Cooking for yourself in college can get really old really fast. Between the grocery store being way too far, the mountain of homework most of us are digging ourselves out of and making it to the pre-game by 9:30, sometimes whipping out the frying pan is just not happening.
Granted, most of us do our best to eat right most of the time, but for the other times I like to take my advice from the famous Gigi Hadid, “Eat clean to stay fit, eat a burger to stay sane.”
Next time life gets to be too much and you find yourself in line at the drive thru, try these eats at your favorite fast food joints to get your fix while staying on track with your fitness goals. And, no, I’m not going to tell you to order a salad.
1. McDonald’s
All day breakfast is the definition of a game changer. Grab an Egg White Delight McMuffin, hold the Canadian bacon for some greasy late night eats with a low price tag. Throw a kid’s side fry on the order because a trip to the Golden Arches would be incomplete without it.
The nutritional content of this meal racks up to about 350 calories with 13 grams of fat, 44 grams of carbohydrates and 15 grams of protein. That’s what I call a happy meal.
2. Chick-fil-A
What’s the one thing that every fitness guru and Chick-fil-A have in common? They’re both constantly telling you to “eat more chicken.” Ordering a grilled chicken sandwich is the perfect way to follow that advice while avoiding going overboard on fat and calories.
The grilled chicken sandwich contains 310 calories with 6 grams of fat, 36 grams of carbs, and 29 grams of protein. Get more than your fill next time you’re in the drive thru.
4. Subway
Subway is notorious for their healthy eating reputation, but a lot of those deli meats contain a lot of fat and are highly processed. Stick to a Veggie Delight Sandwich on the 9-Grain Wheat for the ultimate grab-and-go meal.
Vegetables are nutrient dense, but low on the calories. So, load up on all the fixings and stick to low-cal dressings for a fresh, fast food fix. A 6 inch Veggie Delight Sub overflowing with greens comes in at 270 calories with only 7 grams of fat, 46 grams of carbs, and 9 grams of protein.
5. Chipotle
Chipotle is a crowd favorite, but adding on all the toppings to your order can turn a quick dinner into a feast of epic proportions.
Some simple ways to keep your bowl within reasonable limits are to cut the carbs in half, double up on beans and fajita veggies and choose one fat source between guac, cheese or sour cream. Check out these Chipotle hacks next time you’re faced with the question “burrito or bowl?”.
6. Dunkin’ Donuts
American truly does run on Dunkin’. Their all night hours and their ability to satisfy a caffeine craving make it the ideal fast food stop. Grab an iced or hot coffee, but try to keep it black to cut back on sugar and fat. The Egg White Flatbread is a delicious and nutritious anytime option too.
This combo brings in 335 calories with 16 grams of fat, 35 carbs, and 18 grams of protein, just enough to get you up and running.
7. Taco Bell
Taco Bell is a popular late night stop for college students all over the country. Sporting the motto “Live Más,” Taco Bell offers Mexican eats at a low price and most of them are open all night.
Try the Fresco Chicken Soft Taco to get your late night Mexican eats for only 140 calories, 4 grams of fat, 10 grams of protein and 16 grams of carbs.
Life can get pretty crazy pretty fast and sometimes a home cooked meal is just not in the cards. Fast food has a bad rep for being nutritionally weak, but each of the most popular restaurants have choices to fill you up, but keep your waistline in check.