What to Pick and Pass On at Fast Food Restaurants
Being an athlete often means living life on the road. Whether it’s a simple away game or a tournament, camp or showcase in a far-off land, athletes frequently find themselves away from home. This means having to eat away from home, too.
Fast food is a common choice, since it’s cheap, convenient and easy to eat on the go. Although fast food might not seem ideal, athletes can still get nutritious meals, which can help them perform at their best. They just have to know what to pick and what to pass on.
RELATED: Is Fast Food Effective for Recovery? A New Study Says So
Arby’s
Pick These Foods
1. Super Roast Beef
440 calories, 19g fat, 1,061mg sodium
This sandwich combines roast beef, lettuce and tomatoes, and it replaces mayonnaise with lower calorie spicy pepper sauce to help kick-start your metabolism for a game.
2. Chicken Cordon Bleu Sandwich
488 calories, 18g fat, 1,560mg sodium
For a lean protein source, grilled chicken is always a healthier option than fried chicken. It will restore and refuel your muscles without weighing you down.
3. Martha’s Vineyard Salad
389 calories, 14g fat, 923mg sodium
Although a salad might not seem like an “athlete meal,” it can be an excellent choice pre- or post-game,with leafy greens, grilled chicken, and light dressing.
Pass on These Foods
1. Roast Beef and Swiss Market Fresh Sandwich
810 calories, 42g fat, 1,780mg sodium
This sandwich consists of full-fat mayonnaise, Italian sub sauce and processed Swiss cheese.
2. Chicken Salad Sandwich
769 calories, 39g fat, 1,240mg sodium
3. Santa Fe Salad
773 calories, 52g fat, 1,823mg sodium
This may be a salad, but with close to 800 calories and a combination of ranch dressing and shredded cheese, it’s one you should pass on.
Burger King
Pick These Foods
1. Whopper Jr. with Garden Salad
365 calories, 12g fat, 1,230mg sodium
Opt for the small or Jr. size burgers and salads and hold the mayo.
2. Croissan’wich Egg and Cheese
300 calories, 17g fat, 740mg sodium
Eggs are an excellent source of protein and healthy fats.
3. Small Onion Rings
140 calories, 7g fat, 210mg sodium
Pass on These Foods
1. Big Fish Sandwich with Fries
1,000 calories, 52g fat, 2,040mg sodium
Fish can be a great choice for athletes, but this menu item is heavily breaded and fried in partially hydrated oil.
2. Sausage, Egg and Cheese Biscuit
530 calories, 37g fat, 1,490mg sodium
3. Small French Fries
230 calories, 13g fat, 380mg sodium
Carl’s Jr.
Pick These Foods
1. Charbroiled BBQ Chicken Sandwich
360 calories, 4.5g fat, 1,150mg sodium
With minimal toppings and grilled chicken, this sandwich is a great source of lean protein.
2. Fried Zucchini
320 calories, 19g fat, 850mg sodium
Pass on These Foods
1. Charbroiled Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich
610 calories, 32g fat, 1,540mg of sodium
The chicken may be charbroiled, but creamy Santa Fe sauce and a slice of processed cheese add an extra 27 grams of fat.
2. CrissCut Fries
410 calories, 24g fat, 950mg sodium
3. Chocolate Chip Cookie
350 calories, 18g fat, 330mg sodium
Chick-fil-A
Pick These Foods
1. Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich
270 calories, 3.5g fat, 940mg sodium
Chargrilled chicken paired with lettuce, tomatoes and honey barbecue sauce make this a solid pick.
2. Chick-fil-A Nuggets (8-pack)
305 calories, 13g fat, 1,020mg
You’re never too old to enjoy chicken nuggets, and they’re a great source of protein to help you refuel and replenish after a game.
3. Southwest Chargrilled Salad
360 calories, 8g fat, 1,170mg sodium
Adding chargrilled chicken to a bed of leafy greens drizzled with fat-free honey mustard dressing makes this an excellent salad pick.
Pass on These Foods
1. Chicken Caesar Cool Wrap
480 calories, 16g fat, 1,640mg sodium
With flat bread and Caesar dressing, this wrap’s high calorie and fat count make it something you should probably avoid.
2. Chicken Sandwich
420 calories, 16g fat, 1,300mg sodium
3. Chick-n-Strips Salad
800 calories, 60g fat, 1,745mg sodium
Breaded chicken and ranch dressing turn what could have been a healthy salad into a heavy option. Pass.
McDonald’s
Pick These Foods
1. Quarter Pounder
410 calories, 19g fat, 730mg sodium
Hold the cheese and this burger has a good balance of fat, carbohydrates, and protein to fuel your performance.
2. Asian Salad with Grilled Chicken
390 calories, 12.5g fat, 1,630mg sodium
Grilled chicken topped with fat-free sesame dressing provides an excellent source of protein.
3. Egg McMuffin
300 calories, 12g fat, 820mg sodium
Pass on These Foods
1. Premium Grilled Chicken Club
570 calories, 21g fat, 1,720mg sodium
Layered with bacon, mayonnaise, and liquid margarine. Pass every time.
2. Caesar Salad with Crispy Chicken and Croutons
550 calories, 32.5g fat, 1,660mg sodium
Fried chicken, caesar dressing and croutons spoil the nutritional value of this salad.
3. Hotcakes with Butter and Syrup
610 calories, 18g fat, 680mg sodium
Besides providing empty carbohydrates and sugar, pancakes and syrup do not constitute a well-balanced meal since they lack protein and healthy fats.
Subway
Pick These Foods
1. 6-inch Double Roast Beef Sub
360 calories, 7g fat, 1,300mg sodium
An excellent source of protein, this sub is a good pre- or post-game pick. Just make sure to choose the sweet onion sauce or honey mustard instead of mayonnaise.
2. Oven Roasted Chicken Breast Salad
175 calories, 2.5g fat, 1,120mg sodium
Oven roasted chicken is a lean source of protein to help you refuel and rebuild your muscles. Opt for fat-free Italian dressing.
3. Roasted Chicken Noodle Soup
80 calories, 2g fat, 1,240mg sodium
Pass on These Foods
1. 6-inch Tuna Sub
530 calories, 31g fat, 1,010mg sodium
Tuna is naturally high in protein and low in fat, making it a great meal or snack for athletes. But when it’s lathered with full-fat mayonnaise, it makes this sandwich a no-no.
2. Turkey Breast Salad
430 calories, 37.5g fat, 1,140mg sodium
Turkey on salad sounds good, but because it has shredded cheese and ranch dressing, this salad is not as healthy a choice as the oven roasted chicken breast salad.
3. Wild Rice with Chicken Soup
210 calories, 11g fat, 1,250mg sodium
Substituting rice for noodles and chicken for roast chicken increases the fat and calories of this soup. You will want to pass.
Taco Bell
Pick These Foods
1. Two Grilled Steak Soft Tacos, Fresco Style
320 calories, 9g fat, 1,100mg sodium
When you order anything “fresco style” at Taco Bell, the chefs replace cheese and sauces with chunky tomato salsa, reducing the fat content by 25%.
2. Two Spicy Chicken Soft Tacos
340 calories, 12g fat, 1,660mg sodium
3. Cinnamon Twists
170 calories, 7g fat, 200mg sodium
Light, airy, and dusted with muscle-defending cinnamon, these twists make a tasty and relatively healthy dessert choice.
Pass on These Foods
1. Baja Beef Chalupa
410 calories, 27g fat, 780mg sodium
The Chalupa shell alone has 13 grams of fat and 25 grams of carbohydrates.
2. Grilled Stuft Chicken Burrito
640 calories, 23g fat, 2,160mg sodium
Avoid anything with the word “stuft.” That’s code for excess amounts of bad things, things that will leave you feeling sluggish during your game.
3. Caramel Apple Empanadas
290 calories, 14g fat, 300mg sodium
KFC
Pick These Foods
1. 3 Crispy Strips with Green Beans and Corn on the Cob
470 calories, 22g fat, 1,775mg sodium
The green beans provide a healthy dose of vitamin K, A, and C, which help maintain strong bones and reduce free radicals.
2. Honey BBQ KFC Snacker
210 calories, 3g fat, 530mg sodium
The name says it all—a perfect pre-game snack filled with protein to fuel your performance.
3. Roasted BLT Salad
235 calories, 6g fat, 1,290mg sodium
Pass on These Foods
1. KFC Famous Bowl
740 calories, 35g fat, 2,350mg sodium
This starchy meal contains 80 grams of empty carbohydrates and tons of sodium. Eating it before a game is sure to leave you feeling bogged down.
2. Individual Popcorn Chicken
400 calories, 26g fat, 1,160mg sodium
3. Crispy Caesar Salad
670 calories, 48g fat, 1,755mg sodium
A combination of fried chicken, creamy Parmesan dressing and croutons makes this salad anything but healthy.
Jack in the Box
Pick These Foods
1. Chicken Fajita Pita with Side Salad and Fire Roasted Salsa
335 calories, 12g fat, 1,275mg sodium
Packed with fresh vegetables and lean chicken in a hand-held pita, this is an excellent pick at a usually unhealthy fast food restaurant.
2. Hamburger Deluxe
280 calories, 11g fat, 475mg sodium
3. Breakfast Jack
290 calories, 12g fat, 760mg sodium
Pass on These Foods
1. Chipotle Chicken Ciabatta with Medium Natural Cut Fries
1,140 calories, 51g fat, 3,000mg sodium
In addition to the bacon, cheese, and chipotle sauce, the fries add 7 grams of trans fat.
2. Jumbo Jack with Cheese
690 calories, 42g fat, 1,310mg sodium
Anything with the words “jumbo” in it should probably be avoided, and when a slice of cheese is added, you have at least another 7 grams of fat.
3. Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit
740 calories, 55g fat, 1,430mg sodium
Panda Express
Pick These Foods
1. Broccoli Beef with Mushroom Chicken and Mixed Vegetables
350 calories, 17g fat, 1,200mg sodium
Substitute broccoli for string beans for 6 times more selenium and 5 times more vitamin C.
2. Tangy Shrimp
150 calories, 5g fat, 550mg sodium
Shrimp is high in protein and low in fat, making this a light meal.
3. String Bean Chicken Breast
160 calories, 8g fat, 550mg sodium
Pass on These Foods
1. Kung Pao Chicken with BBQ Pork and Steamed Rice
1,060 calories, 40.5g fat, 2,140mg sodium
This meal packs 66 grams of protein, but the fatty pork and white rice deliver 108 grams of empty carbohydrates, which could leave you crashing in the middle of the game.
2. Kung Pao Shrimp
240 calories, 14g fat, 640mg sodium
3. Orange Chicken
500 calories, 27g fat, 810mg sodium
Fried chicken slathered with thick sauce. This is the only item on the Panda Express menu with trans fat (5.5 grams).
READ MORE:
- 5 Changes Fast-Food Restaurants Are Making to Become Healthier
- 7 Healthiest Fast Food Breakfast Options
- 5 Ways Junk Food Can Mess With Your Head
REFERENCE
Zinczenko, David. (2008). Eat This Not That. Chapter 2. At Your Favorite Restaurants. Pg. 18-33.
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What to Pick and Pass On at Fast Food Restaurants
Being an athlete often means living life on the road. Whether it’s a simple away game or a tournament, camp or showcase in a far-off land, athletes frequently find themselves away from home. This means having to eat away from home, too.
Fast food is a common choice, since it’s cheap, convenient and easy to eat on the go. Although fast food might not seem ideal, athletes can still get nutritious meals, which can help them perform at their best. They just have to know what to pick and what to pass on.
RELATED: Is Fast Food Effective for Recovery? A New Study Says So
Arby’s
Pick These Foods
1. Super Roast Beef
440 calories, 19g fat, 1,061mg sodium
This sandwich combines roast beef, lettuce and tomatoes, and it replaces mayonnaise with lower calorie spicy pepper sauce to help kick-start your metabolism for a game.
2. Chicken Cordon Bleu Sandwich
488 calories, 18g fat, 1,560mg sodium
For a lean protein source, grilled chicken is always a healthier option than fried chicken. It will restore and refuel your muscles without weighing you down.
3. Martha’s Vineyard Salad
389 calories, 14g fat, 923mg sodium
Although a salad might not seem like an “athlete meal,” it can be an excellent choice pre- or post-game,with leafy greens, grilled chicken, and light dressing.
Pass on These Foods
1. Roast Beef and Swiss Market Fresh Sandwich
810 calories, 42g fat, 1,780mg sodium
This sandwich consists of full-fat mayonnaise, Italian sub sauce and processed Swiss cheese.
2. Chicken Salad Sandwich
769 calories, 39g fat, 1,240mg sodium
3. Santa Fe Salad
773 calories, 52g fat, 1,823mg sodium
This may be a salad, but with close to 800 calories and a combination of ranch dressing and shredded cheese, it’s one you should pass on.
Burger King
Pick These Foods
1. Whopper Jr. with Garden Salad
365 calories, 12g fat, 1,230mg sodium
Opt for the small or Jr. size burgers and salads and hold the mayo.
2. Croissan’wich Egg and Cheese
300 calories, 17g fat, 740mg sodium
Eggs are an excellent source of protein and healthy fats.
3. Small Onion Rings
140 calories, 7g fat, 210mg sodium
Pass on These Foods
1. Big Fish Sandwich with Fries
1,000 calories, 52g fat, 2,040mg sodium
Fish can be a great choice for athletes, but this menu item is heavily breaded and fried in partially hydrated oil.
2. Sausage, Egg and Cheese Biscuit
530 calories, 37g fat, 1,490mg sodium
3. Small French Fries
230 calories, 13g fat, 380mg sodium
Carl’s Jr.
Pick These Foods
1. Charbroiled BBQ Chicken Sandwich
360 calories, 4.5g fat, 1,150mg sodium
With minimal toppings and grilled chicken, this sandwich is a great source of lean protein.
2. Fried Zucchini
320 calories, 19g fat, 850mg sodium
Pass on These Foods
1. Charbroiled Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich
610 calories, 32g fat, 1,540mg of sodium
The chicken may be charbroiled, but creamy Santa Fe sauce and a slice of processed cheese add an extra 27 grams of fat.
2. CrissCut Fries
410 calories, 24g fat, 950mg sodium
3. Chocolate Chip Cookie
350 calories, 18g fat, 330mg sodium
Chick-fil-A
Pick These Foods
1. Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich
270 calories, 3.5g fat, 940mg sodium
Chargrilled chicken paired with lettuce, tomatoes and honey barbecue sauce make this a solid pick.
2. Chick-fil-A Nuggets (8-pack)
305 calories, 13g fat, 1,020mg
You’re never too old to enjoy chicken nuggets, and they’re a great source of protein to help you refuel and replenish after a game.
3. Southwest Chargrilled Salad
360 calories, 8g fat, 1,170mg sodium
Adding chargrilled chicken to a bed of leafy greens drizzled with fat-free honey mustard dressing makes this an excellent salad pick.
Pass on These Foods
1. Chicken Caesar Cool Wrap
480 calories, 16g fat, 1,640mg sodium
With flat bread and Caesar dressing, this wrap’s high calorie and fat count make it something you should probably avoid.
2. Chicken Sandwich
420 calories, 16g fat, 1,300mg sodium
3. Chick-n-Strips Salad
800 calories, 60g fat, 1,745mg sodium
Breaded chicken and ranch dressing turn what could have been a healthy salad into a heavy option. Pass.
McDonald’s
Pick These Foods
1. Quarter Pounder
410 calories, 19g fat, 730mg sodium
Hold the cheese and this burger has a good balance of fat, carbohydrates, and protein to fuel your performance.
2. Asian Salad with Grilled Chicken
390 calories, 12.5g fat, 1,630mg sodium
Grilled chicken topped with fat-free sesame dressing provides an excellent source of protein.
3. Egg McMuffin
300 calories, 12g fat, 820mg sodium
Pass on These Foods
1. Premium Grilled Chicken Club
570 calories, 21g fat, 1,720mg sodium
Layered with bacon, mayonnaise, and liquid margarine. Pass every time.
2. Caesar Salad with Crispy Chicken and Croutons
550 calories, 32.5g fat, 1,660mg sodium
Fried chicken, caesar dressing and croutons spoil the nutritional value of this salad.
3. Hotcakes with Butter and Syrup
610 calories, 18g fat, 680mg sodium
Besides providing empty carbohydrates and sugar, pancakes and syrup do not constitute a well-balanced meal since they lack protein and healthy fats.
Subway
Pick These Foods
1. 6-inch Double Roast Beef Sub
360 calories, 7g fat, 1,300mg sodium
An excellent source of protein, this sub is a good pre- or post-game pick. Just make sure to choose the sweet onion sauce or honey mustard instead of mayonnaise.
2. Oven Roasted Chicken Breast Salad
175 calories, 2.5g fat, 1,120mg sodium
Oven roasted chicken is a lean source of protein to help you refuel and rebuild your muscles. Opt for fat-free Italian dressing.
3. Roasted Chicken Noodle Soup
80 calories, 2g fat, 1,240mg sodium
Pass on These Foods
1. 6-inch Tuna Sub
530 calories, 31g fat, 1,010mg sodium
Tuna is naturally high in protein and low in fat, making it a great meal or snack for athletes. But when it’s lathered with full-fat mayonnaise, it makes this sandwich a no-no.
2. Turkey Breast Salad
430 calories, 37.5g fat, 1,140mg sodium
Turkey on salad sounds good, but because it has shredded cheese and ranch dressing, this salad is not as healthy a choice as the oven roasted chicken breast salad.
3. Wild Rice with Chicken Soup
210 calories, 11g fat, 1,250mg sodium
Substituting rice for noodles and chicken for roast chicken increases the fat and calories of this soup. You will want to pass.
Taco Bell
Pick These Foods
1. Two Grilled Steak Soft Tacos, Fresco Style
320 calories, 9g fat, 1,100mg sodium
When you order anything “fresco style” at Taco Bell, the chefs replace cheese and sauces with chunky tomato salsa, reducing the fat content by 25%.
2. Two Spicy Chicken Soft Tacos
340 calories, 12g fat, 1,660mg sodium
3. Cinnamon Twists
170 calories, 7g fat, 200mg sodium
Light, airy, and dusted with muscle-defending cinnamon, these twists make a tasty and relatively healthy dessert choice.
Pass on These Foods
1. Baja Beef Chalupa
410 calories, 27g fat, 780mg sodium
The Chalupa shell alone has 13 grams of fat and 25 grams of carbohydrates.
2. Grilled Stuft Chicken Burrito
640 calories, 23g fat, 2,160mg sodium
Avoid anything with the word “stuft.” That’s code for excess amounts of bad things, things that will leave you feeling sluggish during your game.
3. Caramel Apple Empanadas
290 calories, 14g fat, 300mg sodium
KFC
Pick These Foods
1. 3 Crispy Strips with Green Beans and Corn on the Cob
470 calories, 22g fat, 1,775mg sodium
The green beans provide a healthy dose of vitamin K, A, and C, which help maintain strong bones and reduce free radicals.
2. Honey BBQ KFC Snacker
210 calories, 3g fat, 530mg sodium
The name says it all—a perfect pre-game snack filled with protein to fuel your performance.
3. Roasted BLT Salad
235 calories, 6g fat, 1,290mg sodium
Pass on These Foods
1. KFC Famous Bowl
740 calories, 35g fat, 2,350mg sodium
This starchy meal contains 80 grams of empty carbohydrates and tons of sodium. Eating it before a game is sure to leave you feeling bogged down.
2. Individual Popcorn Chicken
400 calories, 26g fat, 1,160mg sodium
3. Crispy Caesar Salad
670 calories, 48g fat, 1,755mg sodium
A combination of fried chicken, creamy Parmesan dressing and croutons makes this salad anything but healthy.
Jack in the Box
Pick These Foods
1. Chicken Fajita Pita with Side Salad and Fire Roasted Salsa
335 calories, 12g fat, 1,275mg sodium
Packed with fresh vegetables and lean chicken in a hand-held pita, this is an excellent pick at a usually unhealthy fast food restaurant.
2. Hamburger Deluxe
280 calories, 11g fat, 475mg sodium
3. Breakfast Jack
290 calories, 12g fat, 760mg sodium
Pass on These Foods
1. Chipotle Chicken Ciabatta with Medium Natural Cut Fries
1,140 calories, 51g fat, 3,000mg sodium
In addition to the bacon, cheese, and chipotle sauce, the fries add 7 grams of trans fat.
2. Jumbo Jack with Cheese
690 calories, 42g fat, 1,310mg sodium
Anything with the words “jumbo” in it should probably be avoided, and when a slice of cheese is added, you have at least another 7 grams of fat.
3. Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit
740 calories, 55g fat, 1,430mg sodium
Panda Express
Pick These Foods
1. Broccoli Beef with Mushroom Chicken and Mixed Vegetables
350 calories, 17g fat, 1,200mg sodium
Substitute broccoli for string beans for 6 times more selenium and 5 times more vitamin C.
2. Tangy Shrimp
150 calories, 5g fat, 550mg sodium
Shrimp is high in protein and low in fat, making this a light meal.
3. String Bean Chicken Breast
160 calories, 8g fat, 550mg sodium
Pass on These Foods
1. Kung Pao Chicken with BBQ Pork and Steamed Rice
1,060 calories, 40.5g fat, 2,140mg sodium
This meal packs 66 grams of protein, but the fatty pork and white rice deliver 108 grams of empty carbohydrates, which could leave you crashing in the middle of the game.
2. Kung Pao Shrimp
240 calories, 14g fat, 640mg sodium
3. Orange Chicken
500 calories, 27g fat, 810mg sodium
Fried chicken slathered with thick sauce. This is the only item on the Panda Express menu with trans fat (5.5 grams).
READ MORE:
- 5 Changes Fast-Food Restaurants Are Making to Become Healthier
- 7 Healthiest Fast Food Breakfast Options
- 5 Ways Junk Food Can Mess With Your Head
REFERENCE
Zinczenko, David. (2008). Eat This Not That. Chapter 2. At Your Favorite Restaurants. Pg. 18-33.
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