Fast Food/Takeout Go To Restaurants?

[awood08]

Curious as to what everyone's favorite options are to eat at when you do eat out? Since starting this diet I try my best to eat out as little as possible but let's face it, I work behind a desk with an office full of grown men who eat out daily and usually want to bring me food back. I usually stick with healthy options like Subway, Crispers, or Panera Bread. But i've found there is so much sodium everywhere, even at the healthy places. 😞

What's your favorites?

[Leslie747]

I choose fish that's baked or broiled, never fried. Veggies, salad, or fruit as sides.  (salad dressing on the side, I don't let them put it on).  Size can be a problem as well; I always bring some home or leave some. 

[RodrigoMFitbit]

Hello everyone. Thanks for sharing your eating habits when you eat out. I vote for vegetarian options and broiled and baked over fried food. Salads are always a good choice but do mind your protein. I advice just trying to have a balanced meal. Carbs are also important. Everything in moderation. 

Regarding drinks, I usually just order water to avoid sugary drinks. That has helped me a lot to keep fit. I used to struggle with sodas. Whenever I was craving one, I would just order club soda. The club soda fizziness would trick my mind and satisfied my urge. Hope this helps anyone trying to eat healthy while out. 

Keep it up, mind the results. Happy stepping!

[keyy]

Whatever minimally processed foods you can order off the menu would tend to be the ideal choice - any sauces/condiments always on the side so you can minimize according to your taste.  One example is a chicken caesar salad with croutons and dressing on the side.

[Edword]

Well I like subway as well as you choose the items can have quite a healthy meal for take out you could have that with no sodium added. Not sure sodium would be my main concern for eating out. It would be more things like sugar and artificial highly ultra processed foods. 

[keyy]

Their bread got flagged for too high sugar content - more like a pastry bread - likewise up until 2014, contained azodicarbonamide - 'yoga mat chemical', also use as a whitening agent in cereal flour and as a dough conditioner in bread baking".  That's the trouble with processed foods because they don't have to tell you what's in there if it falls below a certain % or threshold.

[Edword]

From what I read on the news other fastfood companies in the US also used azodicarbonamide. Here in the UK because of EU rules azodicarbonamide is not allowed so subway did not use that here.  I do agree there is problems with processed foods not saying what is in them. I would normally have my subway as a salad so no bread as like you say you get sugar and things in bread often. 

[TomFromTexas]

Eating out is always a challenge. Subway, in my opinion, is a better choice for fast food than others. NONE of the fast food chains are a panacea for great veganism. As you mentioned, there are tweaks one can make to help mitigate the problem ingredients at Subway. When I make the Subway choice, I know I am compromising my vegan ethics but significantly less so than many other fast food establishments. Unfortunately, I have to compromise. But,fortunately, I deviate as infrequently as is realistic.

[RHaas]

Subway is not even close to being healthy. Cheap man made processed carbs, nasty seed oils in everything, the dressings are full of synthetic sugars and flavorings, soybean oil..

[TomFromTexas]

True. It's all about best options amongst a sea of bad choices. So where do you choose to fast food eat that are better and why?



Sent from my Galaxy

[Edword]

I often have my subway with as a salad with cheese and salt so no souses or bread

[biketourist]

Stick to undressed salad with or without a protein source. Keep vinegar & oil in your desk. Both vinegar & olive oil packets can be purchased on line or locally from restaurant supply stores. If they go out for Asian food ask them to bring back a tofu vegetable dish, lightly season if possible. Asian food usually has tamari/soy sauce which is naturally sodium laden.

If it is a Subway or other fast food chain, go to the various chains' web site and build a list (database) of foods that are the most nutritious as well as having the least sodium or saturated fat, depending upon which dietary element you are trying to reduce in your diet.

The other item is portion control. You don't have to eat the entire Subway sandwich. The rare times I have a "submarine" sandwich made in my local grocery store I ask for the smallest sized sandwich (4") and then make certain as many vegetables as possible are loaded on to the bread (whole wheat rather than a white variety, every bit of nutrition & fiber helps digestion.) 

You'll also have to estimate the weight of the various ingredients in the food.

I suggest you join the National Institute of Health's "All of Us" study. www.allofus.nih.gov

[TomFromTexas]

Fabina, Eating out is always a challange. I generally stick with the sides selections, rather than the main entree choices. I do watch for how their contents and how they areprepared. I have been known to ask for items to be omitted (usually things like enriched bread, meat, and milk products) and dutifully explain that I am a "practicing" vegan. There are places I have gone into and left when there were no viable choices. If I'm with a group and there are limited items that meet my dietary needs, I will usually eat an item that closely meets my dietary choice but will also tell the waiter/waitress that I would be inclined to come back if they had more selections that meet my dietary criteria.

Reality is there is no perfect restaurant. I do the best I can within the limits of the restaurant but do not go back to restaurants that do not have some near optimal choices.

[skynode]

1 plate of food having 4 partner to eat it that must be  fast food😂

[biketourist]

Order the salad, even at McDonalds, Wendy's, or Burger King. Make certain the dressing is "on the side" or in a separate sealed bag.

If grilled chicken is on the menu, even as a added item to the salad, add it.

Water is your drink.

Broiled fish rather than a fish fry. That includes the fast food restaurants fish sandwich, it's deep fried.

Sushi is a valid option since it is a measured amount and available at many grocery stores as well as restaurants. Purchase the vegetarian sushi or or a fish sushi without added mayonnaise style topping. You can add your own soy sauce/tamari from a packet. The picked ginger & wasabi have few calories.

Vegetable dishes from asian restaurants generally are valid low calorie choices as long as the veggies are quick sauted rather than deep fried. Fried rice has more calories than white rice. But the egg in fried rice ads a bit of protein.

Don't count calories, simply control portion size. If possible as the restaurant to cut the amount in half. Or do it yourself. Plastic knives can cut through a Big Mac with ease. But if you order the salad and stick to vinegar & oil dressing & use only a teaspoon of the dressing you'll be way ahead in both nutrition and fewer calories.