Help. I have to eat at a mall food court today

joymeg1
joymeg1 Posts: 24 Member
edited September 29 in Food and Nutrition
What are my best options to keep the calories and sodium down. They have taco bell, panda express, subway, charlie's steakery, szabaro pizza and a japanese fast food place. Kinda sick of subway, but is that my only choice?

Replies

  • kgagnon7779
    kgagnon7779 Posts: 216
    I'd stay away from the Japanese and Chinese place. Can you maybe get a couple of chicken tacos without the cheese and sour cream at Taco Bell? Or, maybe a taco salad (not sure how that is served, but without all the "good" stuff?)
  • emciriaco
    emciriaco Posts: 41
    Actually, Panda Express isn't so terrible. Just get a Panda Bowl with mixed veggies (instead of rice or noodles) and one either the Beef and Broccoli or Chicken and Green Beans with it. Check out their nutritional guide on their website; I was (pleasantly) surprised to see how little the Panda Bowl with mixed veggies and Broccoli and Beef was!
  • LauriTerrell
    LauriTerrell Posts: 69 Member
    Subway has decent salads if you have them add a lot of spinach.
  • EmilyQC
    EmilyQC Posts: 69 Member
    taco bell has a fresco line... tasty and lower in cals, and fat than other places... i'd say go with taco bell!
  • xdannigirl
    xdannigirl Posts: 32 Member
    I agree...stay away from the oriental places.

    I suggest that if you're really sick of Subway, give yourself a treat and order something not as healthy...but don't eat it all! Or order a small size if the option is available. I'm not saying take a free card and eat whatever you want...still watch what you're ordering. But one meal isn't going to ruin everything, as long as you can get back on track.
  • velvetkat
    velvetkat Posts: 454 Member
    Get a veggie salad from Subway... take your own dressing with you.. salad spritzer or other diet dressing. Just dont use any processed meats.. You could do a little cheese.. ask for it on the side so you can add what you want. An 1/8th of a cup is plenty.

    You could also do the same with the taco salad just have them leave off the sour cream and ask for the cheese on the side and dont use the salsa(high in sodium).

    If there is a place that has chicken sandwiches you could do a grilled chicken sandwich with let and tomato.. leave off the mayo and cheese and dont have fries or chips!

    Hope this helps!

    4925355.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Nutrition Facts For Foods
  • bmmadden
    bmmadden Posts: 499 Member
    subway or fresco taco bell and you'll be fine with alll the walking
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    Panda Express has some good options actually (except for sodium but that'll be in everything at the mall). I think the mushroom chicken, and the beef and broccoli, get the steamed veggies instead of the rice.
  • Mirabilis
    Mirabilis Posts: 312 Member
    Japanese, but sashimi, not sushi. Also, miso soup is low cal (but you might have to endure the sodium). Avoid the rice altogether. Also sunomono salad and goma-ae (cooked spinach and peanut salad) are really good and healthy too.

    Do any of other these places offer salad? Taco salad has a LOT of calories so avoid that too.

    All in all, it sounds gross. Can you pack a lunch? Nobody will bother you in the food court if you bring your own. If I had to bring mine it'd be 100g baby carrots, 150g celery and 150g cherry tomatoes. And of course, water to drink.
  • pcteck2
    pcteck2 Posts: 184 Member
    The Japanese place should have grilled shrimp or chicken on a skewer and steamed vegetables and white rice.
  • Sumijain
    Sumijain Posts: 309 Member
    Taco Bell has a bunch of ok choices. See their nutrition page at: http://www.tacobell.com/nutrition/information

    Also, most of their items can be ordered "fresco" style. It puts fresh salsa on top instead of cheese and sour cream.
  • yieldguru
    yieldguru Posts: 9 Member
    I would go with Panda Express. One poster was right. They have some very good options. Just opt for Veggies instead of rice or noodles and get non fried items. Beef and Broccoli is only 150 cal per serving (one scoop). Feels like a nice treat. Especially when you are sick of Subway.
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
    I would get a piece of veggie or cheese pizza from Sbarro (about 460 calories) or a couple crunchy tacos (180 calories apiece) from Taco Bell.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    Ooooo, Panda Express has a really nice calculator on their website. Broccoli and Beef and mixed veggies only come to 220 calories total. 8 grams of fiber!




    And 1250mg of sodium....
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    Those places are all major chains, so they most likely all have websites w/ their menu and nutritional info.
  • 27strange
    27strange Posts: 837 Member
    If it were me faced with this decision today I would get either:

    2 fresco chicken soft tacos from taco bell

    or

    Subway 6" turkey breast on wheat, no cheese, lots of veggies, no sauce.

    Both of these options are 300 calories or under.
  • PSUgrl921
    PSUgrl921 Posts: 368 Member
    Fresco taco bell!!! SOOO good but lower in calories than the regular line. I love their crunchy beef tacos... but you could go for chicken and probably lower the cals even more!! You could even ask for a bowl and not use all the shells... and make a taco salad... which might cut back some calories as well.
  • emciriaco
    emciriaco Posts: 41
    Ooooo, Panda Express has a really nice calculator on their website. Broccoli and Beef and mixed veggies only come to 220 calories total. 8 grams of fiber!


    And 1250mg of sodium....

    I know... The sodium is what kills me. But I usually stay under on sodium in everything else I eat, so it's not THAT bad for me. But if you really need to watch the sodium, it's not the best.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    I'm going totally against the grain here, but...

    It's ONE meal. Eat what you want. Rice, pasta, cheese, soy sauce, sour cream and bread are not the enemy. Eating that way every meal of every day is the enemy.

    And even that's debatable, because one look at my food diary (just not today or yesterday... I don't log on weekends) will show that I do have rice, pasta, cheese, sauces, creams and bread pretty consistently and I'm doing just fine.
  • kysassyblonde1
    kysassyblonde1 Posts: 96
    do you have the phone app? I love the app, now when I go out to eat I just pull up the restraunt and check and see what is the lowest calories (of course I have to like it) and then order what fits in my calories for the day. So far this has worked great for me and has made me step outside of my box and order things I normally would not have!!! Good luck!!!! If I didnt have the app I would look online before I went and try to make a choice first of lower calorie items!!!!
  • kysassyblonde1
    kysassyblonde1 Posts: 96
    another good thing you can do is order what you want and right when the meal comes divide it in 2 and only eat half of the meal and take the rest home for another meal. That way you eat what you like but only half the calories
  • coronalime
    coronalime Posts: 583 Member
    Take your own food! Its a food court and no one will be the wiser.
  • greej
    greej Posts: 37 Member
    Is the Japanese place Teriyaki Experience? If so, here's the nutritional information:

    www.teriyakiexperience.com/image/CDN_NutritionalInfo.pdf
  • JoeB71
    JoeB71 Posts: 115 Member
    I'd go with Subway. Watch out for the Chinese food. While not calorie related, that stuff is loaded with sodium.
  • cheyenne_alexis
    cheyenne_alexis Posts: 69 Member
    Taco Bell i would think, they have the fresco line which is more healthier for you, i always get the chicken fresco soft taco which is only 130 calories per taco & they are filling ! :)
  • cheyenne_alexis
    cheyenne_alexis Posts: 69 Member
    ohhh i didnt see subway either ! i normally get a 6'' turkey breast on wheat w provolone cheese and thats only 310 cals ! have funn!
  • joymeg1
    joymeg1 Posts: 24 Member
    Ok, so since I looked different options up ahead of time and everything was loaded with sodium, I decided to make the best choice while giving myself the treat of eating out. I had 1/2 steamed veggies and 1/2 steamed rice (but only ate 1/2 of that rice). And had the black pepper chicken and veggies which was one of their "wok smart" choices. It was good. If the websites number are accurate it was 510 calories and a daily allowance of sodium!! All in all I think I did ok since I try not to eat at these places often. Thanks for all the suggestions.
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