Wellness Wire: Drive-Thru Day the Healthy Way

With the popularity of fast food restaurants throughout the country, it’s no wonder that there is a day dedicated to the celebration of drive-thrus. In fact, that day happens to be today!

Fast food has garnered itself quite the bad reputation lately. Chain restaurants like McDonald’s, KFC, Taco Bell, and Subway have been known to have menu items in the 1000+ calorie range. Yikes. In addition, the concept of the drive-thru – the idea of not even having to leave your car and enter a restaurant to enjoy a meal – has spread like wildfire across our nation further supporting the claims that we are become lazier and lazier by the day.

The deadly combination of devouring greasy, calorie-laden, nutrition-lacking fast food and not having to go through much effort to obtain it is part of the reason why obesity and correlated chronic diseases are sweeping our nation. But there may be a spark of hope despite all of this gloomy gluttony. Many fast food chains have started offering an increasing number of healthier options on their menus, and a federal law passed in 2010 requires that any restaurant chain with 20 or more locations to post nutrition information on their menus.

What does all of this mean? Well for starters, it’s an indication that not every item you see on a drive-thru menu is that dangerous in terms of your health. Here are a few ways you can celebrate National Drive-Thru Day without sacrificing your health:

• Start with breakfast: Skipping breakfast may seem like a surefire way to eliminate a handful of calories from your daily diet, but beware this common mistake. Opt instead for an egg white breakfast sandwich on whole-grain bread or a Greek yogurt parfait made with fresh fruit. Try: Dunkin Donuts Egg White Flatbreads (280 cals, 8-10g fat), McDonald’s Egg White Delight McMuffin (250 cals, 7g fat), or Starbucks Greek Yogurt and Honey Parfait (300 cals, 10g fat) 
• A salad is only as healthy as its ingredients: Just because a menu item is labeled “salad” does not automatically mean that it is a healthy option. Add-ons like “crispy” chicken, cheese, and globs of dressing quickly pile on calories, fat, and unwanted items. Choose salads that have lean proteins like grilled chicken or fish, or egg whites and use extra virgin olive oil and vinegar as dressing alternatives. Try: Chipotle salad with chicken or steak, fajita veggies, corn salsa, and fresh tomato salsa (320 cals, 8.5g fat), or Panera Power Chicken Hummus Bowl (off their new “hidden menu,” 330 cals, 13g fat)
• Burgers are not all bad: Not every burger offered by drive-thrus do the damage that a Big Mac or a Whopper can. The main trick: don’t make it into a meal – cutting out fries and a sugary soft drinks can eliminate more than 300 calories from your meal. Also look for alternative proteins like turkey, bison, or veggie patties for an even leaner option. Try: Wendy’s Jr. Cheeseburger (290 cals, 13g fat), In-N-Out Burger Hamburger with Onion Protein Style (240 cals, 17g fat), or Burger King BK Veggie Burger with no mayo (320 cals, 7g fat)

So before you go out and celebrate by chowing down on some drive-thru, make sure you know how to avoid making excessively unhealthy decisions!

What healthy options do you choose at the drive-thru? 

Feature image: Sharon Drummond via photopin cc