Nutrition is difficult to get on the go. But here are five drive through meals that aren’t as bad for you as others! (They’re not salads!)
We all have to eat fast food at some point or another – it’s part of life. Whether you’re grabbing something quick on your lunch break or have had a day from Hades and just want to eat something fast and crawl in bed and forget the day ever happened, most people grab fast food fixes at least once or twice a week. Sometimes, nutrition just isn’t our first priority. But that doesn’t mean that you’re doomed to load your body down with salt and grease just because you need your food to be ready in five minutes. It’s not about weight loss – how great do you think you’re going to feel after consuming a gut bomb, complete with dripping grease and heavy carbs? You’re going to feel like utter junk!
It’s not too difficult to figure out that a salad is better for you than a double cheeseburger, if you don’t pile on a bunch of dressing. But many people don’t like salads – or can’t eat them. Many people need something they can eat on the go, say in the car. You can’t very well eat a salad with one hand and drive with the other!
Treat yourself right by choosing one of these 5 meals from popular fast food restaurants that won’t leave you feeling like you were hit by a Mack truck – or like you’re going to have to run to the bathroom in the next three seconds before something really bad happens. And none of them include salads!
1. McDonald’s
Grilled Chicken Snack Wrap
The snack wrap is smaller than a sandwich, but has less carbs and a lot less fat than McDonald’s burger siblings. It’s also ultra portable – this one is super easy to eat on the go. If you’re not eating in the car, consider pairing this with a side salad or a fruit and yogurt parfait to get more nutrition into your body. Eat slow so your brain has time to figure out that you’re full. It takes twenty minutes for your brain to realize that you’ve got enough in your stomach – if you’re packing it down, you’re going to feel hungry for 15 more minutes until your brain catches up, or worse, you’re going to eat for 15 more minutes and then feel like you’re going to puke at the 20 minute mark.
2. Wendy’s
Ultimate Chicken Grill Sandwich
This sandwich still has a fair amount of fat and sodium in it, but it’s much, much better for you than a burger and fries combo. Skip the cheese and mayo though, because that will add even more fat and sodium! Instead, ask for lots of veggies with nutrition like lettuce, tomatoes and onions and don’t be afraid to ask them to pile the veggies on high! Top with a little bit of mustard and a glass of water and you’ve actually got a really filling lunch, even when it might not seem like it. This is a great option if you’re starving and one of those little side salads or baked potatoes just aren’t going to do it for you.
3. Taco Bell
Grilled Chicken Or Steak Soft Taco, Fresco Style
Skip the quesadilla with melted cheese and (really delicious) jalapeno sauce. Sorry about that. Skip the fried corn shells on the hard tacos and steer clear of the taco salad (it may sound healthy, but almost no one can avoid eating that fried tortilla shell, especially when they serve it with that really great chunky salsa).
Instead, opt for a grilled chicken or steak soft taco and have them make it fresco style. When Taco Bell makes a taco fresco style, they remove the sauce from it and replace the cheese with their own blend of pico-de-gallo style onion and tomato salsa. If you’re really hungry, get two, but supplement with a nice big glass of water instead of a diet coke to help fill you up and hydrate you. There’s still a lot of sodium in these tacos, but they are far, far better for you than some of the alternatives.
4. Burger King
Whopper Junior
If you’re really, really in the mood for a burger and just can’t kick the craving, don’t go for the triple stacker or whatever their biggest burger is even though the thought of it may be making your mouth water. After three “juicy” patties (juicy is their buzz word for greasy) and cheese, you’re going to feel like either vomiting, lying down or both. Not a great addition to a likely already stressful day. Instead, opt for the whopper junior without cheese or mayonnaise.
Have them pile on the vegetables like lettuce, tomatoes and onions to up the nutrition content and make you feel like you’re getting more out of it. Pair it with a big glass of water to help you flush the extra salt out of your system. (This is actually a great tactic for when you eat any fast food, or high sodium food). You’ll get your burger fix but you won’t feel so much like you’ve eaten something that your body can’t handle. And no, your body can’t handle three patties worth of salt and grease. Have mercy on yourself!
5. KFC
Honey BBQ Sandwich
Got a hankering for BBQ and don’t want to overdo it? This sandwich is actually the healthiest full size sandwich on the KFC menu. It clocks in at just 300 calories, but the thick, sweet sauce will definitely fool you! If you’ve just got to have fried chicken, you can add an original drumstick for just another 140 calories. But of course, be careful with the grease – too much and you’re going to feel really crummy afterwards. Sometimes, it’s just not about counting calories or fat, it’s about getting fuel into your body that won’t make you feel sick or tired afterwards!