Fast Food Finds

crb426
crb426 Posts: 661 Member
edited November 17 in Health and Weight Loss
Yesterday I was left with less than 500 calories for dinner and no motivation to cook. Plus, not a lot of money to spend. I googled low-cal options at various fast food places and found the following suggestion at Taco Bell:

2 Fresco-style shredded chicken soft tacos (chicken, pico, lettuce, small flour tortilla)- 140 calories each
1 side of rice and beans- 180 calories

Total: 460 calories (website estimation)

So I tried it. I put the side of rice and beans in each of the tacos, stuffing them to capacity. And Oh My God, it was delicious! And after eating it at 5:30 I was still full throughout the rest of the night until breakfast.

So, I'd love to hear about other low-cal fast food options that you have discovered and fallen in love with.
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Replies

  • sabinaholtby
    sabinaholtby Posts: 73 Member
    Wendy's chicken go wrap!! Yum.
  • AgidGirl
    AgidGirl Posts: 138 Member
    Yummmmm! Great tip...I love Taco Bell
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    I had the Fresco Steak Burrito Supreme today for lunch and it was great. I needed a lunch for under 350 and it was perfect and filling.
  • LessCookiess
    LessCookiess Posts: 538 Member
    I used to eat that a few years ago a lot the fresco menu it's definitely delicious and a great low calorie option. I'm currently obsessed with the spicy potatoe soft taco ^_^ it's amazing.
  • cdkelly
    cdkelly Posts: 101 Member
    I like the chicken souvlaki pita from extreme pita. 350 calories. Mostly healthy. And very filling and satisfying.
  • jtomaszewski81
    jtomaszewski81 Posts: 13 Member
    Panda Express bowl - veggies and beef n broccoli. 220 calories. Love it for lunch. It keeps me filled up until dinner.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,261 Member
    Subway chopped salad helps fill me up, and I usually just have them put vinegar on it for dressing (I like vinegar ;) ). Calories vary depending on what meat or cheese you have them add, but with all the veggies added it's a pretty big, tasty and filling thing. If it's a meal, make sure to add something with protein, and something with fat (so that you get the most out of the micronutrients in the veggies).
  • PixelPuff
    PixelPuff Posts: 902 Member
    Hardees/Carl Jr, but making it Lettuce instead of Bun [low-carb it option]... Jimmy John's Unwich [depends on your toppings and dressings]..
  • SusanMFindlay
    SusanMFindlay Posts: 1,804 Member
    Extreme Pita has lots of tasty options. My kids love Fatburger, and I like their burgers lettuce wrapped. Subway is okay (not as tasty as Extreme Pita, but they're on campus so more convenient); I usually stick to mustard for my condiment as the sauces are what get you calorie-wise at Subway.
  • Tricia7188
    Tricia7188 Posts: 135 Member
    Love the fresco option at Taco Bell. Also really like Wendy's salads. Apple pecan chicken is yummy, half size is still filling and has decent protein. The chili is good but I like the bulk of the salad.
  • DreaRN15
    DreaRN15 Posts: 453 Member
    Chick-fil-a's salads and their grilled chicken nuggets are really good.
  • KatieNicole95
    KatieNicole95 Posts: 133 Member
    Chickfila's Grilled Chicken Cool Wrap. Its REALLY big and it's 330 calories. I don't need a side with it, it's filling.
  • tamonkay
    tamonkay Posts: 28 Member
    Taco Bell chicken Power Menu Burrito is my current fav at $4 for 450 calories and 26g protein. That includes the cheese and sour cream, too, because this girl can't do fresco!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    FWIW hard tacos have less calories than soft tacos.
  • 1houndgal
    1houndgal Posts: 558 Member
    crb426 wrote: »
    Yesterday I was left with less than 500 calories for dinner and no motivation to cook. Plus, not a lot of money to spend. I googled low-cal options at various fast food places and found the following suggestion at Taco Bell:

    2 Fresco-style shredded chicken soft tacos (chicken, pico, lettuce, small flour tortilla)- 140 calories each
    1 side of rice and beans- 180 calories

    Total: 460 calories (website estimation)

    So I tried it. I put the side of rice and beans in each of the tacos, stuffing them to capacity. And Oh My God, it was delicious! And after eating it at 5:30 I was still full throughout the rest of the night until breakfast.

    So, I'd love to hear about other low-cal fast food options that you have discovered and fallen in love with.

    Nice "fast food hack"!
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
    This week I got a 6pc chicken nugget and half-size power chicken salad from Wendy's for 500 calories total.
  • laur357
    laur357 Posts: 896 Member
    Some Wendy's chili over a sour cream & chive baked potato is super filling. Thanks, fiber!
    Also, a Qdoba bowl or chicken & bean tacos for ~700 calories has lots of veggie, protein, and fiber and keeps me full for ages.
  • Sunshine_And_Sand
    Sunshine_And_Sand Posts: 1,320 Member
    If you like salads, McDonald's Southwest Salad with grilled chicken has a lot of flavor. It comes with a cilantro lime glaze on it that for me works as a dressing and is only 350 calories.
  • sweetjen8302
    sweetjen8302 Posts: 25 Member
    I love the unwich from Jimmy Johns! That and a pickle is my go to!

  • BrianneTC
    BrianneTC Posts: 4 Member
    Can anyone help me figure out how to enter a food item into my food diary when I've eaten a grilled chicken sandwich from Wendy's with half the bun? Sorry, I know this probably isn't the right forum for this question, but since it's about fast food, I though maybe someone could help. Thanks!
  • Fat_Bottomed_Girl
    Fat_Bottomed_Girl Posts: 355 Member
    BrianneTC wrote: »
    Can anyone help me figure out how to enter a food item into my food diary when I've eaten a grilled chicken sandwich from Wendy's with half the bun? Sorry, I know this probably isn't the right forum for this question, but since it's about fast food, I though maybe someone could help. Thanks!

    Someone has most likely logged that food item without the bun. Log that, look up the difference in calories for the "full bun" option, split the difference and log those calories as a quick entry. Or, find a similar type prepackaged bun and log 1/2 of that.
  • scarla67
    scarla67 Posts: 60 Member
    You guessed it, Wendys chilli. Tastes good, fast, cheap, and easy
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    Whataburger grilled chicken salad with herb vinnaigrette. I don't eat the croutons.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    Wendy's power mediterranean chicken salad is very filling and flavorful. I use less salad dressing because there is so much flavor going on.
    Most burger places a regular burger with side salad and vinaigrette dressing and unsweetened tea is 400 calories or less.
    Subway- skipping the cheese, getting vinaigrette instead of mayo lowers calories. I like getting spinach instead of lettuce on my sandwich.
    Runza has the tastiest fast food grilled chicken sandwiches I have tried. Around 350-400 calories for a sandwich.
  • nhmom80
    nhmom80 Posts: 11 Member
    A chicken burrito bowl from Chipotle. I just do brown rice, chicken, tomato and corn salsa and cheese and the estimator online comes up to 605 calories. I do add some extra though just in case. I don't add beans or anything else just because I don't like them.
  • jasondjulian
    jasondjulian Posts: 182 Member
    I also modded the side of rice at Taco Bell once.. I added tomatoes and chicken to it (it came as the cubed chicken breast, not shredded). It was also awesome, although that and two- steak soft tacos fresco style ended up at around $8 and change... which is as much as a large Burger King combo meal.. so not very cost effective, but the whole meal came out to 455 calories.
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