8 Healthy Options For Eating On The Go

Elizabeth Miller is the creator of HappyHealthyCaregiver.com where she writes about important ways to take care of yourself while caring for other family members. 

It’s obvious that eating at home is the best thing you can do when it comes to making healthy nutrition choices, everyone knows that’s not always possible. As busy women we need some grab-and-go options when life throws curve balls or you are traveling and on the go. Here are a few that will help you when you have little control over ingredients and portion sizes.

8 Fast Food Options To Help You Stay On Track

Grocery Store Deli

We think about the grocery store for our regular shopping trips but don’t necessarily think about making a meal out of a quick purchase. Here are some ideas you can scoop up for a healthy lunch or dinner.

• California roll sushi
• fresh fruit with lunch meat
• hummus and veggies
• ready-to-eat hard-boiled eggs
• raw nuts

Jimmy John’s

Yes, they are ‘freaky fast’ but they are also a great healthy option for a busy day at the office or a quick stop in between errands. Order the ‘unwhich’ which is all the sandwich ingredients wrapped in lettuce leaves. Skip the cheese and mayo and instead load your unwich up with protein, veggies, and avocado! Avocado is nature’s mayonnaise. My favorite unwich is the turkey, bacon, and avocado.

Chickfila

My kid’s favorite fast food restaurant is Chick-fil-A. I enjoy it, too, because I feel great about my combo meal choice – 8 count grilled nuggets with buffalo sauce, side salad or fruit cup, and a large unsweetened tea (I add a few drops of liquid stevia from the dropper bottle in keep in my purse).

Zaxby’s

When you order, be mindful of all the toppings Zaxby’s includes on their salads. You can’t go wrong with the grilled Cobb Salad without the cheese, croutons or fried onions. Select one of their non-creamy dressings, use half the packet and shake it in the to-go container.

Moe’s/Chipotle

You are in complete control of your salad or burrito bowl here. Work your way down the line and load up with double protein, every kind of veggie you like, and use guacamole as your condiment of choice.

KFC

There’s a reason Kentucky Fried Chicken rebranded themselves to KFC – to take the emphasis off the ‘fried’ and not exclude the part of the market that wants to put better food in their bodies. KFC offers combo meals with grilled chicken and your choice of sides. Make the healthy choices that work for you.

Starbucks

If you are running in Starbucks in the morning to grab a tall Pike’s Peak and you know your schedule is hectic that day, plan ahead and save yourself a lunch trip by grabbing their protein pack while you are there. Their refrigerated protein pack reminds me of a healthy version of Lunchables and includes a hard-boiled egg, sliced apples, almond butter, and nuts.

Panera Bread

This place takes some willpower to get you past the bakery and avoid all the heavy grain options, but it’s doable! Especially if you call ahead and pick it up.

Try the grilled chicken Cobb salad and request an apple as your side. Ask for the dressing on the side and use sparingly. I tend to dip my food in it when I’m looking for the extra flavor, which helps me minimize how much I use.

Let’s add to our list of healthy dining out options! What healthier options have you found at your local fast food chains? Hungry on-on-the-go minds want to know.