Despite our best intentions for eating a healthy diet, workday demands
and cravings send us in search of fast food. Fortunately, over the past
few years, fast food chains have been adding healthier alternatives to
their menus.
These days, it is possible to grab a quick meal and stick to a healthy
diet. The key is to chose to the right foods and condiments. We'll tell
you how at when visiting these fast food chains:
- Baja Fresh
- Burger King
- Chipotle
- McDonald's
- Quiznos
- Starbucks
- Subway
- Wendy's
Quick Tips
Always refuse cheese. Cheese contains a high level of fat and adds unnecessary calories to sandwiches and salads.
Go for grilled over fried. Fried foods have more calories, more fat,
and often more sodium. A salad containing fried chicken and regular
dressing can equal the number of calories in a hamburger and side of
fries.
Choose water over soda. Sugary soda contains too many calories per
serving. Diet soda contains aspartame, which we recommend avoiding.
Wheat bread is best. On average, wheat bread will be the lowest calorie bread at most restaurants.
Mustard instead of mayonnaise. Mustard is simply healthier. If you
don't like the taste of mustard, ask for low fat mayonnaise or ask the
restaurant to go easy on the mayonnaise.
Low fat dressing on the side. Regular dressing contains a surprising
high amount of calories. Balsamic is generally low, though many chains
offer other low calorie options if you ask. If you pour on the dressing
gradually, you'll use less and the lettuce will stay crispier longer -
a double bonus.
Finally, if you cave and order fries, ask for the them to be unsalted.
They'll be cooked fresh and will have considerably less sodium.
To further help you make better choices when ordering fast food, here are some menu suggestions for the popular chains.
Baja Fresh
Orginal Baja Taco - The tacos at Baja Fresh are a decent option. The
chicken and shrimp tacos have just 200 and 210 calories respectively.
The steak tacos have a higher percentage of fat, but at 230 calories
(70 from fat), you could do far worse. Just say no to the complimentary
chips (210 calories).
Baja Ensalada - The charbroiled chicken and the shrimp salads are both
low calories, though high in sodium (1210mg and 1110mg respectively).
The pork carnitas won't bust your gut either at 370 calories, though
the sodium count is even higher. Just opt for the fat free salsa verde
dressing; the ranch dressing and olive oil vinaigrette are high in
calories and fat.
It is possible to get a salad for under 350 calories. Order chicken,
fajita vegetables, tomato salsa, and lettuce. Two ounces of the
vinaigrette will add 282 calories to the meal. (In comparison, the
chicken only has 219 calories.) Avoid the tortilla, avoid the sour
cream, guacamole and cheese.
Burger King
Hamburgers - The Whopper Jr. is the only burger you want. Take
advantage of having it your way by saying no to the mayonnaise and
opting for ketchup or mustard. The sandwich will have 290 calories, 150
of which come from the buns. Insider tio: the Whopper Jr. has less
calories than any of the chicken sandwiches.
Salads - The Tendergrill Chicken Filet salad is the way to go.
Including Ken's Light Italian, the salad has just 300 calories if you
knock off the cheese and avoid the croutons. With the "works", the
salad still has only 420 calories. Just beware that the dressing is
high in sodium.
Chipotle
Burrito - The regular size tortilla has 330 calories by itself (and no,
this not a typo). Add rice (240 calories), black beans (130), fajita
vegetables (100), tomato salsa (5) and you have an 800 calorie meal.
Chicken or Steak, cheese, sour cream and guacamole only add to the
caloric count.
Salads - It is possible to get a salad for under 350 calories. Order
chicken, fajita vegetables, tomato salsa, and lettuce. Two ounces of
the vinaigrette will add 282 calories to the meal. (In comparison, the
chicken only has 219 calories.) Avoid the tortilla, avoid the sour
cream, guacamole and cheese.
McDonalds
Salads - The Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad is the best choice of
anything on the menu with 220 calories and 6 grams of fat. (Without
chicken, it is just 140 calories). Newman's Own Low Fat Balsamic
Vinaigrette dressing is a good choice at 40 calories and 3 grams of
fat. The Newman's Own Low Fat Family Recipe Italian Dressing is a
viable alternative at just 50 calories.
Just be aware that adding grilled chicken to a McDonald's salad raises
the sodium content by 710 mg or about 30% of the recommended daily
intake. This does not include the additional sodium that is present in
dressing, bacon bits or anything else you choose to add to your salad.
The low fat dressings offered by McDonald's aren't any better, each offering around the same level of sodium.
Hamburgers - The basic hamburger contains 250 calories and 9 grams of
fat, including the bun. The bun accounts for 150 calories and 7 grams
of fat by itself.
Quiznos
Sandwiches - Quiznos provides nutritional information on just two
sandwiches: the small Turkey Lite and the small Honey Bourbon Chicken.
The Turkey Lite has 334 calories, but over 1900mg of sodium (about 75%
of the recommended daily intake). The Honey Bourbon has 359 calories,
but 1500mg of cholesterol. If you get either sandwich, do not order
chips and/or watch your sodium intake throughout the rest of the day.
Starbucks
Coffee - A grande Cafe Au Lait contains 140 calories and eight grams of
fat. If you simply request nonfat milk in your coffee, you can cut out
all of the fat and more than 40% of the calories. The daily dose of
coffee will still cost you 90 calories, without sugar, but given the
lack of fat, it won't increase your waistline.
For those of you who opt for soy instead, a grande coffee contains 110
calories and three grams of fat. Just don't order the breve with your
coffee, it jacks up the calories to a gut busting 300 calories.
Subway
Sandwiches - In general, stick to the 6 grams or less menu and you'll
get a sandwich with 330 calories or less. The exception is the Chicken
Teriyaki at 380 calories, 100 more than the Veggie Delight. The bigger
secret is choosing the right condiments. Best options are: vegetables,
vinegar (1 calorie), the mustard (8 calories/no fat), honey mustard
select sauce (28 calories). Say no to the cheese and do not ask for oil.
Wendy's
Salads - The Mandarin Chicken Salad (our favorite) and the Spring Mix
Salad have 170 and 180 calories, respectively. The seemingly innocent
Chicken BLT salad has 330 calories! As far as dressings, the Fat Free
French has the fewest calories (80). The Reduced Fat Creamy Ranch has
100 calories, but 8 grams of fat. Low Fat Honey Mustard is the only
other viable option at 110 calories and 3 grams of fat.
Hamburgers - A plain Junior patty (2 oz) without a bun has 100 calories
and 7 grams of fat. With bun, ketchup, mustard, pickles and onions, the
sandwich is 280 calories and 9 grams of fat. The Classic Single patty
(4 oz) has 210 calories and 14 grams of fat. The plain bun has 160
calories, 2 grams of fat, and 31 grams of carbohydrates.
Sandwiches - The Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich can be a decent
choice if ordered correctly. As featured on the menu, the sandwich has
360 calories and 7 grams of fat. 40 calories and 2.5 grams of fat can
be eliminated by simply requesting a plain bun instead of the Kaiser
roll that normally is used.
