Eating fast food HELP

karriejackson
karriejackson Posts: 6
in Food and Nutrition
I am a VERY busy mom of 3 VERY active boys! We are gone almost EVERY night of the week from after school until 7:30-8 pm. We eat out A LOT! It is usually fast food. I eat a Chipotle grilled chicken snack wrap or a premium grilled classic chicken sandwich with no mayo, depending on how many calories I have left at McDonalds. I also go to subway but am struggling every where else to find something around 400-500 calories and not loaded with carbs or cholesterol. We eat on the run so I cant eat a salad at these places while I am driving! Any suggestions? Thank you...positive note: I am down 13 lbs. in 3 weeks!:wink:

Replies

  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    Carls Jr BBQ chicken sandwich for 400-something calories. Or any grilled chicken sandwich from BK or Wendys sans mayo.
  • angelgoone
    angelgoone Posts: 50
    Get a crock-pot and make meals a week in advance. It'll save you time and all you have to do is heat it up. It's amazing what you can do with with one type of meat. Get creative. Get healthy. But don't ever think you're limited.
  • climbing_trees
    climbing_trees Posts: 726 Member
    Jimmy John's will make a sandwich and wrap it in lettuce instead of bread. No extra cost!
  • dynamitegalxo
    dynamitegalxo Posts: 299 Member
    protein shake. make ahead and take in a travel cup or buy premade ones. otherwise, eat real food while you're sitting at practice. otherwise, get less busy. you're setting your kids up for bad habits.
  • 1princesswarrior
    1princesswarrior Posts: 1,242 Member
    Jimmie John's makes a sandwich with lettuce instead of bread I think is under 400 cals.
  • mindy2780
    mindy2780 Posts: 5
    Can you pre-make portable meals and pack a cooler in your car? We aren't out as often as you are but when I know I will be away during meal time with the kids I pack snacks and meals for us. I pack them in a cooler or lunchbox and we eat while we are out and about. I started it because we don't have a lot of extra cash and this is much cheaper. The bonus of it is that I control what we eat. Yogurts, sandwiches, fruits and vegetables all pack easily. You could even throw in a thermos of soup if you don't mind it lukewarm.
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    A lettuce sandwich sounds depressing.
  • toaster6
    toaster6 Posts: 703 Member
    Would taking your own lunch be feesible? You can cook in bulk when you do find some time or make a really good, filling sandwich and bring it with you. If you have errands to run, you can put your food in those thermal lunch boxes. Otherwise, Panera has some good food. Look up sites for any fast food chain you like-- many have their foods' nutrition facts on their site so you can pick out things you like & know will fit into your day even if the calorie counts aren't displayed in-store.
  • qtgonewild
    qtgonewild Posts: 1,930 Member
    in n out has a protein style cheeseburger. its like 330 calories. its just like their regular cheeseburger (yummy sauce) cheese, onions but its wrapped in lettuce.
  • murphy612
    murphy612 Posts: 734 Member
    otherwise, get less busy. you're setting your kids up for bad habits.

    Words of wisdom :flowerforyou:
  • Keiras_Mom
    Keiras_Mom Posts: 844 Member
    I eat out tons. Carl's Jr's turkey burgers are all under 500 calories and you can save 80 calories off of that by eliminating the cheese. I love their jalapeno turkey burger.

    Wendy's small chili is 180 calories. They also have salads and flatbread sandwiches that are lower calorie.

    If you're going to a sit-down place, most have menus with selections under 500 or 600 calories. California Pizza Kitchen, Red Robin, Cheesecake Factory all spring to mind.

    Whole, real foods in a cooler is a good idea too. Fruits, vegetables, cheeses, crackers, sandwiches, hard-boiled eggs, etc., all travel well.
  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
    otherwise, get less busy. you're setting your kids up for bad habits.

    Words of wisdom :flowerforyou:

    Maintaining an active schedule and making decent choices at a fast food restaurant is setting the kids up for bad habits? That is an interesting statement.
  • KatrinaWilke
    KatrinaWilke Posts: 372 Member
    Can you pre-make portable meals and pack a cooler in your car? We aren't out as often as you are but when I know I will be away during meal time with the kids I pack snacks and meals for us. I pack them in a cooler or lunchbox and we eat while we are out and about. I started it because we don't have a lot of extra cash and this is much cheaper. The bonus of it is that I control what we eat. Yogurts, sandwiches, fruits and vegetables all pack easily. You could even throw in a thermos of soup if you don't mind it lukewarm.

    This! When I was younger we had to eat in the car in between school and dance lessons.
  • LisaWeir74
    LisaWeir74 Posts: 88 Member
    My kids are super busy too but no matter what we eat dinner at home. The night we are the latest we have a crockpot meal. On the weekends I put it together in a gallon freezer bag then write the instructions on the bag. If you google crockpot freezer meals you can get great recipes. Then we usually have leftovers one night......it works well. I have 10 freezer meals ready for this semester. I am a teacher too so I am always busy. My crockpot is my savior but you have to plan ahead.
  • emjean76
    emjean76 Posts: 116 Member
    Jimmy John's will make a sandwich and wrap it in lettuce instead of bread. No extra cost!

    Yes, and they are almost....almost....better than the sandwich!
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,839 Member
    Maintaining an active schedule and making decent choices at a fast food restaurant is setting the kids up for bad habits? That is an interesting statement.

    It depends on what the kids are allowed to get from the fast food place. Mom eating a grilled chicken lettuce wrap in the front seat means nothing if kids are eating cheeseburgers and fries in the back.

    Remove the nightly temptations from them with healthy food in the car. Tell them Mom has to save money or wants more time to talk to them or something. Don't tell them it's because you don't want them eating fries. Then feed them healthy stuff like fruit and nuts, celery sticks, string cheese, air-popped popcorn, yes, and a couple cookies but not the whole package loose in the back of the van. They'll thank you for it in later life when they have an easier time with sports activities because they are healthier and know how to eat well.
  • cadaverousbones
    cadaverousbones Posts: 421 Member
    Maybe start making cold lunches a head of time like sandwiches etc & pack ina lunch box or cooler with ice packs, keep granola bars and nuts and other healthy snacks in the car. Do you have Wendys where you are? They have chili and baked potatoes. Grilled chicken sandwiches with no mayo or bacon should cut out calories when you go to MCD's. Taco bell has a "fresca" menu which is all low calorie, so you could get 2 items and probably be under 500 calories for dinner. Get water or plain ice tea as a drink instead of soda or diet. Also as others suggested make 1 or 2 big meals per week, store them in single serving containers and pack them in ice (ice packs/lunch box/cooler)
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    I was in the same boat. 2 girls and a boy but all were into sports and various other activities (drama, instruments, chorus, clubs, volunteer work). I quickly learned that to survive I needed to make my meal plans on Sunday and prep and precook what I could. Eating out was not only bad for the waistline but hit the pocketbook extremely hard. The crockpot and dutch oven are my best tools. I also have individual thermos bowls that keep food hot all day long. They were a great investment. I also use the cheat of picking up a store rotisserie chicken when needed. They are great for throwing together wraps or adding to a salad.
  • karriejackson
    karriejackson Posts: 6
    I f I know I will be home before 7, I usually do the crock. Most nights though, I don't get done with ball games or practices until 7 or later.
  • karriejackson
    karriejackson Posts: 6
    That is what I was thinking! I am not going to stop them from playing sports as long as they achieve an A/B average in school. So slowing down our lifestyle is not an option. What I would like to do is teach them to make better choices when we eat out and understand that eating nuggets, burgers and chicken fingers and fries will not be a healthy choice forever! I was also very busy growing up, playing sports all the time, and I was able to eat that way. Not so much now, so I need to find healthier options. I appreciate everyone's responses. The Jimmy Johns lettuce sandwich actually sounds good!
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member
    You can put anything in a wrap..

    I used to take last nights dinner slap it in a wrap and call it lunch. With my son being in football I'm about to be in the same boat as you. needing to eat while out and I'm not gonna hit up the concession stands or fast food joints. I'm either going to wait till I get home to eat (after 9 some days) or bring along a protein packed snack pack. Cheese and jerky and eggs and carrots and Quakes (to satisfy the crunch during the game craving.) or start doing last nights dinner in a warp. Or just packing it in Tupperware and eating it while i'm sitting on the bleachers. I do not care what others think. lol
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    otherwise, get less busy. you're setting your kids up for bad habits.

    Words of wisdom :flowerforyou:

    Yup. She can figure things out, and when she chooses to get right she will. However, she's really indoctrinating her kids into the fast food lifestyle, and they aren't equipped to even begin to understand that they can and should question it.

    I am disappoint. It's so easy to premake meals.

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