by Derrick Lane
Remember the documentary “Super Size Me” where the director discovered how bad it is for you to eat a certain fast food restaurant’s food? He even super-sized it every time an employee asked him to. Supersizing a meal is no longer an option in most states and since that movie, more fast-food restaurants have taken a proactive approach to creating healthy options.
Listed below are options that you CAN grab a little more of every now and then when you’re on the go.
Chipotle
3 Barbacoa (braised beef) Tacos on soft corn tortillas with lettuce and tomato salsa; 405 calories, 10g fat (2.5g saturated)
Vegetarian Burrito Bowl with brown rice, black beans, fajita vegetables, lettuce and roasted chili-corn salsa; 385 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated)
Wendy’s
Large Chili plus Garden Side Salad (no croutons) with fat-free French dressing 375 calories, 9 g fat (3.5 g saturated)
Ultimate Chicken Grill Sandwich plus apple slices 440 calories, 10 g fat (1.5 g saturated)
Subway
Oven Roasted Chicken Salad with tomatoes, green peppers, onions, olives and cucumbers with honey-mustard dressing plus Yogurt Parfait; 400 calories, 6 g fat (1.5 g saturated)
McDonald’s
Healthiest Meal: Honey Mustard Grilled Snack Wrap and Snack-Size Fruit and Walnut Salad
Together these “snacks” make a well-rounded meal: plenty of protein, heart-healthy unsaturated fat (thanks to the walnuts), plus a good source of iron and calcium.
Chick-Fil-A
Order: Side Salad and Fresh Fruit
While diving into the ingredient lists, we realized why Chick-fil-A chicken tastes so irresistible: monosodium glutamate is one of the first ingredients. But in terms of fast-food salads, theirs is one of the cleanest around, with Romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes, red cabbage, carrots and a smattering of cheese.
Pair it with a fruit cup of apples, strawberries and grapes, and you’ve made a respectable choice on the run.
Burger King
The BK VEGGIE Burger actually has less fat (7 g, without cheese or mayo, and 20 g with them) and calories (320 without either, 450 with both) than their Chicken Apple & Cranberry Garden Fresh Salad with Tendergrill, which is 560 calories and 30 g of fat!
Panera Bread
Order: Half Roasted Turkey & Avocado BLT on Sourdough & Low Fat Garden Vegetable with Pesto Soup
Panera Bread offers plenty of options with healthy and fresh ingredients. Their You Pick Two combination enables you to choose from a half sandwich, salad and cup of soup, allowing you to enjoy a mini-sampler of lunchtime treats. Choose from the Signature and Café Sandwiches rather than the Panini’s prepared with butter and oil, and pair with a salad or cup of soup. Steer clear of cream-based soups, and eat this meal that is only 360 calories combined!
Domino’s Pizza
Order: Veggie Pizza With Gluten-Free Crust
Who knew fast-food pizza could be gluten-free-friendly? Domino’s is, thanks to its GF crust with—truly!—nothing bad in it.
Load it up with baby spinach, fresh mushrooms and diced tomatoes, none of which have preservatives. Plus, there’s no partially hydrogenated oil (code for trans fat) here, unlike in Pizza Hut’s thin crust. These ingredients are the best you can hope for large-chain pizza.
Arby’s
Order: Turkey Classic and Side Salad with Light Italian Dressing
Many people believe ordering off the Market Fresh menu at Arby’s translates into a healthy lunch. The majority of the Market Fresh sandwiches at Arby’s have over 500 calories, and you will not be able to find one on the menu with less than 25 g of fat! Choose a classic turkey roaster instead with 5 g fat per sandwich or even a roast beef classic with only 12 g fat.
