Best fast food choices

[berry99]

I know that I shouldn't eat fast food, however I am going on a road trip with co-workers. It is an 11 hour drive and I am thinking it is inevitable that we are going to stop at fast food joints.

What are the best choices for breakfast and lunch at places like McDonalds, Burger King, and Wendy's?

TIA!

 

[Miss Lee]

Karin, if you can find a Tim Horton's I'd go there for breakfast. You can get whole grain bagels with LF cream cheese or a bagel sandwich with egg, cheese, and bacon or sausage. I usually order a 12 grain bagel toasted with egg only. It's pretty good if you have no choice but to eat fast food. I'm sorry, I can't help you with the other places or meals. I don't go there very often, and when I do I'm all over the french fries }( :9

 

[CollinsMom]

I remember reading something about an egg and cheese McMuffin at McD is around 210 cals or something?

I would try to get a grilled chicken sandwich and apple slices instead of fries.

When I eat at Wendy's, I get a small chili and a baked potato.

Good luck!

 

[purple_magada]

I don't eat FF all that often but when I do, I usually choose Wendy's. I always get the same thing, Combo #5 (grilled chicken sandwich, small chili and a diet coke).

Ultimate Chicken Grill Sandwich [Ultimate Chicken Grill Fillet/Honey Mustard Sauce/Tomato/Lettuce/Kaiser Roll] (360 cal/7 g fat/2 g fiber/44 g carbs) 7.5 points on WW

Small Chili [8 oz] (220 cal/6 g fat/5 g fiber/23 g carbs) 4 points on WW

 

[CollinsMom]

There are some good options at Chik-fil-A too if you can make it there!

 

[mommacody]

egg mcmuffin w/no butter is 210 calories

asian chicken salad w/grilled chicken is only 290, i think, and it has edamamme in it for a nice crunchy nutty taste, not to mention the protein boost.

those are my standard "in a pinch" ff meals.

 

[andtckrtoo]

Subway! They have many sandwiches under 400 calories (no cheese or mayo, though). And you can get salads instead if you choose. I lived on Subway when I did a lot of windshield time.

 

[TeTe]

The only fast food place I've gone in the last 10 years was Burger King...I was stuck in an airport and I noticed that BK had a veggie burger. It was pretty good.

 

[cheval]

Check the web sites for nutritional information. McDonald's has a nice feature where you can select your food and then customize it (like taking off the mayo) to see what that would be calorie/fat-wise, etc.

Panera Bread has some healthy choices for breakfast and lunch. Baja Fresh is another good one for lunch.

April

 

[shakeubooty]

>asian chicken salad w/grilled chicken is only 290, i think,
>and it has edamamme in it for a nice crunchy nutty taste, not
>to mention the protein boost.

The Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken Salad is 320 calories and very tasty. I put just a little bit of dressing on for flavor (100 calories per packet) but I've also eaten it without. The only drawback is high sodium at 970 mg. :-(

Sue

 

[My2girls]

I had McDonald's yesterday and did not order the best choice. I ate the grilled chicken classic and water. It was decent, but the bun was the most calories! It could have been worse though

Thanks for the info on their website to check different items out!

Mary

 

[chefkate]

How timely! We're on a long drive home from vacation right now and just finished my McDonald's. I ate a grilled chicken sandwich with lettuce and tomato only. I threw out the bun too. I also ate an apple from the bag that I brought with us.

Good luck on your trip and have fun!

 

[marcy]

Whenever I get SparkPeople e-mails, Burger King always winds up having more fat and calories than McDonald's which really bums me out because I like BK better (although McD's does have the best fries).

Marcy

 

[cjbate]

You might check out "Dottie's Weight Loss Zone" it is one woman's Weight Water page, but she has an entire section (we are talking enormous) on the "points" for all resteraunt meals, that are a chain.

www.dwlz.com

I am pretty sure she includes calories, etc. If she doesn't you can assume that for a single meal you should try and stick to 8 or 10 points at the TOP end of the point value.

When I did weight watchers, my point allowance was about 20 or 25 for the day. I usually reserved 1/2 of that for dinner.

{1 point is approximately 50 calories, but you have to add or subtract for fat (add 1 pt for every 12g of fat) or fiber (subtract 1 pt for every 5 gm of fiber).}

This helps me whenever we eat out.

You will do well ordering things without mayo, cheese, or the other obvious things. Some of the salads are ok but ask for everything on the side and then get the lowfat dressing. Good luck resisting the french fries ;-) That is probably the biggest hurdle.

Wendy's has plain baked potato and their chili is good and low points as I recall, if you have a sway.


Jen

 

[Stephanie0523]

You also could try ordering a child's meal or happy meal instead of the real deal. That way you get a treat but at a smaller size. And you get a toy.

 

[Clarissa]

I don't eat fast food hardly at all, but love a good old McDonald's cheeseburger with their fries once in awhile! I just think they are sooo yummy. But not good for you of course. Okay - I didn't help at all did I?

So anyway, I'd recommend you go for Chick-fila for sure.

Clarissa

 

[wellness]

McDonalds egg McMuffin - order it w/out the cheese.
I'm not crazy about McDonalds chicken (I call it checkin': not sure what it is). And I think its salty. I'll get the yogurt parfait and side salad (if you really want ff, get a small).

Ditto to subway.

I like Wendy's cause you can a baked pot. with broc. (hold the cheese) and a salad

Have fun & safe travels

 

[jennifermaria]

Unfortunately, I looked up the nutrition info for Tim Horton's once (because I picked up that very breakfast item you mentioned above and wanted to record it on Sparkpeople) and it was quite high in calories and fat .

 

[Miss Lee]

>Unfortunately, I looked up the nutrition info for Tim
>Horton's once (because I picked up that very breakfast item
>you mentioned above and wanted to record it on Sparkpeople)
>and it was quite high in calories and fat .


Well, the 12 grain bagel includes whole grains and seeds which probably accounts for the calories. You have to take into consideration that seeds are a healthy fat, and even though they are high in calories, they are nutrient dense.

By the way, the sandwich, as listed on the menu, is actually made with a biscuit. I always sub the biscuit for a PLAIN 12 grain bagel and I don't get anything on it except egg.