Many of you have no problems when it comes to eating healthy at home. But, when it comes to choosing healthy fast food, things get a little more… complicated.
Especially when you just decided to eat healthy, and then your friends want to go eat somewhere you love but isn’t exactly healthy.
Things also get complicated when food is given to you that isn’t very diet-friendly.
There may be in your life where you don’t get to choose where you eat. That’s just a part of life.
Last week we talked about how to find healthy food near you. This week, I wanted to help you further by giving you a few Dietitian-approved tips on how to eat healthier at a place that isn’t so healthy.
1 – Choose Water
A medium Coke is about 190 calories. A large is 310 calories.
A medium sweet tea is typically around 120 to 190 calories, depending on the location.
Shakes can be anywhere from 400 to 600 calories, depending on size and flavor.
Choosing water over these beverages most of the time is an easy way to cut down calories when eating out.
2 – Opt for Vegetables and/or Fruit as Your Side
I love french fries. I mean, truly love french fries. French fries are sooo tasty!
If you don’t eat out very often (like once or twice a month) then getting a side of french fries or onion rings is probably fine. Just watch out for the sodium/salt because it’s a lot!
If you eat out more often or have committed to eating vegetables and/or fruit, then you should opt for vegetables or fruit as your side. This is especially true for those who are cutting back on their calories.
For example, you can reduce your calories by 200 when you get a side salad (without dressing) instead of medium fries at Chick-fil-A. Plus, you get way more nutrients for your buck when you opt for vegetables or fruit.
3 – Ask for Dressing or Sauce on the Side
One thing I hate about fast food joints is that they often slather their salads with dressing. By doing so, what would have been only 200 calories turns into 400 calories.
The same goes for sauces on entrees.
Instead, ask for the sauce or dressing on the side. That’s because you’ll use much less sauce or dressing if you dip your food than pour it all over.
4 – Get All the Vegetables that Normally Come With Your Meal
This is for those getting a burger or some other entrée that typically comes with vegetables.
I know you may not be a fan of largely cut onions, lettuce, or tomatoes, but today is the day to start getting used to them.
Every vegetable counts, so try to eat the vegetables that normally come with your meal. Start with eating a little, and add more as you get used to them.
As I said above, vegetables give you more nutrients for your buck. So, think of eating the vegetables as getting more value from the money you spent.
5 – Skip the Fried Meats or Refried Beans
Frying food adds more calories with little to no nutrients. This is because the oil that is used to fry the foods is a whole lotta fat. It’s just the natural consequence of frying (unless it’s air fried).
So, if you’re watching your calorie intake, skip the fried foods and go for the grilled or baked options. By doing so, you can reduce your calorie intake by up to 200 calories.
6 – Limit Meal to One Carb and One Fat
I know this is difficult to do when eating out, but try to limit your meal to one carb and one fat. The problem with fast food is that their food is not only high in calories but sodium/salt too. And too much sodium is really bad for your heart.
Foods that are often high in sodium are your protein foods, especially meats and fried foods. I normally would say to double up on protein if one entrée isn’t enough, but the high sodium/salt in the protein foods could damage your heart.
So, the safer foods to double up on if you’ll still be hungry are vegetables and fruits.
Below is a list you can use to determine what are carbs, fats, and proteins when eating out. This list is more complicated, but I simplified it so you can more easily remember it.
Carbs…
Tortillas or tortilla strips
Rice
Bread
Battered and fried foods (fried onion rings, fried vegetables)
French fries, tater tots, hash browns
Cheese
Croutons
Granola
Regular sodas
Juices
Shakes
Ice cream
Cookies
Other baked sweets
Fats…
Oil-based dressings
Butter (commonly used to toast bread)
Fried foods (count as both fat and carb)
Avocado or guacamole
Ice cream or shakes (count as both fat and carb)
Proteins…
Meats (including bacon and fried meats)
Beans
Eggs
Soy or tofu
Yogurt
7 – Treat Yourself Every Once in a While
If I got a nickel for every time I heard “cheat day” or “cheat meal”, I think I would be rich by now.
I think we feel as if we have to have a good reason for eating sweets. But, sweets can be a part of a healthy diet, too. As long as we put sweets in the correct place, we can eat healthy and eat them too.
That’s where Dietitians have come up with the 80/20 rule. If you eat healthy 80% of the time, then the other 20% you can treat yourself.
Personally, I challenge myself to eat healthy 80% of an entire month, so that once a week I can indulge a little.
There is nothing, and I mean nothing, wrong with eating sweets.
When you feel guilty for eating sweets it’s most likely because you haven’t put them in the correct place in your diet.
But, when you are eating healthy and have found where sweets (or indulgences) fit in, your diet will be in harmony. And then you will eat that ice cream and enjoy every moment of it!
All this to say, it’s totally ok for you to treat yourself every once in a while. Indulgences can fit into your diet. You just have to figure out how often and how much you’re comfortable with.
Is There a Thing as Healthy Fast Food?
Well, yes. But it’s up to you to choose the healthy options over the not-so-healthy ones. Which can be more difficult than it seems.
Above, we just talked about 7 things you can do to eat healthier at a fast food joint. But it’s up to you to choose which ones you’re willing to do.
Sidenote: the reason why I talked about cutting calories as a way to eat healthier is that the less healthy foods at a fast food joint are often the most calorie-dense foods. This is not always the case when eating at home. But, when eating out, often cutting back on calories also means cutting back on sodium/salt while getting more nutrients.
So, to sum up what we just talked about…
Choose water
Opt for a side of vegetables or fruit
Ask for dressings or sauces on the side
Get all the vegetables that normally come with your meal
Skip the fried meats or refried beans
Limit your meal to one carb and one fat
Treat yourself every once in a while
Which ones are you willing to start doing? Do you have anything you would add to the list? I would love to hear your suggestions in the comments below!