Eating healthy on the road can be a challenge: What do you order from the sea of fast food choices? The last thing you need when you’re stuck in the car, not burning many calories, is something that leaves you feeling weighed down. So in honor of the summer road trip (and your waistline), we scouted out smart picks to make it easier to feel healthy on the go. They’re not exactly “health foods,” but they’re at least lower in fat and calories than most fast food—and they’re tasty, too. Now, if only we could find some cheap gas.
TCBY
Eat This: Fruithead Smoothie—20-ounce Raspberry Delite has 240 calories, 0g fat, and 3g fiber
Avoid: 2 scoops of butter pecan ice cream—340 calories, 24g fat (12g saturated), 0g fiber
KFC
Eat This: Honey Barbecue Sandwich—300 calories, 6g fat (1g saturated), 920mg sodium
Avoid: Oven Roasted Twister, 520 calories, 23g fat (4g saturated), 1,400mg sodium
Wendy’s
Eat This: Frescata Roasted Turkey and Swiss—(Hold the mayo) 420 calories, 15g fat (6g saturated), 1,420mg sodium
Avoid: Classic Double With Cheese—700 calories, 39g fat (16g saturated), 1,490mg sodium
Jamba Juice
Eat This: All Fruit Smoothie—16-ounce Strawberry Whirl has 200 calories, 0g fat, 4g fiber, 42g sugar
Avoid: Banana Berry Smoothie—310 calories, 1g fat, 3g fiber, 65g sugar
By Lia Huber
Comments (13)
Hey………..what about Long John Silvers 350 calorie MEAL………you can choose from 3 premium Freshside Grille Smart Choices: Shrimp Scampi, Grilled Pacific Salmon and Grilled Tilapi all served on bed of seasoned rice with a vegetable Medley. Today only, $3.50……what a deal!
I love the long john silvers sea side meals they are 4.99 in Michigan. But there great.
These choices could be made more healthy by reducing the sodium content. 1,450 mg is not a healthy meal!
We eat too much sodium products and having 1,450 in
just one meal is to high. What about the rest of
the daily meals? All this sodium adds up to high blood pressure, kidney problems, etc. Let’s get rid of a lot of sodium in food and then we can have health meals.
You fatties should stop eating this junk food.
Stay away from these foods! I cannot believe they are condoning eating this stuff. The sodium is wayyyyyy to high. If someone is obese, this article justifies them eating it. You are putting out the wrong message. How bout some black beans and brown rice with some steamed veggies istead? Yum!!! Qourn products are great too, meatless and super tasty. Try the meatless breaded patties. OMG! delish!
While I agree that the sodium content in these meals is outrageous (gotta keep it tasting good!), they are at least a healthier option calorie and fat wise. If an obese person opted for any of these instead of a whopper and fries, I guarantee you they would lose some weight. I think the list is for people who are on the go and eat fast food a lot. When you eat that much fast food, anything is better than fried!
Regardless if someone is obese or not, a diet high in sodium and fat isn’t healthy. There are plenty of average weight/BMI people who consume fast food. The problem isn’t just obesity, but the ramifications of eating this kind of processed food.
Yay! I never knew I could eat this stuff! OMG, i’m so happy! Everyone is always poking fun at me because i weigh 459 pounds and i love food. But this justifies that i can be healthy and still love fast food! You just made my day! :)
Something tells me that you’re trying to add fuel to the fire with this comment.
I do not see you addressing the trans fat problem. Most of your fast food places are loaded with trans fats. McDonalds, Wendy’s, and Taco Bell have removed the man made trans fats. More needs to be written about how bad trans fats are.
How about taking healthy food with you on your road trip and forgetting this exercise in finding the least harmful of genuinely bad food. I’d rather go hungry than eat any of what you have suggested.
What part of this do you not understand:
“They’re not exactly “health foods,” but they’re at least lower in fat and calories than most fast food—and they’re tasty, too.”
When traveling, your options can be severly limted. This is not a suggested lifestyle. Just some help with what to do to get by in a pinch.
I read your newsletter religiously and learn from it. You do not include the carbohydrate and sugar value for the fast food and in other articles. On the milk shake type values you list the sugar but not for all things you speak about. Carb value is just as important as sodium and fat. After all is said and done in reading food value labels everyone uses 15 grams as 1 carb and not more than 10 grams of sugar as sugar value within the carb value. 5 fat grams is 1 fat.People who watch their carbhydrates and fat shoulkd relate their diets to these standard values.It would help to have a full value on everything you speak about.