Fast food lunch. Best option

I generally have around 400 calories for lunch. I have not really struggled to find choices at most places. A regular burger, side salad with vinaigrette dressing and unsweetened iced tea usually fits that. Wendy's baked potato and a side salad are a meatless choice I have had.
Chain fast food places have nutrition listed online and some have calorie counts right on the menu. Figure out the amount of calories you want and make a choice.

I like the southwest salad with grilled chicken at McD's for a healthy/low calorie fast food lunch.
It is supposed to come with a cilantro lime glaze (though I'm finding that's not consistent lately depending on which store you go to), the glaze is included in the calories listed on McD's website. IF they actually put the glaze on their, I find I don't need to add any dressing (extra calories) to it.

My favorite fast food lunch is El Pollo Loco's double chicken avocado salad. They have a lot of other great choices on the menu, too, but I love that salad.

jilrayme wrote: »

My favorite fast food lunch is El Pollo Loco's double chicken avocado salad. They have a lot of other great choices on the menu, too, but I love that salad.

Me too, though it is kinda overpriced it is super filling and doesn’t feel like I’m being deprived!

If you do Taco Bell ask for fresco style. They’ll replace the sour cream with pico and some other things I think. Drops the cals and still good. Not that sour cream is bad. IFFYM go for whatever

nicsflyingcircus wrote: »

For the record, I legit ate a regular order of fried cheese curds at Culver's for lunch Sunday.

They are awesome. It is not hard to debread them at the right temperature if desired.

At Wendy's, I like their salads. The 'half' size is a decent amount of food for me. Will sometimes get a 4 piece nuggets (about 190 cals) as well.

Subway, many of their sandwiches can 'fit' in my calories depending on my mood. A 6" ham or turkey & cheese is about 320-360. A 6" tuna w/ cheddar is about 540.

McD's, I get the filet o fish & small fries. Higher 'lunch' around 700. Or I get a kids meal for about 400.

Chick Fil A, either grilled nuggets or the grilled chicken sandwich. And I LOVE their super food salad.

Taco Bell, one of their steak or chicken cantina bowls. Cals range from 300-550 or so depending on whether or not you adjust the toppings. (I take out the rice, beans.) Or 3 tacos for about 515 w/ sauce.

Panda Express has lots of options. You do have to assume they are giving you the proper amount on the portion, but there is assumption any time someone else is preparing/portioning your food. I'll do half steamed veggies & half white rice on my side.

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As for eating the exercise cals, its a personal choice. Judge by how you feel but also consider how aggressively your calorie goal is set. If you are using MFP (which sets your goal BEFORE exercise) and aiming for a 1000 calorie deficit you'll probably need to eat more of your exercise calories than if you're only aiming for a 250 deficit. And if you're doing something like training for a half marathon and trying to survive on 1400 cals a day, you'll likely find your training suffers.

My go to fast food (but you still have to get out of your car) is Moe's burrito bowls. There's no actual edible bowl, but you get the burrito fillings in a bowl you eat out of and then throw away. Also at Wendy's the 4 for 4 chicken sandwich is like 330 calories. I give the fries and nuggets to my kids. Mcdonald's a chicken snack wrap, burger king a regular burger is less than 300. Taco Bell a 7 layer burrito is like 440 (maybe 470?)

Wendy's Grilled Chicken Go Wrap, hold the honey mustard, add regular mustard. 230 calories.