How to order fast food

Is there a time and a place for a fast, healthy lunch? Absolutely. Ideally, fast food isn’t a daily event, and you have your homemade breakfast and lunch prepped and ready before you tuck yourself in the night before. But let’s face it, sometimes that just doesn’t happen because the dog gets sick, there’s nothing in the fridge or you’re too busy to pull off the prep work.

Let me take the guessing out of what to order, when you have to stand in the fast food line that will keep you on track with these top picks:

 

PRET a MANGER: my very first choice, Pret has a ton of healthful choices in grab and go cases. It’s also easy to choose a bottle of seltzer and they have a healthy tea selection.

Breakfast

• Blueberry & Granola Pot
• Banana & Honey Pot
• Bircher Muesli Pot
• Chai Chia Pot
• Egg & Spinach Pot
• Mango & Lime Pot
• Overnight Oats Pot
• Posh Fruit Pot
• Seasonal Citrus and Pomegranate Pot
• Superfoods Pot
• Five Grain Oatmeal
• Steel Cut Oatmeal

 

Lunch or Dinner

• Chicken & Edamame Protein Pot
• Egg & Quinoa Pot
• Salmon Power Pot
• Sweet Pea Hummus Pot
• Moroccan Lentil Soup
• Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Curry Soup
• Chicken & Egg Protein Power Salad
• Chicken & Avocado Salad
• Pret’s Grains & Greens Salad
• Pret’s Harvest Salad
• Salmon & Pickled Veggies Power Lunch
• Southwestern Chicken & Avocado Power Lunch
• Olive Oil Dressing, Lemon Shallot Vinaigrette or Balsamic Vinaigrette

CHIPOTLE: A healthful salad bowl is the way to go here. Limit yourself to only one serving of the fats and load up on the veggies and lean protein.

Lunch or Dinner

• Salad bowl: Bed of lettuce + black beans OR grilled chicken + sautéed peppers & onions + salsa + corn salad + guac on the side (use 1 oz or ½ the container).

 

STARBUCKS: There’s a Starbucks on almost every corner, and in a pinch, you’ll do pretty well to stop off for a meal and stay on track with a healthful option.

Breakfast, Lunch or Snack

• Cheese and fruit bistro box
• Protein bistro box
• Classic whole grain oatmeal, without graonla or brown sugar
• Blueberry oatmeal
• Turkey bacon and egg white breakfast sandwich
• Sous vide egg bites: egg white & red pepper
• Spinach feta and egg white wrap
• Fresh blueberry & honey yogurt parfait
• Seasonal harvest fruit blend

McDONALDS: If the only eats in sight are the golden arches, there are even choices here.

Breakfast

• Fruit ‘n Yogurt Parfait
• Egg White Delight McMuffin

 

Lunch or Dinner

• Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad skip the cheese and tortilla and use half of the dressing
• Hamburger
• Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich no sauce
• Side add apple slices or cuties to boost the water volume and fiber