Fast Food Help

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livinginwoods
livinginwoods Posts: 562 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am on the road daily and I do pack my lunch.......sometimes.......but most times I don't. I am wondering how you survive the fast food world out there. What are the best choices? Usually I have a choice of Taco Bell, McDonald's, Pizza, Wendy's, Subway, Burger King or Culver's. It all depends on what city I am in at the moment I am hungry. If I stay in my own town I only have Subway or McDonald's. I get tired of Subway and I prefer dollar menu items since I do this so much. Can you help me with this please?


I wanted to add that I usually eat in the place because I hate having to stay in my car and with winter here I cant just go park somewhere with a picnic.

Replies

  • mehaugen
    mehaugen Posts: 210 Member
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    I drive all day. I stop at grocery stores and get healthy finger foods: fruits and veg, LARA/kind bars, cheese sticks, nuts. You can also get some of these items at gas stations. No need to eat fast food on the road.
  • iKristine
    iKristine Posts: 288 Member
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    So on these outdoor trips where only fast food is available, do they not have grocery stores? And by grocery stores I mean soups, salads, fruits etc.

    Here is what I do, I plan ahead. The end.
  • GouchisGirl
    GouchisGirl Posts: 321 Member
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    You could always take a lunch box..... I know its hard to sit in the cold outside, but you can always eat and drive. If you are going to do fast food don't let Subway fool you.... big sodium there. You can always hit up McDonalds or something just watch your portions and try and do it every now and then rather then more often. :)
  • rcpayton
    rcpayton Posts: 90
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    Of those fast food places, I would say Subway definitely offers the healthier options. Taco Bell's Fresco menu isnt too bad on occasion. BUT, I would suggest to always pack a lunch. I go home for lunch every day so I can control what is in my food and my calorie intake. There is just too much guesswork at fast food places and too many temptations. Plus, bringing a lunch from home is cheaper.

    I can see that eating in the car may not be the most desirable but, if it will keep you on track with calories and nutrition, then it is your BEST option versus heading in to one of those fast food places. There is always a way to work around an obstacle. You can do this! :)
  • along21291
    along21291 Posts: 45 Member
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    I like wendy's they have some good options. The plain baked potato, the small chili, the grilled chicken sandwich are lower than 300 calories. Taco bell has some good options in my opinion especially if you order fresca style because it holds the cheese and has fresh salsa. I also like the grilled chicken burrito at taco bell. Look around on the different websites for each of the fast food places because they've actually got some good options :)
  • along21291
    along21291 Posts: 45 Member
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    also make sure you watch out for the sodium content.
  • amyindm
    amyindm Posts: 93 Member
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    You will feel so much better and less bloated if you pack your own things or pick up items at a grocery store like the other posters mentioned. It's a lot cheaper over the long run too! Even if you have to eat in your car, seems worth the trade off to me.

    The sodium counts are terrible and I almost always end up spending more calories than I really want to there, which makes the rest of the day for me not as easy. If you ever pass by a Panera sometimes one of their better soups - like Black bean, along with a whole grain baguette is an okay choice and tastes more like real food. At Jimmy John's they offer lettuce wraps but there's not a ton of actual "food" in that food. You'll be hungry.

    If I can grab a greek yogurt from somewhere (huge protein count!) and a piece of fruit I'll be pretty satisfied until I can have a snack later. The Kind bars are super yummy too - filled with dried fruit and nuts and would be better than a burger. But I'd rather eat a sandwich for lunch, which is why I usually pack my own. On cold days, a thermos filled with soup would be satisfying too. I make a big batch of a healthy bean soup on a weekend and then have it around for the week.

    Subway is better than a huge burger but there's really a lot of sodium and very little fiber to keep you satisfied for longer - when I first started losing weight I really only paid attention to calorie counts and for some, that works. But when I started trying to eat whole foods more and going for more protein, complex carbs and fiber while having less sugar, my body responded. Not just with weight but how much energy I have, my mood, my intestines... all of it!

    Good luck. You can do it!
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
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    Taco Bell: Fresca style/drive through diet. Cghicken Fresco burrito is like 320 cal
    McDonald's: Grilled chicken sandwich, no mayo
    Dollar menu: ain't gonna happen. I mean, a double cheeseburger at McD isn't so many calories, but really...
  • Moonbeamlissie
    Moonbeamlissie Posts: 504 Member
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    I am sorry but you can not stay in calories ( not to mention none of that junk is any good for you at all, clogged arteries just looking at that crap, I am not even sure if that is considered food) by only buying from the dollar menu.... unless you get a side salad and that isnt enough to fill up anyone and most of the time a side salad is over a dollar. my suggestion is a Southwest grilled chicken salad from McDonalds, Wendys I don't go to much but I am sure any salad with little to no dressing, taco bell i would say fresco or the steak taco salad no shell fresco style, BK grilled chicken salad from Burger King, of course Subway you can get what you want salad wise. That is my suggestions.
  • KaylaKilgore
    KaylaKilgore Posts: 160 Member
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    You could grab a salad from one of those places.
    BK has a veggie burger, no cheese or condiments it'll be about 310 calories.
    I'd stay with subway though; wheat bread, turkey/chicken, and a handful of lettuce. No cheese. && I'd take my own packet of mayo since they just squirt it on out of a bottle, I'd want the accurate amount of cals.
  • MollyDukes
    MollyDukes Posts: 233 Member
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    Becareful. I thought I did good going to subway one night until I got home and added in my food journal. I might as well have had a spicy chicken combo from wendy's.

    If you HAVE to, I would go with what someone else said. Get the bake potato from Wendy's you can even spoon some chili on it. Taste so good. Even a side salad with low fat, not fat salad dressing.

    The other options are good as well. Swing in a grocery store, grab some fruit, low fat yogurt, veggies, pre-made salad.

    Good Luck
  • deadstarsunburn
    deadstarsunburn Posts: 1,337 Member
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    If you're honestly going to commit to losing weight you really should pack lunch or go to a grocery store. You can make soups and stuff on the weekend and pre portion than freeze them. Make sure you take it out to thaw so it isn't frozen when you want to eat it. I love fries and veggie burgers and all that but I want to live my life with out being a slave to food more. You can do this =] you've already started to make the steps to be healthy. If you like those foods make your own home made version it'll be just as yummy! As far as buying grocery items you could get tortillas, shredded cheese, hummus, lunch meat (or vegetarian meat from morning star), green peppers, carrots and make a really good wrap.
    Good luck, but tell yourself you can do it!

    =]
  • SARgirl
    SARgirl Posts: 572 Member
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    I like the grocery store idea that many of the posters had, the one's around here always have fresh soups and some have a lunch special or sandwich shop in them. If you feel the need to eat fast food (rather than pack something) I enjoy the apple pecan chicken salad (no bleu cheese) from Wendy's. I always get the half portion and it is more than enough!

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