Healthier Alternatives to Fast Food

Posted on 06/07/2011 at 01:05 AM to Get Naturally Healthy

Fast food is cheap, quick, & convenient, but it comes at a price when it comes to your health (obesity, high cholesterol, hight blood pressure, food poisoning...)! So 2 better options is 1) to choose healthier foods if you must go to fast food joints, or better yet 2) make your own healthier alternative to these foods at home. I'll show you how to do both! 

Healthier alternatives:

Attack those cravings by keeping healthy snacks  at your desk and in your car:

Low-fat cheese sticks to go with rolls and fruit.

Tubes or cartons of yogurt.

Cut veggies or washed baby carrots and cherry tomatoes. Add a container of low-fat dip.

Sliced bananas, apples, grapes and pears.

Peanut butter in a tube or a small tub to go with crackers or bread sticks.

Single-serve cans of tuna with easy-open tops and crackers.

Cans or cups of fruit packed in their own juice.

Dehydrated bean soups (get hot water at a roadside rest stop). 

Make healthier versions of your favorite fast foods at home! Ideas:

Pizza hut/Dominos: Make your own pizza with pitas, part skim mozzarella, olive oil, and lots of veggies!

Taco Bell: Make ur own tacos - use whole wheat/grain pita pockets and fill with beans, low fat cheese, salsa, cilantro.

McDonalds/Burger King: Make ur own burger -- Veggie or Bean burgers OR healthy snack wraps

Recipe for Black bean veggie burger:  http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/homemade-black-bean-veggie-burgers/Detail.aspx

Instead of french fries: Sweet potato fries , or Baked Sweet Potato or Yam

Instead of mashed potatos: replace potatos with mashed cauliflower!

Homemade fish & chips recipe: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/recipefinder/fish-and-chips

Desserts: Dark chocolate, Fruits & nuts, Yogurt parfait

Fast food snacks: Popcorn, Veggies with hummus, Almonds or walnuts

Soda: Club soda or Seltzer water with fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice or add fruits  like blueberries for flavor!

 Healthier Fast Food Options:

1) McDonalds

The McDonalds grilled chicken salads with low-fat dressings is the best choice, while the Fruit 'n' Yogurt Parfait dessert also works towards eating a meal with as less calories as possible.

2) Burger King

Some of the healthier options at Burger King are the grilled chicken salads, and their Veggie burger.

3) Wendy's

Their Grilled chicken sandwich or salads are healthy with low-fat dressings. And just for variety’s sake, try a large chili with a side salad.

4) Pizza Hut

Try their Fit 'n Delicious Pizzas with the garden salads and light dressings.

5) Taco Bell

Their range of Fresco tacos and burritos are better options than the rest of the menu along with theside salads.

6) KFC

When ordering chicken here, order grilled and not fried, and make sure to order chicken without the skin.  

TIP: Never super-size anything

Use this page to find the best food choices at fast food restaurants!: http://www.healthydiningfinder.com/

The WORST fast food choices are: 

1. Large burgers & roast beef sandwiches (especially with cheese, bacon & mayo/sauce)
2. French fries
3. Fried chicken (including wings, tenders, nuggets and sandwich patties) 
4. Fried fish & other fried seafood selections
5. Biscuits, muffins & cornbread
6. Mac & cheese 
7. All fast food shakes & desserts

 HEALTHIER fast food choices:

1. Small burgers (no cheese)
2. Grilled & roasted chicken selections 
3. Salads (vegetarian & grilled chicken versions with little or no cheese) 
4. Baked potatoes (plain or w/low-fat sour cream/butter)
5. Soups (except cream-based soups) 
6. Wraps (grilled chicken & lean deli-meat varieties) 
7. Beans & any vegetable option (corn, carrots, greens, tomatoes, etc.) as long as it is not fried

Organic food places I'd recommend:

1. WHOLE FOODS (they have salad bars and hot & cold bars, plus pre-packaged organic to-go meals)
2. ORGANIC TO-GO (a new organic fast food chain that's starting to po up across the country).
3. Gusto Organics (first USDA certified organic restaurant in NYC)
4. CHIPOTLE (The country's largest restaurant buyer of naturally raised meats and 30% of their beans are organic. Their sour cream is also free of any growth hormones. Not too bad, plus, you can get whatever toppings you choose..just pick the healthy ones.

Show The Fit Fem some love by contributing to the comment box below. Whoop Whoop baby!