My family and I are in the middle of wedding season right now.

We had my husband’s sister’s wedding this past weekend. Next is my brother’s wedding this coming weekend. And finally, we top it off with mine and my husband’s 4th wedding anniversary in two weeks.

With all this traveling, we know we will have to eat out at least once. But, it can be tricky to find healthy food near you that you can grab on the go.

If you’ve ever looked for healthy food near you, you know the frustration of the results you get… (And, I mean, it’s very frustrating.)

Half of what shows up is stores, not food joints. And the other half you have to question if they’re actually healthy.

So, how can you tell the difference between an unhealthy food joint from a healthy one?

Great question. I’ve put together a list of things to look for when checking if a food joint has healthy options.

1 – Ingredients Matter

One of the first things to check for when looking for healthy fast food is the type of ingredients used.

What I mean by this is that often fast food is fast because the ingredients are altered to cook fast. That is unless the fast food joint starts cooking food before customers arrive. (Which some do.)

In some fast food joints, meats may not be 100% real meat and/or additives are used to speed up the cooking process.

So, look for food joints that use fresh ingredients and 100% real meat.

That way you know that the food you’re getting is real and less likely to have a bunch of additives in it. Fresh food is also less likely to have a bunch of sodium/salt in it, which is better for your heart.

2 – Price is Telling

Fresh food, though, comes at a higher price. Foods that are cheap are typically foods that have been pumped full of additives or mixed with cheaper ingredients. Foods that have been altered to last longer are cheaper.

So, if the food is dirt cheap, then you definitely need to question what you’re eating. Because the food is most likely not fresh, and may not be 100% real.

3 – Quality Takes Time

How fast do you get your food?

You may think that the faster you get your food, the better. But, that shouldn’t be the case, unless you only get vegetables, fruit, or pre-made soup.

I mean, think about. How long does it take you to cook and put together a burger or grill chicken? More than 5 minutes, right?

Well, when you roll up to a drive-through with not many people in line, you shouldn’t get your hot food items in 5 minutes. If you do, you should question what they did to get it out to you so fast.

Sidenote: some fast food joints that have long lines may get food out in 5 minutes while still using fresh, wholesome ingredients. They probably cook ahead, so this situation is not to be confused with times when there’s little to no line.

All this goes with what I said about ingredients…

Fresh ingredients will take some time to cook. Altered ingredients will take less time to cook. But, when it comes to what’s healthiest, fresh will always be best.

So, if you can get your hot item foods in under 5 minutes when there is little to no line, it’s probably safe to say it may not be so healthy.

4 – Vegetables are Important (And Fruits Too)

Another way of checking the healthiness of a fast food joint is to look for vegetable entrees and sides on the menu.

And I’m not talking about the lettuce, onions, tomatoes, and pickles that normally come with a burger. I’m talking about a salad or side of fresh vegetables.

That doesn’t mean you have to get a salad or vegetable side. It means that the fast food joint is offering healthier foods, despite the fact that they aren’t always profitable.

Fruit is a great healthy side to look for on the menu as well.

And my rule of thumb is the more colorful the vegetables and fruits the more you’re getting from it. Lots of nutrients are found in deeply or brightly colored vegetables and fruits. Like spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes, and berries, to name a few.

So, when looking for healthy food near you, make sure the fast food joint has a variety of vegetable and fruit options.

5 – Beware of Fried-Foods

I know this may be a no-brainer for you. But, if a fast food joint has almost all fried food on the menu, cross it off your healthy list.

Fried foods are really fatty and greasy, which is definitely not good for your heart. And there’s no telling how much sodium/salt you’re getting with fried foods. (Hint, it’s a lot.)

Some places, like Chick-Fil-A, have fried options that aren’t very greasy. Though they are still high in fat and calories, it doesn’t hurt to have fried food every once in a while. Just be sure to eat grilled more often than fried.

6 – Menu Flexibility

What is on the menu is often telling of how health-minded a fast food joint is.

But, sometimes you’re in a jam and don’t have many healthy food options near you. If that’s the case, you want to look at if the menu items can be customized. That way you can limit the bread and increase the vegetables and fruits.

So, if they have fried meats, can you get them grilled instead? Can you get a side salad or cup of fruit instead of fries? Can you get a salad with grilled chicken instead of fried and the dressing on the side?

Having a flexible menu with healthy options is an important element when looking for healthy food near you. It also makes it nice for those with food allergies or sensitivities.

7 – Transparency is Key

Last but not least, you want to check if the fast food joint is transparent about their food.

Do they talk about where they get their ingredients? Or do they even say what’s in each menu item? Do they mention how they prepare their food?

Do they list the calories of their menu items upfront, or do you have to dig a little to find them? Do they have complete nutrition information on each item where you can easily find it?

These are a few of the areas where transparency is important.

If a fast food joint is proud of the quality of their food, they will brag about it. If they know that fewer people will buy their food is they knew more about their food, then they will most likely try to hide it. Or they will at least make it more difficult to find.

So, look for a place that brags about the quality of their food and is transparent with the nutrition information of each item.

Recap of Finding Healthy Food Near You

We just talked about 7 qualities about a fast food joint to look for when looking for healthy food near you. Use these 7 things when you need to make a quick stop for food and don’t want to eat somewhere unhealthy.

Here is a quick list of what we talked about…

1. Fresh, wholesome ingredients
2. Cheaper price may mean cheaper ingredients
3. Getting hot items too fast may mean they don’t use fresh ingredients
4. Variety of vegetables on the menu (salad, side, etc.)
5. Menu not full of fried foods
6. Ability to customize menu items to include more vegetables and fruits
7. Transparency of source of ingredients, how they prepare them, and nutrition information (especially calories, sugar and sodium)

Whenever you’re out and about and/or in a time pinch, sometimes you can’t control where you eat. If that’s the case, check back next week when we talk about 7 ways to eat healthy at (most) fast food joints.

Would you add anything to this list? I would love to hear what you would add/change in the comments below!