As busy collegiettes, it’s hard to find the time to cook or buy healthy meals. It’s much easier to just run by a fast food joint, pick up a burger and fries and munch on them as we make our way back to our dorm rooms. But fast food can be a dangerous beast and sometimes it’s hard to know what you should order and what’s completely off limits. This week, Her Campus and Kelly Klaczkiewicz, a registered dietitian, are here to help with a list of the best meal choices you can make at some of the most popular fast food restaurants in America. Enjoy!
McDonald’s
We love those golden arches, but it can be a challenge to find healthy choices amidst the greasy burgers, fries and chicken nuggets that grace the McDonald’s menu. Thankfully, McDonald’s is actually making a huge effort to provide health-conscious choices for the American public – they’ve even reduced the fat content of their fries (one small serving is now only 230 calories)!
Love it: If you desperately need breakfast on-the-go, the Egg McMuffinis actually not a bad choice. Clocking in at only 300 calories, it’s a great alternative to the sugary pastries or biscuit breakfasts you could choose instead. For a quick snack, pick up a Snack Wrapwith grilled chicken – you’ll be able to pack in protein without many unwanted carbs, and the whole wrap is only 260 calories. If you’re stopping by McDonald’s for a quick lunch, pick the Grilled Chicken Classicsandwich or wrap (go light on the mayo and sauce) or grab a Premium Asian Salad with Grilled Chicken. Both options are fresh and light, plus they’ll fill you up with quality vegetables and lean meats.
Leave it: Supersizing is dangerous… so don’t do it! “Yes, it’s tempting when it’s only 50 cents more and you get twice as much food, but you don’t need it,” says Kelly. “If you’re craving fries, a small one will be plenty to satisfy you. If you want a burger, a regular sized burger has sufficient protein for an average sized person, and the huge burgers are excessive in terms of protein, fat and calories.” If you’re struggling to make a decision on what to order, check out the nutritional information on the back of each tray liner.
If you’re craving a soda, pick a small or a diet. “Soda, juice and lemonade are loaded with empty sugar calories,” says Kelly. “If you need a caffeine fix, choose diet soda or unsweetened tea. Or better yet, grab a bottle of water or choose sparkling water if you like the bubbles!”
Panera Bread
Panera was recently ranked as the nation’s healthiest fast food joint by Health magazine because it’s easy to control portion size when you order (just ask for a ½ soup, salad or sandwich) and you can choose to order whole grain bread and an apple instead of chips as your side! Panera also has a huge menu which means you have lots to choose from when ordering – and most of it is pretty darn healthy!
Love it: For a protein-packed, veggie-laden lunch or dinner pick the ½ salad, ½ sandwich combination. We love the Fuji Apple Chicken Salad with lean chicken, organic salad greens, gorgonzola cheese, pecans and a vinaigrette dressing. All of the salads are healthy picks (especially when ½ sized), but be careful of the Caesar salads – if you do order one, Kelly recommends that you go light on the dressing or get it on the side. On the sandwich end of things, we love the Smoked Turkey BreastSandwich on whole grain bread (ask for light mayo) or the Mediterranean Veggie Sandwichon Tomato Basil bread (with cilantro hummus, yum!).
Leave it: That Cheese Danish in the display window may look appetizing, but go for a soup, sandwich or salad instead. That Danish (and other pastries like it) is loaded with sugar and cream. All that sugar will leave you craving more sugar, plus it’s likely that you’ll be hungry again within the hour.
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Wendy’s
If you’re craving a home-cooked meal, Wendy’s has some great grab-and-go comfort food options. As with most fast food restaurants, it’s important to think before you order – that giant burger and supersized order of fries will leave you feeling grease-laden and lazy, but the veggie-packed salad will give you energy and a clear head all afternoon long!
Love it: Wendy’s Mardarin Chicken Salad with Oriental Sesame Dressing is one of the healthiest options on the menu. Wendy’s also has great side options – ask for a plain baked potato, a small side of chili or apple slices instead of fries. Grilled Chicken Go-Wrapsand Sandwiches are also packed with protein and nutrients – just make sure to ask them to go light on the mayo.
“In general, gravitate towards salads, anything grilled and fruit or veggie sides,” says Kelly. “And when ordering sandwiches and meats, choose something grilled! We often think that a poultry or fish are healthier than red meat, but a burger is actually a healthier choice than a fried fish or chicken sandwich. This is because the grilling process allows the fat to drip off the meat during cooking.”
Leave it: As with other burger and fast food joints, stay away from the huge, juicy burgers (like Dave’s Hot ‘N Juicy 3/4 Lb or The Baconator).
Chipotle
Buffet style ordering is great because it allows you to personalize your order with healthy components. At Chipotle, customers can order burritos, tacos or salads and can construct each option with organic, fresh and non-processed ingredients (this is key for healthy eating!).
Love it: Burrito Bowls are awesome because you’re getting all of the healthy vegetables that are in a burrito but simply leaving off the tortilla! Sure, carbs aren’t the devil but skipping out on that giant tortilla in favor of healthier, natural options is definitely a winning decision.
Leave it: Extra cheese and extra sour cream will add unhealthy value to your meal, so go light on those ingredients and bolster your meal with extra salsa and veggies.
Panda Express
Asian food – yum! But just like the rest of our grab-and-go restaurants, Panda Express can be a little dangerous if you don’t know what to order. The great thing about this Asian-infused fast food restaurant is that the menu offerings are chock full of vegetables and heart-healthy spices like ginger, so you’ll find lots of good options! For an added health bonus, use your chop sticks while you eat – it’ll make you eat more slowly.
Love it: Our favorite meal option at Panda Express is the Crispy Shrimp with a side of mixed vegetables – at only 260 calories, this is one of the healthiest meals on our list!
Leave it: In general, stay away from the fried egg rolls, battered or deep-fried dishes (like General Tsao’s chicken) and dishes with fried rice. While most Asian dishes are healthy, some have been Americanized and their deep-fried nature means that they are packed with calories and fat.
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Subway
Subway is one of the healthiest fast food chains out there, but don’t let their “Eat Fresh” motto fool you – it’s still easy to make unhealthy order choices while standing in line and gazing at all of your topping options! Subway makes use of buffet-style serving which allows you to pick what you want in your meal. You can make healthier choices as to the contents of your sandwiches, but it also leaves room for ordering mistakes!
Love it: Subway’s “Fresh Fit”choices are always a great go-to when deciding what to order. Try a Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki Sandwich (6 inch on whole wheat bread!) or a Turkey Melt Sandwich (with only 320 calories and 7 grams of fat). Always choose whole wheat bread, load up on the veggies, tone down the condiments and you’ll have a filling, healthy lunch or dinner. At Subway you can also turn any sandwich into a salad, and they are one of the few fast food joints to offer Baked Lays – the healthiest chip choice according to Kelly.
Leave it: The hardest part of ordering at Subway is having the freedom to choose from any and all ingredients in the buffet. Honey mustard and mayo can add unwanted fat content, so stay away from heavy condiments and opt for oil and vinegar instead. Also be careful with the additions of extra cheese or bacon.
“The condiments will definitely get you,” says Kelly. “Salad dressing and any sauces are where calories really add up. Ask for all dressings and sauces on the side and use them sparingly. Creamy condiments and mayo are usually loaded with calories – ketchup and mustard are okay, but watch out for ketchup. It’s usually a vehicle to get the fatty, greasy, salty foods in your mouth!”
Burger King
Burger King, like McDonald’s, is making an effort to help the American public stay healthy and fit. The key at restaurants like this is to attempt to order non-processed food options – fresh veggies, whole wheat buns and even ice water are great additions to anyone’s daily food intake.
Love it: Even if you’re a little bit veggie shy, you’ll probably like BK’s Veggie Burger. It has all of the luster of a meat burger but without the calorie content (and it clocks in at only 340 calories without mayo!). The TenderGrill Chicken Sandwichand TenderGrill Chicken Garden Saladare also healthy options – you can’t go wrong with lean meats, veggies and low-fat dressing!
Kelly recommends checking out the components of kids’ meals on the menu when you can’t figure out what to order. “Get fruit or veggies as a side instead of fries,” she says. “They are often a choice for the kids’ meal, so ask if you can grab one on the side too!”
Leave it: Stay away from the Whopper (or Double Whopper or Triple Whopper) – those burgers have a 700 calorie starting value even without condiments and they are loaded with cholesterol, fat and excessive carbs. A small Triple Whopper value meal clocks in at 1760 calories – that’s pretty much all the calories you need in a day with very limited nutritional content. Stay away!
The most important thing to remember about fast food is moderation. “It’s definitely okay to eat fast food every once in awhile,” says Kelly. “But even if it’s only occasional, still choose the healthier options. In general, fast food is loaded with fat and calories and deficient in vitamins and minerals – that’s why we need to limit it!”
So the next time you head to your local fast food joint, take a second to think before you order. Gravitate towards salads, anything grilled and fruit or veggie sides, and go light on sauces and condiments for an added nutritional bonus!