying they used local produce when ever possible and in season.

    The following is copied and pasted from Panera's website:

    Panera's Perspective
    For you: You have the issue of taste. “One of the things we’ve learned is that simpler is often better when it comes to food,” says John Taylor, a member of the Panera Bread® Food Team. “The antibiotic-free chicken and roasted turkey we use in our salads and many of our sandwiches we believe tastes better because it is poultry as it was meant to taste: clean and simple.”
    For all of these reasons, Panera continues to work to offer more antibiotic-free meats and poultry at its own bakery-cafes and for the industry in general. Panera actively works with advocacy groups to help raise the awareness of legislators and the public about the issue of subtherapeutic use of antibiotics in farm animals. Panera is also working on supply-chain issues to help increase the availability of antibiotic-free meats and poultry not just at Panera, but at other restaurant and grocery chains. By banding together with others in the industry, we hope to be able to make antibiotic-free meats and poultry the rule and not the exception wherever you dine and shop.
    With more and more farmers caring for their livestock without antibiotics, you have the power to choose antibiotic-free meat when buying it to cook at home or when you’re eating out. You can check menus and labels—“No Antibiotics Ever” and “Raised without Antibiotics” are your label cues.

    This may not be important to you....But I know what eating antibiotic/hormone/ pesticide free has done for me, and my blood disorders....

    Hope it helped:)

    It's difficult to find anything remotely filling on the Panera menu that's not a ton of calories. And it all has a butt-ton of sodium if you care about that.

    I love Panera, don't get me wrong. But I don't go there unless I have a ton of calories to blow and don't care about sodium intake. I hit McDonald's, Subway, Wendy's, or Taco Bell when I don't have that many calories.

    ^^^Agreed
  • ksy1969
    ksy1969 Posts: 700 Member
    To answer the original question - chipotle is always a decent go to. Salads or bol's,

    I just discovered Chipotle's salads the other day. I couldn't believe how good they were. I told my wife that if she wasn't there I probably would have had the burrito, but after eating the salad I changed my mind. I would have to say that was probably one of the best salads I have ever had. It was the Chicken, half cup of brown rice, black beans, and a couple types of salsa. No need for any salad dressing. 540 Calories of pure bliss and I was full afterwards. Almost to the point of stuffed :-)

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