Low Calorie Fast Food Options

Eating healthier at home is usually much easier than eating healthy when out and about. Unfortunately, due to our busy lives and limited budget for eating out, fast food restaurants are often a family's answer to dinner on the town. Don't despair. Contrary to the media's touting of the dangers of fast food, there are some healthier choices that you can make that will not only satisfy your hunger, but will not pack on the pounds. Here are the best choices for three of the most popular fast food chains:

McDonald's

Fruit and Yogurt Parfait-this treat tastes similar to ice cream but is much less sinful. Choose for breakfast, or for a sweet, but healthy afternoon snack. It is made with low-fat yogurt and topped with strawberries, blueberries and low-fat granola. 160 calories, 2g fat, 1g sat. fat, 5mg cholesterol, 85mg sodium, 31g carbs, 1g fiber, 4g protein
Premium Asian Salad with Grilled Chicken-the biggest portion of the fat in this choice is from the almonds, which happens to be a 'good' fat. Add the veggies and the soybeans included here, and this is a heart-healthy, quite filling, lunch or dinner. 300 calories, 10g fat, 1g sat. fat, 65mg cholesterol, 890mg sodium, 23g carbs, 5g fiber, 32g protein
Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich-simply hold the mayonnaise here to save mucho calories and fat. If you absolutely can't eat the sandwich dry, request a lower calorie alternative or bring your own low-fat or fat-free mayo or ranch dressing. 370 calories, 4.5g fat, 1g sat. fat, 65mg cholesterol, 1,110mg sodium, 50g carbs, 3g fiber, 32g protein

Wendy's

Ultimate Chicken Grill-with lettuce, tomatoes and honey mustard sauce. Satisfying and yummy; don't order the fries when sticking to your diet. Opt for mandarin oranges or a side salad instead. 320 calories, 7g fat, 1.5g sat. fat, 70mg cholesterol, 950mg sodium, 36g carbs, 2g fiber, 28g protein
Mandarin Chicken Salad-comes with a variety of tasty and vitamin-rich lettuces and some crunchy and flavorful toppings. Most of the fat is unsaturated and the almonds contain the 'good' fat that is recommended for a healthy diet. 540 calories, 25g fat, 3g sat. fat, 65mg cholesterol, 1,260mg sodium, 50g carbs, 5g fiber, 31g protein

Burger King

Tendergrill Chicken Garden Salad-ask them to 'hold the cheese' and top it with light Italian dressing or bring your own low-calorie favorite. 300 calories, 16g fat, 2.5g sat. fat, 70mg cholesterol, 1,050mg sodium, 13g carbs, 5g fiber, 33g protein
BK Veggie Burger-is unbelievably tasty. Hold the mayonnaise in order to hold the cholesterol, or substitute with a low fat mayo or ranch dressing. This one is a hit with vegetarians that are happy to have something besides a salad. 340 calories, 8g fat, 1g sat. fat, 0mg cholesterol, 1,030mg sodium, 46g carbs, 7g fiber, 23g protein

So, the next time the kids or the partner beg you to cave in to their 'burger craving', you can go with, enjoy your meal and not be riddled with guilt for falling too far off the wagon. Enjoy!

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