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Eating Out at National Chain Restaurants (Fast Food +)

Submitted by brett on June 7, 2005 - 9:23am
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Just because you're on the South Beach Diet™ doesn't mean that you can't hit the drive-thru and feast on fast food every now and again. You just need to be careful about which foods you choose. In general, steer clear of white sandwich bread and buns, sugar-filled condiments like ketchup, and items cooked in bad fats, like French fries. Here's a look at some of the healthier food choices when eating on the go.

Wendy's™
Meat Items:
    Grilled Chicken Fillet—toss the bun. All other ingredients are permitted (lettuce, mayonnaise, mustard, onion, dill pickles, and tomato slice).
    Chili—may combine a small chili with a side salad as a meal. Both the shredded cheese and chili seasoning are permitted.
Garden Sensation® Salads:·
    Caesar Side Salad—toss the bacon pieces and the home-style garlic croutons. All other ingredients are permitted (romaine, parmesan cheese, and Caesar dressing).
    Side Salad—all ingredients are permitted (iceberg and romaine lettuce, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, red onions, and carrots).
    Chicken BLT—do not use the honey mustard dressing, bacon pieces, or garlic croutons. All other ingredients are permitted (iceberg lettuce, romaine, spring salad mix, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and diced chicken).
    Spring Mix Salad—do not use the honey roasted pecans; request the roasted almonds instead. Do not use the house vinaigrette dressing. All other ingredients are permitted (iceberg and romaine lettuce, spring salad mix, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, red onions, carrots, and cheddar cheese).
    Spinach Chicken Salad—do not use the bacon, croutons, and sweet and bacon salad dressing. All other ingredients are permitted (spinach, chicken, romaine, grape tomatoes, and eggs).
Salad Dressings:·
    Blue cheese
    Creamy ranch
    Reduced fat, creamy ranch
    Caesar


Boston Market™
Meat Items:
    1/4 white meat chicken, no skin or wing
    Skinless Rotisserie Turkey Breast
    Marinated Grilled Chicken
Veggies:
    Green Beans
    Steamed Vegetable Medley
Salads:
    Caesar Side Salad—toss the croutons.
    Caesar Salad Entrée—toss the croutons and eat as main dish
    Chunky Chicken Salad—eat as main dish.
Desserts:
    Seasonal fresh fruit—refer to fruit listed for Phase 2


Burger King™
    BK Veggie Burger Sandwich—toss the bun (and no ketchup). May eat with regular or low-fat mayonnaise, tomato slices, pickle slices, onion, and lettuce. Note: This is NOT a vegan product.
    Chicken WHOPPER Sandwich—toss the bun. May eat with regular or low-fat mayonnaise, tomato slices, pickle slices, and lettuce.
    Chicken Whopper JR Sandwich—toss the bun. May eat with regular or low-fat mayonnaise, tomato slices, pickle slices, and lettuce.
    Chili
    Chicken Caesar Salad—no croutons
    Side Garden Salad
    Santa Fe Fire Grilled Chicken Baguette—toss the baguette
    Grilled Chicken Caesar Club Baguette—toss the bun and bacon.
    Sourdough Breakfast Sandwich—enjoy 1/2 of the sourdough bun. May order with egg, ham, and cheese. No sausage or bacon!

Sauces and Salad Dressings:
    Mayonnaise
    Reduced-fat mayonnaise
    Ranch dipping sauce
    Kraft Ranch Salad Dressing
    Signature Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing


Subway®
Salads:
    Ham
    Roast Beef
    Turkey Breast
    Roasted Chicken Breast
    Turkey Breast & Ham
    Veggie Delite®
    Subway Club®
    Tuna
    Subway Seafood & Crab®
Condiments & Vegetables:
    Vinegar
    Mustard
    Light Mayonnaise
    Olive Oil Blend
    Lettuce
    Tomato
    Onions
    Cucumbers
    Jalapeno Peppers
    Banana Peppers

Breakfast Foods:
    Cheese & Egg Omelet
    Ham & Egg Omelet
    Vegetable & Egg Omelet
Atkins®-Friendly Wraps:
    Enjoy the wrap in Phase 2, but choose fillings that are South Beach Diet™-friendly. (Be sure to check the amount of saturated fat so you don't overdo it.) You can use the lists of foods above as a guide.


Hardee's®
Breakfast Items (Order Individual Sides):
    Breakfast Ham
    Country Ham
    Scrambled Egg
    Folded Egg
Lunch and Dinner Selections:
Currently nothing SBD-friendly
    The chicken in the Charbroiled Chicken Sandwich contains brown sugar
    The Roast Beef Sandwich selections have a whirl on them. A whirl is made from partially hydrogenated soybean oil.


McDonald's™
Sandwiches:
    Chicken McGrill®—toss the bun
Salads:
    Grilled Chicken Bacon Ranch—toss the bacon bits
    Bacon Ranch Salad (without chicken)—toss the bacon bits
    Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad
    Caesar Salad (without chicken)
    Grilled Chicken California Cobb—toss the bacon bits
    California Cobb (without chicken)—toss the bacon bits
    Side Salad—toss the croutons
Salad Dressings:
    Newman's Own® Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing—use 1/2 package
    Newman's Own® Light Balsamic Vinaigrette
    Newman's Own® Ranch Dressing—use 1/2 package
    Light Mayonnaise
Breakfast Foods:
    The egg and Canadian bacon (found on the Egg McMuffin®) are allowed from the sandwich items
    The Spanish Egg omelet without the bagel and sausage is allowed
    Scrambled eggs
Beverages:
    Diet sodas
    Unsweetened iced tea
    1 percent low-fat milk


In-N-Out Burger
    Not SBD-friendly except for the diet soda


Sonic
    Grilled Chicken Breast Sandwich—toss the bun and order without the honey mustard dressing
    Toaster Sandwich—order the ham, egg and cheese and toss the Texas toast
    Grilled Chicken Wrap—toss the actual flour wrap and ask for the dressing on the side


Back Yard Burgers
    Savory Chicken Sandwich—toss the bun
    Blackened Chicken Sandwich—toss the bun
    Garden Veggie Sandwich (made with a Gardenburger®)—toss the bun
    Garden Fresh Salad
    Charbroiled Chicken Salad
    Blackened Chicken Salad
SBD-friendly salad dressings:
    Ranch and fat-free Italian (only 3 grams of sugar per package)


Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC)®
    Original Recipe® chicken breast with skin removed
    Green Beans


Arby's®
Breakfast Items:
    Ham and Egg on Sourdough bread—Toss half the bread (Phase 2 only).
Salads:
    Garden Salad
    Grilled Chicken Salad
    Market Fresh® Turkey Club Salad—Toss the bacon
    Market Fresh® Caesar Salad
    Market Fresh® Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad
    Market Fresh® Caesar Side Salad
    Roast Chicken Salad
    Martha's Vineyard™—Leave off the diced apples (Phase 2 can enjoy) and dried cranberries. No Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing!
    Side Salad
Salad Dressings:
    Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
    Caesar Sandwich Sauce
    Santa Fe Ranch Dressing
    No Light Salad Dressings—Sugar content does not meet South Beach Diet™ guidelines
Sandwiches:
    Market Fresh® Low Carbys™ Ultimate BLT Wrap—Leave off the pepper bacon and mayonnaise. Add your own mayonnaise
    Market Fresh® Low Carbys™ Roast Turkey Ranch & Bacon Wrap—Leave off the cheese, pepper bacon, and ranch spread. Add your own condiments, such as Buttermilk Ranch Dressing or mayonnaise
    Market Fresh® Low Carbys™ Southwest Chicken Wrap—Leave off the cheese (cheddar and Jack) and Santa Fe Ranch Sauce. Add your own condiments, such as Buttermilk Ranch Dressing, mayonnaise, or Santa Fe Ranch Sauce
    Market Fresh® Low Carbys™ Chicken Caesar Wrap—Leave off the Caesar Sauce and add your own


Cracker Barrel Old Country Store®
Breakfast:
    Everyday Favorites (Phase 2 only)
      One Egg n' Bacon or Sausage—Order with a turkey sausage patty, reduced carbohydrate whole-wheat or sourdough toast, Promise margarine (trans-fat free), and low-sugar fruit spread.
      Eggstro'dnaire®—Order with reduced carbohydrate whole-wheat or sourdough toast. This platter has the added bonus of fresh orange wedge.
      One Egg n' Toast or Biscuits—Order with reduced carbohydrate whole-wheat or sourdough toast, Promise margarine, and low-sugar fruit spread.
      Oatmeal n' Topping—Order with pecans, fresh sliced bananas, and sugar-free syrup
    Phase 1 (Order as side plates)
      Eggs (1-2 to order)
      Eggstro'dnaire®
      Country Ham
      Turkey Sausage Patties
    *Don't forget the side of tomato juice for your vegetable serving!
Lunch and Dinner:
    Fancy Fixin's (all Phases)
      Grilled Sirloin Steak
      Lemon Pepper Grilled Trout
    Country Dinner Plates
      Grilled Pork Chop
      Grilled Chicken Tenderloin
      Hickory Smoked Country Ham
      Farm-Raised Spicy Grilled Catfish Fillet
    Suggested Vegetables n' Sides
      Country Green Beans
      Pinto Beans
      Turnip Greens
      Cabbage (when available)
      Tossed Salad
      Salad Dressings on the side—Buttermilk, House-Cracked Peppercorn, Ranch, Apple Cider, and Olive.
      Order all of the Lunch and Dinner features with Tossed Salad and suggested vegetables.
      Request that the corn muffins or biscuits not be brought to the table to avoid temptation!
    Salads n' Such
      Oven Roasted Turkey Salad—hold the Colby cheese and sourdough croutons
      Grilled Chicken Salad—hold the Colby cheese and sourdough croutons
    Salad Dressings on the side—Buttermilk, House-Cracked Peppercorn, Ranch, Apple Cider, and Olive.
    Cracker Barrel Specialties
      Beans n' Greens—hold the corn muffins and relish
      Bowl of Pinto Beans—hold the corn muffins
      Bowl of Turnip Greens—hold the corn muffins


Ruby Tuesday
Salad Bar:
Select items that are SBD-friendly, such as:
    Romaine and Iceberg Lettuce
    Tomatoes
    Red Onions
    Broccoli
    Cauliflower
    Red and Green Peppers
    Mushrooms
    Diced Eggs—These can be used as part of the protein for your meal.
    Shredded Carrots (Phase 2)
    Olives—These are listed as one of the good oils/fats on the Foods to Enjoy & Avoid.

Top with some olive oil and vinegar for the best choice to dress your salad. Other salad dressings, such as Caesar and ranch, may also be used.

As with many family-style restaurants, Ruby Tuesday is on the low-carb bandwagon and features low-carb fare. Low carb does not necessarily mean it is South Beach Diet™-friendly. The South Beach Diet™ features good carbs and good fats. Low carb can mean bad fat and high calorie.

After carefully scrutinizing the low-carb menu, the following are safe bets for The South Beach Diet™:
    Specialties:
      Veggie Platter
    Steaks:
      Top Sirloin
      Petite Sirloin
    Sides:
      Steamed Broccoli
      Sugar Snap Peas
      Sautéed Zucchini
      Spring Mix Salad


Source: southbeachdiet.com September 29, 2004