Fast Food/Restaurant Ideas

lauryn86
lauryn86 Posts: 86 Member
edited November 11 in Food and Nutrition
What are some favorite Fast Food/Restaurant ideas that are healthy and low cal for lunch or dinner?

Replies

  • sfarmer327
    sfarmer327 Posts: 11
    Maybe not exactly what you were looking for; but I've done really well with Panera Bread's signature salads for dinner. They're 540-580 calories, but filling and a nice amount of protein. By the time dinner rolls around, that's about all the calories I have remaining....
  • sfarmer327
    sfarmer327 Posts: 11
    And I should also mention I've got a new habit of a splurge on Saturdays --a junior whopper with cheese and everything --like 390 calories. But I eat it after a rigorous exercise class and it keeps me full (or almost full) till dinner.
  • lauryn86
    lauryn86 Posts: 86 Member
    i love jr whoppers!! and thanks for the panera idea, i just went there yesterday they are delicious!!!
  • jacksie21
    jacksie21 Posts: 3 Member
    I just had a great salmon and shrimp lemon piccata at tony romas, a lovely lemon garlic sauce with rice and broccoli and all less than 800 calories. I used to have the kickin shrimp appetizer, but it is almost 1000 calories!! I have also had veal or chicken piccata, tons of flavour without a heavy sauce.
  • Spoobear69
    Spoobear69 Posts: 1
    my fit foods is about the only place that keeps me going during a work week!
  • lauryn86
    lauryn86 Posts: 86 Member
    tony romas-love! never heard of my fit foods??
  • Never2Bz
    Never2Bz Posts: 90 Member
    My choices are Applebee's meal offers at 550 calories and under, and definitely Subway sandwiches, but mostly I now cook fresh veggies, bring my lunch to work, weigh and measure everything... when I am eating what I prepared I am an 'informed' consumer. Keep 'safe snacks' in your car if your day goes longer than you expect so it can help you through. Download the "Restaurant Nutrition" app to your cell so you can see all the listings ahead of time and make your decisions BEFORE you walk through their doors! Good Luck! (In addition... get away from relying on 'fast food' places... that's what may have contributed to your weight issues in the first place. Getting healthy is a 'lifestyle change'... just a suggestion.)
  • rednblack84
    rednblack84 Posts: 31
    McAlister's menu has 5 under 500 options now. I also like Panera, but I do half salad and half soup. WATCH out for CHEESE (as it add alot of calories to both salads and soups) and the baguette they give you. The bagguette is 150 calories alone! Opt for an apple instead and save it for an afternoon snack.
  • shovav91
    shovav91 Posts: 2,335 Member
    Any breakfast place; I get 2 poached eggs, an english muffin and fresh fruit! Yum!
  • lauryn86
    lauryn86 Posts: 86 Member
    My choices are Applebee's meal offers at 550 calories and under, and definitely Subway sandwiches. Keep 'safe snacks' in your car if your day goes longer than you expect so it can help you through. Download the "Restaurant Nutrition" app to your cell so you can see all the listing ahead of time and make your decisions BEFORE you walk through those doors! Good Luck!
    --thank you so much!! is it a free app? i have an iphone that i barely know how to use! LOL
  • foremant86
    foremant86 Posts: 1,115 Member
    McAlister's menu has 5 under 500 options now. I also like Panera, but I do half salad and half soup. WATCH out for CHEESE (as it add alot of calories to both salads and soups) and the baguette they give you. The bagguette is 150 calories alone! Opt for an apple instead and save it for an afternoon snack.

    a large apple is over 100 calories anyways, i'd rather have the tasty baguette!!

    Wendy's chili is like 310 calories and quite tasty and filling.
  • tradaboie
    tradaboie Posts: 132
    At a lot of the burger places I get a grilled chicken sandwich on a wheat bun if possible. Most places have that option....although a lot of them have mayo on it so I hold that and put mustard on it instead. And always skip the fries....if you look at the nutritional info on a companies website you'll never eat fries at a fast food place again! lol
  • tiffloy
    tiffloy Posts: 7 Member
    You can splurge on just about anything if you only eat half - that's a trick I use sometimes.
  • Never2Bz
    Never2Bz Posts: 90 Member
    My phone icon shows a white plate with blue utensils sitting on top (words below pic says Unified Lifestyle) and the app name seems to be "Restaurant Nutrition"... I don't know what I did without it!
  • ginneyrose
    ginneyrose Posts: 15 Member
    CHICKFILA-Grilled Chicken Sandwich 280 cals
    Subway-Turkey with Cheese on Whole Wheat and Mayo-380 cals
    Taco Bell-1 chicken soft taco 180 cals
    Panera Bread-chicken noodle soup 80 cals
    Mcdonalds=chicken snack wrap no sauce -230 cals
  • Rose_Oh
    Rose_Oh Posts: 41 Member
    KFC: Grilled chicken breast
    Side salad with no croutons and fat free ranch dressing
    Green beans
    Corn on the cob
  • Rose_Oh
    Rose_Oh Posts: 41 Member
    Subway: 6-inch ham, turkey, chicken, or roast beef sandwich on wheat or 9 grain bread (Add lots of veggie toppings to up your vegetable intake.)
  • sfarmer327
    sfarmer327 Posts: 11
    Panera's website has a great calorie counting nutrition tool for their menu. For example, you can look up a particular salad and it will give you the breakdown of all ingredients and you can take those off if you don't eat them.
    I was glad to have checked on Panera calories --I have a thing for their bear claws --540 hilarious calories. The one time I splurged on it for breakfast, I was left with three baby carrots for dinner. For the baguette they offer with salad, I save it for a snack later. Or go for the chips, which I hate, and give it to the kids.
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,300 Member
    CHICKFILA-Grilled Chicken Sandwich 280 cals

    One of my favorite fast food meals. I get a back of regular BBQ sauce for it and a medium fruit cup as a side. YUM!

    Hmmm... I also enjoy Subway for a lower calories take out option. However, you can find something just about anywhere that will fit within your calorie allotment. I had started a little notebook to keep in the car with me with "okay" options and their calorie amounts. That way I would always have the information on hand. I really should finish that....
  • lauryn86
    lauryn86 Posts: 86 Member
    CHICKFILA-Grilled Chicken Sandwich 280 cals

    One of my favorite fast food meals. I get a back of regular BBQ sauce for it and a medium fruit cup as a side. YUM!

    Hmmm... I also enjoy Subway for a lower calories take out option. However, you can find something just about anywhere that will fit within your calorie allotment. I had started a little notebook to keep in the car with me with "okay" options and their calorie amounts. That way I would always have the information on hand. I really should finish that....
    I love chick fila too!! good idea with the calorie book!
  • sfarmer327
    sfarmer327 Posts: 11
    Recently discovered the Pita Pit. Nutrition info on-line. Most choices 400-525 calories. Watch the sauces and cheese. Also watch the protein. I was eating hummus pitas a lot and later discovered they have zero protein. Meat pitas have much more protein and OK calories.
  • majope
    majope Posts: 1,325 Member
    My favorites

    KFC: Grilled chicken breast and wing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans = 445 calories

    Taco Bell: 2 chicken soft tacos fresco, side of black beans = 380 calories

    Steak n' Shake: Single steakburger with small fries = 520 calories

    Panda Express: Panda Bowl with half steamed rice, half veggies and Kung Pao Chicken = 465 calories. If you don't feel like rice, get just veggies for the side and add Broccoli Beef for a 2-entree plate and it's only 430 calories.

    Wendy's: Jr. Hamburger and small chili = 460 calories

    McDonald's: Hamburger Happy Meal (burger, fries, apple slices, low-fat milk) = 470 calories

    Burger King: Whopper Jr., value onion rings = 490 calories

    Popeye's: Spicy thigh, red beans & rice = 490. Less food for the calories because the chicken is fried, but the beans & rice are filling. And Popeye's spicy is my favorite fried chicken in the whooooooooole world.
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