We live in a time where being permanently busy and stressed is the norm. We work insane hours, have long commutes that require us to get up early (and of course, get home late) and somewhere in between all that we are still supposed to find time to prepare healthy meals and hit the gym. Obviously, we are struggling more and more with how to accomplish the necessary changes to achieve a healthy weight. The good news is that fast food outlets have finally begun to listen to our cries for healthier, low fat, low calorie options. Read on to see your best bets at the top 5 Zagat rated fast food mega-chains.

I’ll take a salad thanks!

You may think that all salads are a dieter’s friend but this is certainly not the case. Many of the salads surveyed at our favorite fast food spots came in with more calories than a serving of French Fries. So don’t assume lettuce means healthy.You can’t go wrong, however, if you select either the Premium Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken (320 Cals/9 Grams Fat) or the Premium Asian Salad with Grilled Chicken (300 Cals/10 Grams Fat) at McDonalds. Just make sure you don’t ruin your good choice with a fat loaded dressing! So while you’re there we recommend you special request Newman’s Own® Low Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette which has only 40 Calories and 3 Grams Fat a serving.

If you like fruit more than veggies another great option at McDonalds is the Fruit ‘n Yogurt Parfait which makes a great breakfast, snack or dessert option with only 160 Calories and 2 Grams Fat.

If you’re craving a burger…

Your best bet is conveniently located at America’s favorite fast food chain so head on over to Wendy’s where a Jr. Hamburger has only 220 calories and 8 grams of fat. Want cheese? No problem. That bumps you up to 260 calories and 11 grams of fat.

More in the mood for a sandwich?

Subway has the most options by a landslide. In fact any of the 6 inch sandwiches on on the “6 grams of fat and under menu” are a great choice for anyone watching their food intake. For example both the 6″ Roast Beef or 6″ Turkey Breast & Ham come in at only 290 calories and 5 grams of fat. However, if you are with someone who really wants that Wendy’s Jr. burger and chicken is more your speed you can enjoy either the Ultimate Chicken Grill Sandwich (320 calories/ 7 grams of fat) or the Grilled Chicken Go Wrap (260 calories/11 grams of fat).

Pizza Please!

Look no further than Pizza Hut where any of the items on the 12″ Fit ‘n Delicious® Pizza are excellent choices provided you have someone to share with or don’t mind leftovers. Two particularly healthy choices are the Ham, Pineapple & Diced Red Tomato or Diced Chicken, Red Onion & Green Pepper which both weigh in at 170 calories and 4.5 grams of fat per slice.

Ok, ok but I really want fries and ice cream…

We understand, sometimes the craving is just too hard to resist. Don’t despair you can still indulge without ruining your diet if you order wisely. Pick up a small Vanilla Cone at Dairy Queen or only 230 calories and 7 grams of fat. The child’s portion of French Fries will only set you back 190 calories and 8 grams of fat. Go easy on the ketchup though! Condiments can really add a lot of hidden calories if you don’t use them sparingly.

For complete nutrional information on all top 5 fast food chains check out their individual guides.

Pizza Hut

Dairy Queen

McDonald’s

Subway

Wendy’s

These guides should all be posted in a place you can easily access them, so skip the drive through and head inside the restaurant to ensure that you can make the wisest selections.

XOXO,

Miss T

Posted in Main at October 31st, 2008 by Miss T

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.