Fast Food Advice!

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kaetmarie
kaetmarie Posts: 668 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I know this is not a good plan, but I'm having fast food for dinner. My husband and I are leaving right after work to travel for 4 hours to go to a bon voyage party for one of our great friends who is being deployed. Since we'll be in the car until we get to the party, we are doing fast food dinner. I was hoping for some suggestions as to what to get ... our choices are McDonald's, Burger King, Arby's, Wendy's, and KFC -- we might pass Subway, but I'm not sure. I'm hoping to keep it at 500 calories or less. I know I'm having 4 Magic Hat #9 beers at the party and I already had a big (albeit healthy) brunch today.

It's not my best day, but I was hoping someone would have a suggestion for something with reasonable calories that will be filling enough to get me there (without snacking) and have somewhat of a base for my four delicious beers :drinker:

I know I should have packed something, but I didn't ... so only actual advice on my question please. Thanks!!

Replies

  • Moonblood
    Moonblood Posts: 199 Member
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    http://eatthis.menshealth.com/content/14-best-fast-food-meals-under-500-calories?article=1&page=1
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,820 Member
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    I would Google 400 calorie fast food. Or 400 calorie meals. I found done yesterday that had McD's, Subway and Wendy's. I am not sure of the site. But it's out there.

    The trick is not ordering 2 burgers or something. It is so tempting.
  • raisingbabyk
    raisingbabyk Posts: 442 Member
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    if you look on their websites they should list nutrition (i know mcdonalds, wendys, and subway do) and find something you would like that fits your calories. Grilled chicken with no sauces are going to be your best choices, water instead of pop, and side garden salad with light dressing instead of fries.
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
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    Whenever I'm trying to figure out what to eat at a restaurant, I just search the MFP database to get the facts. That's what it's there for, logging and planning!
  • jenniet04
    jenniet04 Posts: 1,054 Member
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    McDonald's Southwest Chicken Salad is my absolute favorite fast food. 320 calories without the dressing 420 with the dressing. You could also opt for a balsamic dressing with fewer calories.
  • Tori_356
    Tori_356 Posts: 510 Member
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    get the plainest crappiest chicken you can get or a salad.. yeah just look up the calories....
  • CoachMelissaDi
    CoachMelissaDi Posts: 215 Member
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    Well I dont know how many calories it is but the grilled chicken at KFC is the bomb!!! Just take off the skin and it is still so delicious! Get the grill box. So good! Okay now I'm hungry! lol Good luck!
  • 4thehardman
    4thehardman Posts: 731 Member
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    Can't you take a sandwich with you? Or a salad? Or veggies and fish that can be warmed up at a service station? Cheaper too x
  • nikki778
    nikki778 Posts: 148 Member
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    Use your best judgement, In most fast food joints the salads & the dressing contain more sugar & fat than actual meals.

    I looked it up for you

    Mcdonalds:
    Choose a regular size burger or cheese burger.

    · Some healthy and lower calorie side dishes include; Snack Size Fruit and Walnut Salad, Fruit and Yogurt Parfait, Apple Dippers, and Side Salad with Newman’s Own® Balsamic Vinaigrette.

    · Pick grilled chicken (instead of breaded) for the chicken sandwich, snack wraps and salads.

    · Skip the mayonnaise on sandwiches, as it adds plenty of extra calories and fat.

    500 Calorie or Less Meals from Mc Donald’s

    1. 2 Hamburgers (500 calories)

    2. Hamburger and Small Fries (480)

    3. Hamburger and Snack Size Fruit and Walnut Salad (460)

    4. ♥ Hamburger, Side Salad with Newman’s Own® Balsamic Vinaigrette, Apple Dippers with no Caramel, Fruit and Yogurt Parfait with no Granola. (475)

    5. ♥ Hamburger, Side Salad with Newman’s Own® Balsamic Vinaigrette, Vanilla Ice Cream Cone (460)

    6. Cheeseburger, Side Salad with Newman’s Own® Low- Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette, Fruit and Yogurt Parfait with no Granola (490) FPM

    7. Cheeseburger, Vanilla Ice Cream Cone (450)

    8. Double Cheeseburger, Side Salad with Newman’s Own® Balsamic Vinaigrette (500)

    9. Double Cheeseburger, Apple Dippers without Caramel (475)

    10. Quarter Pounder without Cheese, Side Salad with Newman’s Own® Balsamic Vinaigrette (470)

    11. Quarter pounder without Cheese and Apple Dippers without Caramel (445)

    12. Filet-O-Fish, Apple Dippers with Caramel (485)

    13. Filet-O-Fish, Side Salad with any Newman’s Own Balsamic Vinaigrette (440)

    14. McChicken, Fruit and Yogurt Parfait with no Granola (490)

    15. McChicken, , Side Salad with Newman’s Own® Balsamic Vinaigrette, Apple Dippers without Caramel (455)

    16. ♥ Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich without Mayo, Fruit and Yogurt Parfait with no Granola (500)

    17. ♥ Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich without Mayo, Side Salad with Newman’s Own® Balsamic Vinaigrette, Apple Dippers with no Caramel (465)

    18. Grilled Snack Wrap (Chipolte BBQ, Honey Mustard, Ranch), Small Fries (490-500)

    19. Grilled Snack Wrap (Chipolte BBQ, Honey Mustard, Ranch), Side Salad with Newman’s Own® Balsamic Vinaigrette, Fruit and Yogurt Parfait with Granola (480-490) Best Choice

    20. 4 Piece Chicken McNuggets with Choice of Sauce, Small Fries (470-480)

    21. 6 Piece Chicken McNuggets with Choice of Sauce, Fruit and Yogurt Parfait with Granola (490-500)

    22. ♥ Premium Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken, Newman’s Own® Creamy Southwest Dressing, Apple Dippers (455)

    23. ♥ Asian Salad with Grilled Chicken, Newman’s Own® Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing (390)

    24. Premium Bacon Ranch Salad with Grilled Chicken, Newman’s Own® Ranch Dressing, Apple Dippers (465)
    BK
    http://www.fitsugar.com/6-Burger-King-Menu-Items-Under-300-Calories-3433883

    Arbys : http://weightloss.about.com/od/fastfood/qt/arbys.htm

    Wendys: http://lifehacker.com/5286405/five-healthiest-foods-at-wendys

    Stay away from KFC,...Subway would be my pick above all They have all fresh ingredients.
  • rsdgirl
    rsdgirl Posts: 246 Member
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    chili from wendys?? a large has 310 cals
  • salma32sh
    salma32sh Posts: 4 Member
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    they all have grill chicken sandwich that you could get it with no mayo and cheese, or you could get chicken salad without dressing
  • kaetmarie
    kaetmarie Posts: 668 Member
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    http://eatthis.menshealth.com/content/14-best-fast-food-meals-under-500-calories?article=1&page=1

    ^^This is excellent. Thank you!
  • kaetmarie
    kaetmarie Posts: 668 Member
    Options
    Use your best judgement, In most fast food joints the salads & the dressing contain more sugar & fat than actual meals.

    I looked it up for you

    Mcdonalds:
    Choose a regular size burger or cheese burger.

    · Some healthy and lower calorie side dishes include; Snack Size Fruit and Walnut Salad, Fruit and Yogurt Parfait, Apple Dippers, and Side Salad with Newman’s Own® Balsamic Vinaigrette.

    · Pick grilled chicken (instead of breaded) for the chicken sandwich, snack wraps and salads.

    · Skip the mayonnaise on sandwiches, as it adds plenty of extra calories and fat.

    500 Calorie or Less Meals from Mc Donald’s

    1. 2 Hamburgers (500 calories)

    2. Hamburger and Small Fries (480)

    3. Hamburger and Snack Size Fruit and Walnut Salad (460)

    4. ♥ Hamburger, Side Salad with Newman’s Own® Balsamic Vinaigrette, Apple Dippers with no Caramel, Fruit and Yogurt Parfait with no Granola. (475)

    5. ♥ Hamburger, Side Salad with Newman’s Own® Balsamic Vinaigrette, Vanilla Ice Cream Cone (460)

    6. Cheeseburger, Side Salad with Newman’s Own® Low- Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette, Fruit and Yogurt Parfait with no Granola (490) FPM

    7. Cheeseburger, Vanilla Ice Cream Cone (450)

    8. Double Cheeseburger, Side Salad with Newman’s Own® Balsamic Vinaigrette (500)

    9. Double Cheeseburger, Apple Dippers without Caramel (475)

    10. Quarter Pounder without Cheese, Side Salad with Newman’s Own® Balsamic Vinaigrette (470)

    11. Quarter pounder without Cheese and Apple Dippers without Caramel (445)

    12. Filet-O-Fish, Apple Dippers with Caramel (485)

    13. Filet-O-Fish, Side Salad with any Newman’s Own Balsamic Vinaigrette (440)

    14. McChicken, Fruit and Yogurt Parfait with no Granola (490)

    15. McChicken, , Side Salad with Newman’s Own® Balsamic Vinaigrette, Apple Dippers without Caramel (455)

    16. ♥ Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich without Mayo, Fruit and Yogurt Parfait with no Granola (500)

    17. ♥ Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich without Mayo, Side Salad with Newman’s Own® Balsamic Vinaigrette, Apple Dippers with no Caramel (465)

    18. Grilled Snack Wrap (Chipolte BBQ, Honey Mustard, Ranch), Small Fries (490-500)

    19. Grilled Snack Wrap (Chipolte BBQ, Honey Mustard, Ranch), Side Salad with Newman’s Own® Balsamic Vinaigrette, Fruit and Yogurt Parfait with Granola (480-490) Best Choice

    20. 4 Piece Chicken McNuggets with Choice of Sauce, Small Fries (470-480)

    21. 6 Piece Chicken McNuggets with Choice of Sauce, Fruit and Yogurt Parfait with Granola (490-500)

    22. ♥ Premium Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken, Newman’s Own® Creamy Southwest Dressing, Apple Dippers (455)

    23. ♥ Asian Salad with Grilled Chicken, Newman’s Own® Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing (390)

    24. Premium Bacon Ranch Salad with Grilled Chicken, Newman’s Own® Ranch Dressing, Apple Dippers (465)
    BK
    http://www.fitsugar.com/6-Burger-King-Menu-Items-Under-300-Calories-3433883

    Arbys : http://weightloss.about.com/od/fastfood/qt/arbys.htm

    Wendys: http://lifehacker.com/5286405/five-healthiest-foods-at-wendys

    Stay away from KFC,...Subway would be my pick above all They have all fresh ingredients.

    ^^ Also excellent!
  • JennW130
    JennW130 Posts: 460 Member
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    all of those FF chains have calorie counts online. I would plan ahead to see what the best choice would be.
  • awdhemi
    awdhemi Posts: 99 Member
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    I love the Ultimate Grill Chicken Sandwich from Wendy's. The chili and baked potato is also good! Wendy's is where I go when I feel like I need to escape my office, and I feel that I can still somewhat stay on track.
  • MBorg
    MBorg Posts: 2 Member
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    If I ever eat fast food, I usually will go to Burger King for their Veggie Burger (alas as a vegetarian, BK and Subway are my only good options). Without cheese or mayo the burger usually sets me back about 320 calories. Add their apple slices to that and it's a filling meal. Here are the numbers from their website:

    320 calories
    1g sat. fat
    0mg cholesterol
    8g sugar
    43g carbs
    7g fat
    0g trans fat
    22g protein
    960mg sodium

    Good luck and I agree on Magic Hat #9 being delicious :)
  • PAnn1
    PAnn1 Posts: 530 Member
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    Altho it could be a little more of a challenge eating a salad in the car ( with a salad you don't have the salad wrappers or fry bags to contend with), I agree about the McD's southwest grilled chicken salad. I love this one. I use only 1/2 the pkt. of southwest dressing. I used to slather my salads in dressing before, but have learned to eat salad with alot less dressing and now can actually taste everything else in the salads! You can ask to omit the tortilla strips and save a few calories, but I generally have them.
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
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    Quarter pounder with cheese - a bit over 500cals but it will leave you full if you're anything like me.
  • dedication6
    dedication6 Posts: 184 Member
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    Will you be going by any grocery stores?? They usually have a little deli inside and you could get a sandwich and a side of cottage cheese or yogurt.
  • cherbapp
    cherbapp Posts: 322
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    Are you passing a Chipotle by any chance?? The *make it your way* works to cut calories and it's much healthier food than the burger places! Chipotle is my savior when it comes to fast food! :)

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