Low Carb Archive - If you ever get stuck and have to resort to fast food...

How do you count it? Hubbie and I got stuck eating whoppers w/cheese (no bun) for lunch yesterday and I have a feeling this won't be the last time. We scraped off the ketchup but ate the lettuce and two slices of tomatos.

We counted it as five carbs because - well, for no good reason.

Any ideas?

http://www.calorie-counters.net/burger_king.html

Nicole - this is a pretty good sight for the nutritional "value" that many fast food restaurants offer. As you'll see, it breaks down the fat, carbs, protein, sodium and calories for you.

Hope this helps.

Janice

Thanks!

Can I assume that the bulk of the carbs are in the bun, so the meat and cheese would just be - counted as fairly low?

I have a friend who lost about 80 pounds doing Atkins and has kept it off for years. Fast food cheesburgers (no bun or ketchup) are a staple of his diet (he's a busy guy) but he's well past the counting phase - I guess if it's working for him (and worked for him in the beginning as well) I can assume I'll be ok as well.

Thanks for the link!

Nicole, on one of the sites I believe the bun was either 32 or 38 carbs, not exactly sure but around there. So, 46 carbs minus the 38 is only 8 carbs and I'm sure they're allowing for at least a teaspoon of ketsup! Sounds like you and hubby did good!

A whopper is sounding real good about now. :cbg: :T

I have found the ultimate in Op fast food--McDonalds has a divine chicken ceasar salad--even the croutons are on the side! really yummy and easily available through the drive-through!

I love some drive through low carb! Could it get any more convenient? And those buns are always soggy anyway!

Thanks for the chicken Ceasar rec Pooky and thank you Mama J for the carb count. Of course, you KNOW I scrape off all the ketchup I can! I LOVE the fake Atkins ketchup - and because it's sort of spicy, it only takes a tiny bit.

Is this not just the coolest food plan?!?

Thank you thank you thank you for the info and suggestions!

The Wendy's salad's, and the chili if you pick out the beans are great for fast food. If you have an applebee's near by, their house salad is excellent all by itself.

We have James Coney Island here and Sonic, so, the chili dogs with cheese but w/o bun is good.

Domino's or several of the other pizza restaurants have unbreaded chicken wings which we love.

Hmmm, have to think of some other places.

GIRLS!!! wendies does give you the burger if asked for it in a dish with NO bun and ask for the side salad instead of the fires!!

The salads from McD's is what I have been living on for the last few weeks and for .99 they give me an extra chicken!! if is a bit salty though!!! McD's will also deliver with out the bun too!!!

I have heard people say that you can order chicken and tuna salad sandwiches at Subway without the bun, and they put it in a dish with lettuce. I haven't asked...but I think fast food joints are getting more in-tune with low carb!


For some more fast food nutrition, you can see what we have at
3FC here: http://www.3fatchicks.com/fast-food-nutrition/

Use the menu on the left to navigate to the different restaurants.

Wow! Tons of tips and ideas - this helps me out so much!

I LOVE Subway's tuna - that is going to be on my list of things to have SOON.

And Mama J, we don't have a Sonic here but we DO have one in my hometown. I miss it SO much.

I actually had an amazing chicken salad at Carl's JR, and it was under $4.00-which I thought was great.

Whenever I go to a fast food place--even though the people there look at me weird I order everything specifically. For example at the McD's by my job I will ask for a Dbl Cheeseburger, No bread, no ketchup, extra mustard, extra pickles. They just put it in a nugget box. At first they looked at me like I was an alien from Mars, now they just smile...and go on with their day :)

Julia, I have heard similar reports from other low carbers - I've also seen a few people order like that and heard the cashier say, "You must be on that diet." Guess McDonalds knows about us now!

A girl that works for us walked in with a yummy looking salad topped with grilled chicken. Since our lunch plans got a bit messed up yesterday I called her and asked her where she got it....I couldn't believe it.....Dairy Queen drive thru !!

I haven't tried it but she loves them and it's quite large for the price.

Janice

We're in the process of rewriting our fast food guide to include choices without buns or ketchup, for low-carbers. Should we leave out the onions or would you include them? (I'm not a low-carb expert, lol)

I am jealous - we just don't have as many fast food options.

Suzanne - bunless and ketchupless would be great - I personally leave the onions on the fast food burgers (lettuce and tomato as well) because the "serving size" is usually so small it amounts to very few carbs and the taste is worth it. To me anyway.

This adjustment would be SOOOO valuable!!! YAY!

I checked McDonald's onion info, and for most of their burgers, a serving of onions is 1 carb. However, the little dehydrated onions they put on the little burgers are 3 carbs! You wouldn't think that, would you?

I love those tiny onions :)

Janice - Dairy Queen also makes egg platters for breakfast. When I am running late for work, I usually order one of those with a guy I work with. We each pay $1.50 and I take the bacon and eggs, and he gets the biscuit, gravy and hashbrown. I hadn't paid any attention to the salads. I'll have to give it a try.

(I know Suzanne is gagging, so I'll stop. We have gross DQ stories from years past!)

If you find Dairy Queen too hard to resist, we'd be happy to share some very true stories that will guarantee you'll never go back :D

Ok, so no DQ for me, ever. We don't even have one around here, but if I happen to pass one - I'll just keep going. Even a hint of grossness is enough for me.

Ok, how about Taco Bell? I know a few interesting things about them, lol. Not as bad as DQ, but I've never eaten there again since my son told me a few things last winter! (His friend is a Taco Bell manager)

Oh, I could also turn you off of pizza REAL fast!

It's just not safe to eat away from home anymore!

Just teasing - I'm really not a big fast food person, but also have my preferences when I'm stuck or just don't feel like cooking! Fortunately when I don't feel like cooking we have a good local salad place and Dominoes for non breaded wings! Lunches are normally some type of salad bar restaurant places!

Ok-I'm not sure I want to hear the DQ stories - just in case that would be a quick answer for me! lol

Never go to McD's as my brother was a manager there (starting off at the front and worked himself up many moons ago) for many years and still remember those stories.

Ok-I'm going to take this stance -- there are so many franchises out there that perhaps what has happened at one or some don't happen at all? (I'm hoping - and at the same time soooo glad I'm not a fast food queen! ) :^:

That DQ salad sure did look good! :D

Oh, BTW - I never even considered that Taco Bell had anything LC - so, free game! hehhehehehe (can you tell I don't eat there?)

Ok, I know I'm a diet dork because I am BEYOND psyched about the bunless/ketchupless fast food updates to come - like SO thrilled!

Seriously, I need a life.