Fast food salads

food ideas
Fast Food Salads
By Leslie Fink, MS, RD | 8/18/2004

Some nights the drive-thru seems like the only option. The kids are in the
back seat screaming, you're exhausted and you've still got three errands to
run before you can call it a day. There's got to be something healthy on that
fast food menu. Wait, don't they have salads now? It's the perfect solution!
Or is it?

What's In a Name?
Don't be fooled. Fast-food salads are often loaded with high-calorie
ingredients like meat, cheese and high-fat dressing, making any good-for-you
carrots or tomatoes they may contain irrelevant. In fact, McDonald's Fiesta
Salad contains more fat and calories than a Quarter Pounder. (If you include
salsa and sour cream, the Fiesta salad clocks in at 450 calories and 27 grams
of fat, while the Quarter Pounder is no lightweight at 430 calories and 21
grams of fat).

Are All Salads Created Equal?
Just because a few salads don't turn out to be health bargains doesn't mean
that ordering one at a fast-food or chain restaurant has to be a nutritional
nightmare. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) gave
several salads at Au Bon Pain, Subway and Panera Bread high ratings. And
McDonald's California Cobb salad without chicken comes in at a respectable
190 calories and 12 grams of fat when eaten with the low-fat balsamic
dressing. Brie Turner-McGrievy, MS, RD, clinical research coordinator for the
PCRM recommends looking for salads that are heavy in veggies, high-fiber
beans and even a few nuts (for protein and healthy fats). If there's nothing
like that on the menu, see if you can get a salad "your way." Perhaps they
can leave off the cheese, fried noodles, croutons or bacon; substitute a low-
fat or nonfat dressing for regular or give you grilled, rather than crispy
(read: fried), chicken.

But if that's not an option, don't despair. Turner-McGrievy points out that
many fast-food restaurants do offer more health-conscious non-salad items
like vegetable burgers and bean-based meals. She cites Taco Bell's bean
burrito — hold the cheese — as an excellent example.

The Low Down
Still craving one of those high-fat, high-calorie salads? Go for it. Just
make sure it's only an occasional treat and balanced by healthier eating the
rest of the day. Our Community users have some great tips, too:

At restaurants that serve soup, see if you can get a low-calorie soup with
just half a salad.


Don't forget that the nutrition information provided is usually for just the
salad and NOT the dressing, too.


Ask for salsa instead of their high-fat dressings.


The dressings may be high in calories but use just half the pack — you'll
find it's more than enough.


Leave off the croutons and cheese. Otherwise, you may as well have a burger
and fries!


--
Message posted via http://www.weightadviser.com

..In article 54e527b9f93fc@uwe, Lori via WeightAdviser.com
u13976@uwe wrote:

food ideas
Fast Food Salads
By Leslie Fink, MS, RD | 8/18/2004


Lori thanks for your suggestions. I won't have to get the book now :-)
but i am getting the special Glad Wrap, trying the soup, and already
freeze in portions and make chicken roll ups by laying chicken breasts
on foil, preparing various cooked veggie fillingss, rolling tightly and
baking at 350 for 30 minutes.

All these ideas help to set up a win win situation to remove temptation
ease meal preparation and having to control calories!

--
Diva
******
There is no substitute for the right food

Lori via WeightAdviser.com wrote:
food ideas
Fast Food Salads
By Leslie Fink, MS, RD | 8/18/2004

Some nights the drive-thru seems like the only option. The kids are in the
back seat screaming, you're exhausted and you've still got three errands to
run before you can call it a day. There's got to be something healthy on that
fast food menu. Wait, don't they have salads now? It's the perfect solution!
Or is it?

What's In a Name?
Don't be fooled. Fast-food salads are often loaded with high-calorie
ingredients like meat, cheese and high-fat dressing, making any good-for-you
carrots or tomatoes they may contain irrelevant. In fact, McDonald's Fiesta
Salad contains more fat and calories than a Quarter Pounder. (If you include
salsa and sour cream, the Fiesta salad clocks in at 450 calories and 27 grams
of fat, while the Quarter Pounder is no lightweight at 430 calories and 21
grams of fat).


450 calories is a perfectly reasonable amount for any meal, and 27g of
fat also includes unsaturated fats. I'm not sure why these people are
saying that 190 calories with 'a few nuts' is a much better meal
choice. Do they want people to have an eating disorder?

I think both McD's and BK both have decent salads on the menu. I
consider these good options. I eat one or two a week since I am
occasionally on the road during lunch, and I order them with only the
grilled chicken (BK calls it "fire grilled chicken") and low-cal dressing.

The grilled chicken balances the meal by adding quality protein and a
lot less fat than the "crispy" chicken option, which is deep fried. I
personally feel that each meal should contain a nice balance of carbs,
protein, and some fat. So I personally would never nix the chicken,
especially since I eat meat.

250 to 400 kcal for lunch is a very light meal for many people, such as
myself, who eats about 2000 to 2800 kcal a day on a weight loss diet.

I also eat breakfast, dinner, and have at least 2 snacks. (Sometimes
that breakfast is also a fast food item: an Egg McMuffin when I am
working on the road. I believe it is about 290 kcal or so. That is a
/light/ breakfast for me).

If I am sick of salads, I order grilled chicken sandwichs at these fast
food places without mayo. It is also a very decent meal, and won't
blast you with calories like a Double Quarter Pounder w/cheese & fries.

I think fast food places are OK places to eat. Just plan ahead as to
what you will order and avoid the fries.

jP

I think the point of the article was that if you choose not to have the sour
cream and high fat dressing the salad is still okay. The calories didnt
bother me as bad as the Fat grams. I think a woman is only recommended to
have 25 to 30 fat grams per day and a man 45 to 50. If we are going to a
resturant that I'm not sure they offer low-fat or fat free dressing I take
my own. And I only eat sour cream at home that why I know its fat free to.

Lori

high-fat dressing, making any good-for-you
carrots or tomatoes they may contain irrelevant. In fact, McDonald's Fiesta
Salad contains more fat and calories than a Quarter Pounder. (If you include
salsa and sour cream, the Fiesta salad clocks in at 450 calories and 27 grams
of fat, while the Quarter Pounder is no lightweight at 430 calories and 21
grams of fat).

The Low Down
Still craving one of those high-fat, high-calorie salads? Go for it. Just
make sure it's only an occasional treat and balanced by healthier eating the
rest of the day. Our Community users have some great tips, too:

At restaurants that serve soup, see if you can get a low-calorie soup with
just half a salad.

Don't forget that the nutrition information provided is usually for just the
salad and NOT the dressing, too.

Ask for salsa instead of their high-fat dressings.

The dressings may be high in calories but use just half the pack — you'll
find it's more than enough.

Leave off the croutons and cheese. Otherwise, you may as well have a burger
and fries!


--
Message posted via WeightAdviser.com
http://www.weightadviser.com/Uwe/For.../diet/200509/1

Lori via WeightAdviser.com wrote:

I think the point of the article was that if you choose not to have the sour
cream and high fat dressing the salad is still okay. The calories didnt
bother me as bad as the Fat grams. I think a woman is only recommended to
have 25 to 30 fat grams per day and a man 45 to 50. If we are going to a
resturant that I'm not sure they offer low-fat or fat free dressing I take
my own. And I only eat sour cream at home that why I know its fat free to.

There are popular low fat programs that run 60 for women
and 80 for men, and low fat is not the only option.

One way or the other, calories count. Use low fat dressing,
use less of the high fat dressing, the end result is still
the desired reduction in calories.

It is quite interesting that high calorie salads are being
sold. Or is it interesting that something is being done
to salads to make them high calorie ...