Researching 'healthy' fast food
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McDonald's and Weight Watchers have teamed up. Source: http://strategichighperformance.com
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Guest Post: Jen
****I have to admit, even though I try to eat as healthfully as possible, I eat fast food on a pretty regular basis. Honestly, I simply like things that taste good — and I don’t like spending a lot of time on prep or cooking.
But I have to say I was surprised to read the news that Mickey-D’s was teaming up with Weight Watchers to rebrand some McDonald’s fried classics as “healthy.”
True, you can get a handful of items at McDonald’s for only a handful of Weight Watchers points (each). But even in the world of fast food, there are better, lower-in-fat, lower-calorie options out there.
Go Fit Girl! had a great guest blog a while back on the importance of researching your fast food. The McD/WW partnership inspired me to revisit that, AND make a little chart of my faves — plus some homemade stuff that’s as fast and yummy as making a fast-food run.
Here’s my list, based on the three popular McD’s items that have been reported for the Weight Watchers list.
| OK | Better | Even Better | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken Nuggets |
McDonald’s McNuggets (6 piece) 280cal, 18g fat, 13g protein, 540mg sodium*, 7 WWpts**. Buffalo dipping sauce (the lowest cal sauce they offer): 35cal, 3g fat, 540mg sodium, 2 WWpts. |
Jack in the Box Grilled Chicken Strips (4 piece) 250cal, 7g fat, 43g protein, 1070mg sodium, 6 WWpts. Dip in salsa (you can get that at Jack, too) for a low-cal, fat-free flavor boost. |
Tyson Grilled Chicken Breast Strips (4oz. portion. Prep and serve in 15 minutes). 147cal, 5g fat, 23g protein, 720mg sodium, 4 WWpts. Sautee some vidalia onions with a couple sprays of olive-oil cooking spray. Adds about 15 calories, 0 WWpts+ and a ton of flavor. |
| Fish |
McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish (Sorry, this doesn’t even look appealing to me. But here’s the rundown.) 380cal, 18g fat, 15g protein, 640g sodium, 10 WWpts. |
Long John Silver’s Battered Fish Filet (I can’t vouch for the taste — haven’t had it). 260cal, 16g fat, 12g protein, 790mg sodium, 7 WWpts. |
Trader Joe’s Marinated Ahi Tuna Steaks (4.5 oz. portion. Prep and serve in 15 minutes). 150cal, 5g fat, 25g protein, 180mg sodium, 4 WWpts. So low-cal that you could add some rice or pasta, but you 4.5oz is a lot of fish, so you won’t be hungry! |
| Chicken Wrap |
McDonald’s Honey Mustard Crispy Chicken Snack Wrap. 330cal, 16g fat, 11g protein, 700mg, 9 WWpts. |
McDonald’s Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken Snack Wrap. 250cal, 8g fat, 16g protein, 650mg sodium, 6 WWpts. |
Jack in the Box Chicken Fajita Pita (without cheese). 234cal, 3g fat, 17g protein, 842g sodium, 6 WWpts. |
Check out the GFG! comment section for some of my other fast-food faves that are also low in fat and calories!
*According to mayoclinic.com, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting sodium to less than 2,300 mg a day — or 1,500 mg if you’re age 51 or older, or if you are Black, or if you have high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease.
I entered the WW points as they (Weight Watchers Points Plus) are currently listed on the Weight Watchers website.
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Thanks so much Jen for sharing this with us. Jen has written a few guest posts for Go Fit Girl! If anyone is interested in writing a guest post for Go Fit Girl! let me know via comments or send me an e-mail to: ann@gofitgirl.com.