What to Grab in a Hurry

/in /by

It is lunchtime, we didn’t pack a lunch, and we want to grab food without compromising our health goals.  There are many options in our city that we can enjoy and not feel guilty about it. Luckily, many of our favorite places have nutritional facts we can access from our phone to make better decisions on the fly.  Another good resource is the app called MyFitnessPal, which has a vast amount of food and restaurant selections all in one place.

We can all use nutrition facts differently. Look for the amount of sodium if you have high blood pressure, saturated fat if your cholesterol is high, or carbohydrates for better blood sugar control. For the general population that eats out 2-3 times per week, I recommend just referring to the total calories and limit to 400-750 calories for a meal.

Some of my favorites quick stops around Oklahoma City who publish their nutritional facts include Pei Wei, Zoë’s, Panera, Fuzzy’s Tacos, Chipotle, Jason’s deli, and McAllister’s.  Restaurants like Starbucks, Chic Fil A, McDonald’s, and Panera even publish calories on the menu too. Other local restaurants that do not have nutrition information still have options to make your meal healthier. The Garage offers lettuce wraps and whole wheat bun on any of their burgers, or you can select a leaner bison or veggie burger.

 

Here are some of my favorites around town and calorie levels:

 

Pei Wei

  • Supergreen Coconut Curry with chicken, tofu, or steak (<500 calories and <500mg sodium)
  • Several small rice bowls (brown rice, preferably) <600 calories include:
    • Korean spicy with steak, Thai Basil with shrimp, and Teriyaki chicken

Zoë’s

  • Entire Simply 500 menu- which is less than 500 calories
  • Protein Power Plate, Quinoa Salad, Chicken kabobs w/ fruit and slaw, Gruben sandwich

Panera

  • Several Breakfast Sandwiches < 500 calories include
    • Avocado, egg white, and spinach power sandwich
    • Ham and Cheese power sandwich
  • Several ½ and ½ options <600 calories
    • Fuji apple and chicken salad with Mediterranean veggie sandwich
    • Steak and arugula on sourdough with creamy chicken and wild rice soup

Fuzzy Tacos

  • Try 2 soft tacos without chips- 1 shredded beef and 1 shredded chicken

 

-MVC