Eating Out
Fast Food
An occasional visit to a fast-food joint never killed anyone. Burgers and fries are still the staples on these menus, but the restaurants are now offering a greater selection of healthier fare. True, you’ll have trouble locating a decent vegetable, but you can keep the fat and calorie damage under control by ordering grilled sandwiches, salads, and even vegetarian burgers, chili, soup, and low-fat dairy desserts. Aim to make your meals “fast” ones less than once a week.
1. Opt for simple grilled fare, if you can find it. If there’s a grilled chicken sandwich and the chicken isn’t breaded, that’s a good start. Wendy’s Grilled Chicken Sandwich (360 calories) is a good choice, as is McDonald’s Grilled Chicken Sandwich.
2. A simple hamburger isn’t bad either—if you order the smallest one. At 280 calories, Wendy’s Jr. Cheeseburger is a low-cal burger. (By contrast, a Burger King Double Whopper with Cheese has 980 calories.) Another good option is a vegetarian or fish burger. Burger King regularly offers vegetarian burgers (the BK Veggie, 390 calories), and McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish has 390 calories.
3. Order à la carte. A meal that includes fries and a big soft drink is often cheaper, but it’s no nutritional bargain. Skip the soft drink and ask for water—or orange juice, hot tea, coffee, or low-fat milk—instead. If it’s a special treat, get the fries but buy the smallest size.
4. Take advantage of the salads. Just skip the cheese, bacon bits, and other add-ons. Ask for vinaigrette dressing. Try a salad as an entrée. Good choices include Wendy’s Mediterranean Chicken Salad (with dressing on the side) and McDonald’s Grilled Chicken Salad (with Oriental sesame dressing).
5. Have yogurt. McDonald’s offers Fruit ‘n’ Yogurt Parfait (150 calories) and Chick-fil-A offers Greek yogurt parfait (100 calories).