I didn't pack my lunch today, since we went out yesterday after church to lunch to Celebrate our pastor's birthday, and then we had leftovers (from Saturday) for dinner last night.

What would you say would be a good thing to grab from a fast food restaurant? I'm already 3.5 weeks post op and on solid foods. I'm starting to enter bandster hell, so I'm able to eat more than what I'd prefer! lol

I have the following restaurants near me:

Taco Bell

Wendy's

McDonalds

Subway (but I'm not eating bread)

pizza Hut (salad bar - no pizza)

What would you recommend?

Thanks!!!

Since you are in bandster hell I recommend you focus more on eating solid Protein. It will sustain you longer and give you more energy. El Pollo Loco is a good place to eat when fast food is your only choice. Perhaps a chicken breast with salsa or they have a really good salad that has chicken breast on it. Just be careful not to add too much dressing to the salad.

Carl's Jr. has a few new salads on the menu that are also good and low calorie and come with chicken.

I dont think there is anything Fast food thats good. Do you have anything else? Where do you live? Even at a 7-11 you could get some kind of protein drink where I live.

Sorry, I just noticed that you listed the nearby restaurants. McDonald's has good salads with grilled chicken breast. Order the low cal balsamic vinegarette dressing.

Small Wendy's Chili is good and it was on the "approved" list from my nutritionist. Plenty of Protein.

I keep a bottle of very lite salad dressing in the friged at work and can always pick up a side salad and use my dressing on it if I get in a bind.

I didn't list local eateries (like Chinese or Mexican food restaurants). Although I got to thinking that a Chinese restaurant just down the street has a Spicy Thai chicken salad that has romaine lettuce, sliced red and green bell peppers, red onion, big chunks of chicken breast, and a really good spicy dressing (not a cream based dressing, actually kind of similar to an Italian dressing).

I haven't really eaten too many salads yet, since they are quite watery (you know, from the lettuce) but am thinking this might be a good alternative.

They also have chicken spring rolls (not the fried kind) that contain chicken breast, fresh cilantro, cucumbers, rice noodles, all wrapped in fresh rice paper, but that may be too much (too much food as well as too many carbs and not enough Protein - although they are really yummy and actually pretty healthy in my pre-band days) - plus I'd be a bit concerned of being able to really chew the rice paper well.

I would go for the Wendy's chili and maybe a baked potato on the side? Or, a grilled chicken sandwhich. (Breast only?)

That way, you're heavier on the Protein?

I have been there...

Have you tried going online to the local spots and check out their nutrition data? That is how I choose when I forget lunch.

To help with tha I purchased some of the Hormel Compleats meals they have around 20 grams of protein and 210 calories. They do have some carbs...but it is better than hitting the drive thru. You can get them at Wal-Mart in the soup aisle for $1.98 each.

I agree with ginger. I am currently almost three weeks out and i feel like i can eat a horse. Some days I eat a baked potato and with chili from Wendy's. It definitely makes a great meal and I'm not starved after 30 minutes. I leave ziploc bags of protein powder at work just in case I don't bring breakfast, lunch, dinner, etc. Good luck!

I've heard people on this board and at the Dr.s office say the small Chili from Wendys is a great fast food option... Be careful if you get chicken anywhere. Small bites chewed throughy.... I purposely cut mine up into pea sized bites before I even take one bite so I don't get carried away and forget and take a big juicy bit that will cause me trouble when I go to swallow...

I have not eaten out yet (Banded 04Dec09) so I can control how healthy the food is that is being prepared as well as the moist/tender factor... I cook 70% of my meat in a george foreman grill and everything comes out so tender and juicy... Fish goes in the toaster oven and everything else is gound chicken, turkey or beef that gets cooked to fine crumbles...

Even before I was banded, I kept an emergency packet or two of instand oatmeal or cream of wheat and a can of Healthy Choice soup with a bowl and spoon in my desk at work for days I didn't have something to bring ( I also have powder french vanilla creamer and once I make the Cereal, I stir a tablespoon of that in and it makes it nice and creamy and tasty and it's still got a whole lot less calories than a big burger and fries)... This saved me from going out for fast food... I am lucky that we have 4 microwaves and a huge 6 door refrigerator at work for employees to store and warm their lunches...

If you have a microwave at work to use, I have seen a ton of new non parishable food items hit the grocer shelves lately that you can grab from your pantry and go with... One is a new fresh Pasta meal looking thing... It's in the GPS aisles (The commercial says that. Haha... It means GO to the PASTA or SOUP aisle).. Have not looked yet and do not know the calories, carbs data....

Another thing I do is pour a Protein drink into a Water bottle and freeze it... By lunch time it is ready to drink and still cold.. I keep two or three of those in the freezer to grab and go with...

This gives me a couple of options and with will power and determination keeps me out of the fast food joints...

Sad but true story, Before I decided to change my eating habits, I was a regular at the local Primo burger for so long that the owner asked me out... We actually became good friends just from me eating there every single days for months... Haha... CRAZY huh.... Well the making a new friend and possible new boyfriend someday was okay but the "eating there" part every day was pathetic... lol...

I personally would skip the baked potato. Too many carbs for my choosing.

Thanks for all the ideas. I definitely won't be doing a hamburger and fries. I decided to get the salad I mentioned earlier from the Chinese restaurant next door as well as the spring rolls. I figure, if I can eat the rolls, I have at least 3, possibly 4, meals out of this. If not, then I'll give them to my husband tonight.

By the way, the chicken in both the salad and the rolls is boiled, not fried, so it is very tender.

Just back from lunch. I could only eat less than 1/2 the salad (it takes forever to thoroughly chew romaine lettuce!), and one bite of a spring roll. The rice paper was just so hard to chew up. In fact, I have a feeling I probably swallowed a piece of it that didn't get thoroughly chewed.

I actually ran out of time eating (we get an hour for lunch and it took about 12 minutes to go and get it and come back). I had to concentrate so much on the chewing that I didn't even get to read during lunch. Oh well.

Thanks again for all the suggestions. I will make sure I have left overs or something planned from now on!

My go-to food when I'm out for fast food...Wendy's small chili, no cheese, no onions, no crackers, just hot sause, slowly eaten. It works for me, under 200 calories, good on Protein and for me satisfying, but I take a full 45 mins to eat by reading a newspaper at the time.

Trisha

Buy yourself some portable containers, cook up a bunch of food, freeze, and then you have one to take to work with you. By the time it's time to eat, it's will be thawed enough to zap it in microwave & eat. It's good food that you know what's in it.

like others I say a small wendy's chili - it has bailed me out many, many times

I purchased a number of starkist and bumble bee lunch kits and put them in my desk at work for just such occasions.

Grab some when you are at the grocery they have tuna and chicken - my nutritionist approved them.

Good luck-