As much as I try to cook and bring in my lunches some days it's possible. September is going to be a crazy month. I have a wedding (in Delaware), my 10 year high school reunion, two friend's birthday's, a BBQ (on LI), and not to mention school is starting again. Yikes!
What do eat when you have no time to bring in lunch? I hate eating a lot of points at lunch because I am at work. (For those of you not on WW, lower points is lower in fat and calories. Lower point foods are also higher in fiber. Eating lower points for lunch is a smart idea, even if you are not on WW.) Many days I have to scarf down what I eat while typing out a report or talking on the phone. Other days, I eat on the subway, (sometimes standing up) on my way back to the office from court.I like to have a lot of points left at the end of the day. I can sit down, relax with my kitties, and truly enjoy what I'm eating. The question than becomes what can I get in SoBro (South Bronx) that's quick, cheap, and won't break my diet. I did some thinking and outlined my fav's below. Not only are they somewhat healthy and WW friendly but there also pretty cheap!
Subway: Everyone knows about Jared and how Subway tried to boast how healthy and how much weight loss you can loose by eating the sandwiches. Subway is not all that great depending on what you choose. During my senior year of high school, I would sneak off campus to get a tuna sub. Tuna's healthy! Wrong! A six inch has over 30 grams of fat and is 12 points! My other favorite steak and cheese also terrible. My new favorite is the sweet onion chicken teriyaki on whole wheat, piled with veggies (no sauce or cheese). WW points: 6 Cost: $4.68 There are eight low fat options but chicken teriyaki is the only one served warm.
Burger King: Burger King is not a place you think you can go while on a diet. But Burger King is my favorite spot when I'm hungry and broke. To me BK has the best dollar menu. Best figure friendly option is a Whopper Jr., (no cheese or mayo) and a side salad with light Italian dressing. WW Points: 7 Cost: $2.18. I feel like I'm eating "normal" fast food but know that I'm not clogging my arteries.
McDonald's: It's hard for me to go to McDonald's and not get fries. I think McDonald's are the best, especially loaded with salt. These days, I stick to the Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad. The salad is not something you think came from Mc'D's. The salad is made from mixed greens not iceberg. It's topped with corn, little corn crunches (like Frito's), cheese, black beans, and tomatoes. It comes with a yummy Southwest dressing by Newman but it's also great just with the lime squeezed in. If you really like to have dressing, I would opt for the light Italian to save a few points. WW Points: 6 Cost: $6.00
Chinese: Chinese places always have great lunch specials. I avoided Chinese take out for a while but than I learned that I can eat Chinese as long as I made smarter choices. Instead of getting my all time fav beef chow fun, I make my own (lower calorie) beef chow fun for dinner. For lunch, I get the steamed shrimp and veggies with garlic sauce on the side. I get brown rice and create my own rice bowl. I put a layer of rice a big layer of veggies and a few shrimp on top. Spoon a few tablespoons of sauce over the bowl and mix up. Yum! I don't feel like I am missing out on getting anything steamed. I think it tastes better than being drenched in sauce. Instead of the egg roll, I opt for won ton noodle soup. It's more filling and saves a lot of points. Since they always give huge portions, ask for the take out container BEFORE eating. If you save half before you eat you will make sure not to over eat. Plus it makes for great leftovers for lunch the next day. WW Points: 6 Cost $5.00
Wendy's: I am always wishing they have more Wendy's around. Part of the reason I get a hankering for it is probably due to the few number of Wendy's in my area. One thing I always loved about Wendy's was the baked potatoes. You would get them piping hot served with sour cream, butter, and chives! It took me a while but I realized that if you got a small chili and used that to top the potato it made a wonderful lunch. Having a cup of chili and a potato is always nice and warm in my tummy. I'm able to go to the gym that night and not have a snack. This lunch keeps away my tummy grumbles. WW Points: 7 Cost: $2.18 (I belive these items are still on the dollar menu, if they took them off it might be couple more bucks.)
Hope you found my suggestions helpful in deciding what to get for takeout. Please let me know what some of your healthier take out/fast food options are! I am always looking to add to my list :)