Need advice on fast food choice

higgins8283801
higgins8283801 Posts: 844 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I still haven't swung how to handle dinner with two kids who both play competitive sports and have practice opposite each other. I meant to do crockpot but spazzed.

I still have 750 calories left for dinner so I'm thinking a Wendy's jr no cheese and maybe a small chili or a small kids sized fry.

What is your go to meal out when you gotta make a drive thru run?
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Replies

  • R_Calvillo
    R_Calvillo Posts: 177 Member
    My go to fast food place is Taco Bell. A Fresco style chicken burrito comes in about 350 calories.
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
    McDonalds I get the southwest chicken salad,grilled. It's really good and doesn't even need dressing. It's 290 calories. Then I can get a small vanilla cone too or a small fry!

    Sometimes at Wendy's I get the potato and the chili and pour the chili on the potato. That 227 for the chili and 309 for the potato if you put the sour cream on it. take off like 60 calories if no sour cream.
  • rileyleigh
    rileyleigh Posts: 106 Member
    I love me some Wendy's :) I always get the Son of Baconator! Unfortunately there is no real good option as far as calorie's go there. You could either get the most basic burger and smallest fry like you suggested, or get whatever you REALLY want and only eat half of it.... Or you could save yourself some calories by cutting the fries, but I could never do that....

    The other options are trying to get in an extra workout to burn the calories off, getting Wendy's for the kids and grabbing something for you at home, or just deciding that today you may go over your calories, but you will make up for it tomorrow.
  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
    Chipotle if I have the calories to spare, Subway if I don't...
  • rileyleigh
    rileyleigh Posts: 106 Member
    Be careful with Subway though.... Some of their subs are easily upwards of 1000 calories. Don't just assume that because its Subway, everything is healthy.
  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
    Be careful with Subway though.... Some of their subs are easily upwards of 1000 calories. Don't just assume that because its Subway, everything is healthy.
    You have to be calorie conscious no matter where you eat. Subway does has a wider variety of low calorie options then most fast food places, but of course you can overeat there just the same as anywhere else.
  • mbcieslak87
    mbcieslak87 Posts: 206 Member
    You can basically eat anywhere with 750 calories to spare. Just use common sense - nothing fried, no creamy dressings. Nearly every fast food chain has a build your own nutrition calculator available online, so play around with your favorite place and make sure you are getting macros you need within your caloric limit. I am a firm believer of eating everything (and everywhere) within moderation! Cheers!
  • wildeone4
    wildeone4 Posts: 204 Member
    I love doing chick fil a or chipotle (although chipotle isn't a drive thru place)
  • cuckoo_jenibeth
    cuckoo_jenibeth Posts: 1,434 Member
    Subway for me, too! 6" turkey on flatbread, no cheese, no condiments except red wine vinegar and s&p and load it up with veggies! Filling and delish for very low calories!
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    Look up nutrition data for fast food you enjoy, most places have this now. I don't do a lot of fast food simply because most of it is glutinous, but usually i'll do a GF pizza or something. Boston Pizza here is 750-800 calories for one individual pizza. Dominos' and PIzza 73's GF pizzas are also really good, while Panagos gives me stomach pain (not sure why, either there's way too much cross-contamination going on there - the sticker on the box does mention this, whereas the other places do not, so they may have designated GF surfaces - or... just some other ingredient that dosn't bode well with me).

    Otherwise, something like Swiss Chalet or other restaurants that do delivery tend to have more options and taste better anyways. You can always call up a restaurant ahead of time, go in and pick it up between picking kids up.
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
    Mmm, 750 calories at Wendy's? I betcha you can get all three-hamburger (no cheese), small chili, and small fries for close or under 750 cals (drink water, unsweetened Iced tea or Diet Coke). My go to for fast food is McD's (McDoubles=390 cals each) or Taco Bell (3 Fresco Chicken Soft Tacos = 140 calories each). I don't care for Subway (I can make sub sandwiches at home anytime--boring, YMMV).
  • skippygirlsmom
    skippygirlsmom Posts: 4,433 Member
    I had Taco Bell the other night and ordered their "mini" quesadilla, yummy for 180 calories.
  • FitOldMomma
    FitOldMomma Posts: 790 Member
    Subway is my choice for fast food. Low calorie choices and if I have it loaded with all the veggies I can really get full. Always under 400 calories for my choices.

    If I'm in the mood for salad, Wendy's is the place. Their Asian Cashew Chicken Salad is the bomb, and under 500 calories. And it's huge!
  • RockstarWilson
    RockstarWilson Posts: 836 Member
    We don't know what your goals are at that time besides calories. Are you mostly looking for protein at that time, or carbs? If you are looking for some portion control til you get home, I think the Mcd fruit n yogurt parfait is a good choice, for a buck. It is about 150 calories per cup, and has real fruit in it. No protein in the yogurt though, but most the sugar comes from the fruit (strawberries, blueberries). That would satisfy you til you get home. it does for me when I am out and about!
  • Spnneil06
    Spnneil06 Posts: 18,745 Member
    Check out the menu online and target your calories. That is what I do!
  • Bellodesiderare
    Bellodesiderare Posts: 278 Member
    Chick-Fil-A!!!! Grilled chicken nuggets & a fruit cup :)
  • RockstarWilson
    RockstarWilson Posts: 836 Member
    Subway is my choice for fast food. Low calorie choices and if I have it loaded with all the veggies I can really get full. Always under 400 calories for my choices.

    If I'm in the mood for salad, Wendy's is the place. Their Asian Cashew Chicken Salad is the bomb, and under 500 calories. And it's huge!

    And yes, i would like to reiterate what the other guy said, but for different reasons. There is a lot of bread in that sub, and a lot of processed meats. Sodium at Subway is through the roof (about 2500 mg per sub). Bread, though, will obliterate any diet, so watch how much nutrients you are getting, because i think most the calories are carbs.
  • MsSashaFire
    MsSashaFire Posts: 49
    Wherever you go I would try to stick with salads light dressing , you may have the calories left for other things but don't forget the sodium, and Subway is a bad choice for sodium unless you get a veggie sub.
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
    Subway is the only fast food place I go to now.
    Veggie, no cheese on wheat with red wine vinegar.
  • 365andstillalive
    365andstillalive Posts: 663 Member
    Subway is my choice for fast food. Low calorie choices and if I have it loaded with all the veggies I can really get full. Always under 400 calories for my choices.

    If I'm in the mood for salad, Wendy's is the place. Their Asian Cashew Chicken Salad is the bomb, and under 500 calories. And it's huge!

    And yes, i would like to reiterate what the other guy said, but for different reasons. There is a lot of bread in that sub, and a lot of processed meats. Sodium at Subway is through the roof (about 2500 mg per sub). Bread, though, will obliterate any diet, so watch how much nutrients you are getting, because i think most the calories are carbs.

    At Subway, just like any fast food place, it's all about knowing your options.
    I can easily get away with a 6" Turkey and Ham sub with a bunch of veggies and some honey mustard for under 350 calories and less than 1000mg of sodium. Carbs aren't exactly the devil, so if you've got no reason to restrict them, there's no real reason to complain about it either. Bread has never obliterated my diet; I eat it every day and I've lost about 70lbs.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    #1 for me is always a Steak N' Shake double steakburger, no cheese, plus mustard, lettuce & onion.
  • jdhcm2006
    jdhcm2006 Posts: 2,254 Member
    Arby's or Wendy's.

    Arby's: snack size curly fries is like 240 calories, and 3 piece tenders are about 350 calories, plus I get bbq sauce, so that's about 50 cals. It's about 630 calories

    Wendy's: 4 or 6 piece nuggets (depending on how hungry I am) and a value fry, plus the bbq sauce. I think this is about 500-600 calories. I know that what I get at Wendy's less calories than Arby's.

    I never get anything to drink since I normally have a bottle of water with me.
  • Shananigans457
    Shananigans457 Posts: 486 Member
    I've had this same problem since my little one has joined so many sports and after school activities. I default to Subway quite a bit but have found that Arby's has a really good Roasted Turkey Salad and a low cal dressing that goes with it. The salad is really filling and with the dressing, the whole thing is under 300 calories.
    Now that there is so much more awareness for nutritional information, most places you go will have a menu with all of the health facts listed.
  • ttcbelieve
    ttcbelieve Posts: 181 Member
    Hamburger but i swap the buns for lettuce and use lettuce as the bread. THis way i can get a huge burger:smile:
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    Subway is my choice for fast food. Low calorie choices and if I have it loaded with all the veggies I can really get full. Always under 400 calories for my choices.

    If I'm in the mood for salad, Wendy's is the place. Their Asian Cashew Chicken Salad is the bomb, and under 500 calories. And it's huge!

    And yes, i would like to reiterate what the other guy said, but for different reasons. There is a lot of bread in that sub, and a lot of processed meats. Sodium at Subway is through the roof (about 2500 mg per sub). Bread, though, will obliterate any diet, so watch how much nutrients you are getting, because i think most the calories are carbs.

    Weird, because I still eat bread, processed meats, and things with sodium in them and I'm doing fine..because I'm not on a diet.
    Subway, like the above poster said, is just like any other restaurant. You need to make conscious choices. And bread isn't the end of the world, nor should it be considered a food that "obliterates a diet".
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    My go-to at Wendy's lately has been a Junior Bacon Cheeseburger and a Caesar side salad without croutons
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Wendy's has an asian salad thats pretty low cal (380) and it was actually pretty decent.
  • LoneWolfRunner
    LoneWolfRunner Posts: 1,160 Member
    I just take my boys through the drive-thru and eat when I get home...
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    Subway is my choice for fast food. Low calorie choices and if I have it loaded with all the veggies I can really get full. Always under 400 calories for my choices.

    If I'm in the mood for salad, Wendy's is the place. Their Asian Cashew Chicken Salad is the bomb, and under 500 calories. And it's huge!

    And yes, i would like to reiterate what the other guy said, but for different reasons. There is a lot of bread in that sub, and a lot of processed meats. Sodium at Subway is through the roof (about 2500 mg per sub). Bread, though, will obliterate any diet, so watch how much nutrients you are getting, because i think most the calories are carbs.

    You can ask them (any sub place) to "scoop" out the bread so you get fewer empty carbs and more good fillings.
  • rileyleigh
    rileyleigh Posts: 106 Member
    Subway is my choice for fast food. Low calorie choices and if I have it loaded with all the veggies I can really get full. Always under 400 calories for my choices.

    If I'm in the mood for salad, Wendy's is the place. Their Asian Cashew Chicken Salad is the bomb, and under 500 calories. And it's huge!

    And yes, i would like to reiterate what the other guy said, but for different reasons. There is a lot of bread in that sub, and a lot of processed meats. Sodium at Subway is through the roof (about 2500 mg per sub). Bread, though, will obliterate any diet, so watch how much nutrients you are getting, because i think most the calories are carbs.

    Weird, because I still eat bread, processed meats, and things with sodium in them and I'm doing fine..because I'm not on a diet.
    Subway, like the above poster said, is just like any other restaurant. You need to make conscious choices. And bread isn't the end of the world, nor should it be considered a food that "obliterates a diet".

    Oh i dont' think he was saying that you can't eat those things and do fine, just that you ought to know they are there before you eat them. Subway has given themselves the image of being the "healthy" fast food place, and while they do have several options that are healthier than other places, one could easily think they are eating healthy and low calorie when they are not.

    Its like you said, just make sure you are educated about what you eat. It doesn't matter how many vegetables you put on that foot long sub on Italian bread, you still have the calories in the bread. If you understand that, and if it fits your calorie goal for the day, then by all means go for it!

    My favorite sub combo is 1200 calories for a footlong :/

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