what is the healthiest of mainstream fast food? i.e. what do you order at Carl's,McD, Bur. king, Taco Bell

[holden j caufield]

Ok since I was 16 I've been eating fast food almost every lunch and dinner. Well it wasn't so bad until I moved out of the dorms (that food is another story in itself). Ever since then I've been eating pizza,burgers,sandwiches, and tacos basically every meal for the last two years or so. Anyways I'm starting to think that I'm below average in the health-o-meter for someone 22. Basically I'm cooking impaired with the exception of mac+cheese and spaghetti. I'm looking for some healthy fast food. This is my usual routine

taco bell - 2 chicken burritos and 2 beef gorditas
burger king - chicken sandwich and milk shake
McD - supersized Big Mac meal, fries, lemonade
subway - footlong cold cut trio, or turkey breast, sun chips, lemonade
Carl's - supersized bbq chicken sandwich, fries, lemonade
In-n-out - 3 regular hamburgers, no onions, milk shake
McD breakfast menu - sausage biscuit with bacon, OJ
Dominos - 2 mediums with canadia bacon, pep. and pineapple
Pizza Hut - lunch buffet(ummm)
Jamba Juice - strawberry wave (ummm)
of course I there is my unsual array of frozen pizza's etc.


what here is healthy and what must I drop? What should I start ordering (that is good i mean). what is easy to cook. I'm about 6 feet and somehow with all that I eat I only weigh about 158 pounds. Any tips on gaining weight or slowing down this metabolism. thx

 

[Mday]

the healthiest thing those places have is water. and even that can make you sick.

 

[Nick Stone]

Happy meals; the beany babies are pretty healthy.

 

[CyberSax]

Ok since I was 16 I've been eating fast food almost every lunch and dinner.

Eating fast food two times a day is not healthy.

If you must eat out, I'd recommend you spend the extra $2-3 and just go to a real restraunt twice a day, and order some *real* food. I'm not suggesting that you go all out with the salads and tofu, but ordering a pasta and perhaps a salad with it is a much more balanced diet than eating Big Macs, Chicken Sandwiches, gorditas, and fries all the time, which are just meat, grease, and carbohydrates.

BTW: The fact that you're not overweight does not imply that you have a healthy diet. It just means that you're not genetically inclined to putting on a lot of weight, which is fairly common (same thing with me). If you keep eating Micky D's twice a day, you'll be at high risk for developing hypertension, diabetes, etc., if you haven't already.

 

[Daedalus]

Start introducing raw veggies into your diet. It's easy to stick a potato in a microwave and topit with some brocolli and other good stuff. Not hard to go buy your own hamburger meat. Pork chops are easy to make and real yummy with some apple sauce. Get away from those fast food places.

 

[duragezic]

Subway! I see you go there but a Cold Cut Trio isn't as healthy as some of the others you can get there because I know it has bologna (don't know the other meats) so you have higher fat and cholestrol. I go to Subway often, mostly because it tastes good and a friend of mine that works there gives me 2x or 3x meat, lotsa cheese, free cookies, etc... but hey it's a plus that is is reasonably healthy! I am like you, my parents work often and sometimes I eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner at fast foods. So... goto Subway more and get one of their subs with 6grams of fat or less. That doesn't include cheese and it is for 6in subs but even with that stuff, it still is healthier, especially if you get vegetables on it like tomatoes. Oh, and at McD, you could look at the McGrill Chicken Sandwhich I think it is because it is one of burgers at McD's with lower fat.

 

[AMDJunkie]

Napkins, soaked in Diet Cola. Enjoy.

 

[apoppin]

Sorry, healthy and fast food is an oxymoron.

One might think the salad bar might be healthiest but it's generally not as everything is soaked in preservative so it looks fresh (have you ever seen lettuce wilt at a fast food salad bar?).

First of all dump the sugary drinks. Lemonade, ice tea, milk (what milk?) shakes, whatever are loaded with dead useless sugar calories. Drink water - you'll save money right there.

Try drop FRIED food. It's hydrogenated oil - nasty for the arteries.

Try fresh fruit. All you have to do is buy, wash and eat it (now that's FAST).

Add more vegetables to your diet. Try a cooking class or book. Good luck!

 

[Paul]

no diet cola, it's bad for you. All fast food is bad for you. Subway is good. Drop the rest. Especially if it's a daily thing. A couple of time a month is fine. Save some money, go to the grocery store. Pick up some whole wheat bread, cheese, lunch meats, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, some mayo/mustard and whatever you like to make your own lunch. Much healther/more sanitary and you might actually enjoy eating it more since you made it. While your at it, pick up a jug of skim milk and OJ plus cereal (no, Sugar Rush Crunch doesn't count) for breakfast. Other good breakfast foods are any kinds of fruits, bagels and pop tarts are cool occasionally. No muffins, doughnuts, cookies or bacon for breakfasts.

Make salads or buy those salad packs. Sprinkle lunch meats or bacos if you want, just don't drown the salad in dressing.

 

[Duckers]

I'm about 6 feet and somehow with all that I eat I only weigh about 158 pounds

Lucky you!

holden j caufield,

You probably work out a lot, don't you ?

 

[Soybomb]

What? Iced tea has sugar in it? Man I better warn my diebetic friends to quit drinkin' the stuff without their shots! The bottled stuff or the liptons from the fountain maybe, but if you see a big stainless steel "drum" o' tea with a spigot I'll bet its just leaves in boiling water. Add pink stuff to taste

 

[chipbgt]

I cant imagine what your arteries must look like. Get some fiber in you and clean those suckers out!

Seriously....you can buy fresh fruits and veggies at the store and munch on them at downtimes. drop the cola drinks also.......there isnt that much healthy fast food out there, but if you had to go with some, I would choose subway/blimpie.

 

[chipbgt]

This is gonna sound disgusting , but..I juiced some celery and parsley with one apple and drank a full glass of the stuff...Its like letting mario and luigi loose in your gut and doing what they do best: plumbing.

 

[atom]

It just has to do with your body and how you metabolize food. I'm very similar, 6 feet 151 pounds, and I hardly exercise (maybe basketball 3-4 times a week tops).

I say start cooking yourself, you gotta learn sooner or later. That fast food is gonna just hurt you in the long run. Try something simple like grilling (marinated chicken breast, fish, etc.), side of your favorite veggies or salad, and some light pasta or rice. Thats what I do during the schoool year mostly, it's really not that hard at all.

 

[MrsSkywalker]

holden, next time you are at the doctors for a check up, ask him about your metabolism. My husband is the exact same way and when he eats "healthy", he actually loses weight, and he really can't afford to do that. Some people have to eat like that. However, it is probably a good idea to check with an MD before you sign your life away to a BigMac

As for cooking for yourself, it really isn't necessary these days. I personally LOVE to cook, but on those nights when I can't, the grocery store offers a large selection of healthy homestyle meals and entrees. They aren't as expensive as fast food, either. Try some of those; then you'll have the homecooked-ish taste with a very minimal effort, and you don't have to become Julia Child to do it.

 

[vi edit]

Out of the "true" fast foods, I would have to say that Arby's Roast beef sandwiches are probably the best out of Hardee's, BK, McD's, ect.

Then again, I'm just going for cheap publicity since I'm the IT guy for the Eastern Iowa/Madison franchises

 

[cot]

> Out of the "true" fast foods, I would have to say that Arby's Roast beef sandwiches are probably the best out of Hardee's, BK, McD's, ect.

"I'm so hungry, I could eat at Arby's"

 

[vi edit]

I should re-phrase that - the best for you.

 

[thedolfan]

Arby`s the ONLY fast food place that takes Credit cards.
I wonder why??

*Expensive*

Subway veggie subs or turkey-no mayo.

Better yet,learn to cook yourself.
I`m 36m/with a wife and three kids and I cook all the time.The net is chock full of reciepes,that`s were I get most of mine.

Bob

 

[holden j caufield]

thx for the info I really don't work out all that much but my parents are thin so that's maybe why my metabolism is fast. I usually play tennis 2-3 times a week, couple games of basketball, and some golf once in a while (I do go to the range quite a bit though) but otherwise I'm too skinny compared to my friends who all weigh about 180+. I guess arby's sounds pretty good and potatoes and pasta are easy to make so yeah I could swing that. I used to eat a lot of rice and I still do when I go home but for me it doesn't get me very full. I guess I will need to go to subway and togo's more often but they are never open late at night(thank goodness for in-n-out). What else is good tasting, healthy, cheap, and is within the realm of possibilities for a cooking challenged person. Knock on wood but the funny thing is that my mom and sister happen to be health fanatics (when I go home everytime I open the fridge or cabinets I cringe at all the soy milk, low fat and diet stuff) But when it comes to yearly physicals my heart rate is lower per minutes, my good cholesterol is higher and my bad cholesterol is lower. But I figure this luck can't last. thx again the suggestions

 

[Paul]

Rice while not unhealthy, isn't all that good for you. It bascially has no nutrients at all, just fills you up. Take lots of veggies. Snack on fruits. My favorite thing to do is to get protein/multivitamin powders and make smoothes with them. Add banana, strawberries, peaches or kiwi. Mmmmmm

 

[Yeeny]

The Chicken Salad is really good at Burger King, and out of all the food they sell, probably the healthiest too. But it is easy to cook a good healthy meal at home. Make some stir fry, that is easy and good for you with all the vegetables in it. Or throw a chicken breast under the broiler.

 

[nickdakick]

Wonder that you're still alive. Learn to cook yourself it's healthier and da gals will be impressed. On the other hand you could look for a gal that's into cooking.

 

[Impact55]

I know the owner of arbys.

 

[nickdakick]

@Impact55: ?????? So what ?