Subway claims that Jared lost 245 pounds by going onthe Subway diet for all of his meals.Not all of us want to eat fast food three times a day like Jared did, but a life on the road probably means we consume a fair share of it.  The good news is that a lot of fast food restaurants are recognizing that their patrons would appreciate some healthier choices. But sometimes these so called “healthier choices” aren’t what they’re claimed to be. For example at pizza hut, a salad can have more calories than a slice of pizza! Of course this isn’t always the case but we’ve done the research so at your next fast food visit in the T/A you can say “Im gonna eat this, not that” with confidence.

Here is your guide to making healthier choices at the fast food restaurants in the Travel Centers of America.
 

RESTAURANT EAT THIS NOT THAT
Pizza Hut
 
Tomato Basil Soup  or thin crust cheese pizza. Sandwiches, salad or pasta. (Sandwiches have at least 680 calories and 75 percent of your day's sodium. The salads aren't much better and the pastas are actually worse.)
 
Subway
 
Subs with ham, turkey, roast beef, or chicken and load it up with veggies. No adding on fattening sauces and dressings! (Remember, calorie counts at Subway don't include cheese, mayo, or dressings.)
 
Taco Bell
Crunchy tacos, bean burritos, or anything on the Fresco menu. Grilled Stuft Burritos, anything served in a bowl, and anything prepared with multiple "layers."
Sbarro
* Refuses to disclose their nutritional facts.
X X
Burger King Regular hamburger or the Whopper Jr. without mayo.
For breakfast -  the Ham Omelet Sandwich.
Side - BK's Fresh Apple Fries
No mayo! (160 calories' worth of mayonnaise is smeared on just about everything, so you better get used to asking for  sandwiches here without.)
Arbys Roast Beef or Melt Sandwich.  Market fresh sandwich or wraps contain 300 more calories than the roast beef or melt sandwich.
Sorry no sides! Every side contains trans-fat frying oil.
Starbucks Regular cup of joe or unsweetened tea. (You can ask for skim milk and sugar free syrup.) Whole milk, syrup, and no whipped cream.
Quiznnos Small flat bread subs or pair a Sammie with a cup of soup. Avoid the salads, large subs, and bread-bowl soups.
Popeyes Skinless chicken has less than a fifth the fat of the regular crispy cuts.
Sides - mashed potatoes or the Cajun-specialty Crawfish Etouffee.
Skip the fried foods, the trans fat is on everything with skin intact and is carrying a load of the heart-clogging fats.

 

Comments (23)

Heather Dunn

Heather started with ATBS in April of 2012 as the Digital Marketing Manager. Heather is a graduate of Michigan State University earning her Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a specialization in Public Relations. When Heather is not working she enjoys being outdoors. She loves the beach, the mountains, and riding her cruiser bike.

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Some great info. Starting to hear more and more about eating and living healthier. It's great when your home away from the truck always seems to be a truck stop. No matter what you decide to put on your menu, remember the real key is water, water, water.....

March 24, 2013 17:28:01 PM

Some great info. Starting to hear more and more about eating and living healthier. It's great when your home away from the truck always seems to be a truck stop. No matter what you decide to put on your menu, remember the real key is water, water, water.....

March 24, 2013 17:27:39 PM

Thanks Heather for the info.Too bad Sbarro won't help.

October 08, 2012 17:20:10 PM

Thanks that was great info.I will definatly steer away from Sbarro as a place that will not disclose nutrition info is not a good place to eat, even though their food is plenty tastey!

October 01, 2012 11:35:52 AM

Thanks Heather! Sparkpeople.com also has free apps for smartphones to track food and exercise plus restaurant guides.

September 14, 2012 8:28:35 AM

Some truck stops like TA have added healthy menu items such as salmon and some chicken dishes. I have seen more fresh fruit lately as well as oatmeal for breakfast. Grab that banana or apple and oatmeal instead of those corn dogs and soda.

September 04, 2012 8:55:53 AM

There is also and App called Eat This Not That. It costs $8.99, but it is easy to navigate and is well worth the money in the long run. Plus all updates are free.

September 02, 2012 8:13:21 AM

This is very helpful thank you!!

August 30, 2012 19:36:22 PM

Thanks for the information! This will be helpful!

August 27, 2012 1:57:17 AM

What about more fresh food choices at truck stops and less restaurants? How food is prepared is incredibly important. Not many fast food places have "fresh" food. The bananas at the counters are great, but more fresh choices would seem like a simple answer than putting more fast food restaurants in a TA. Microwaved food is not as good for you as fresh food. "Whole Foods on the Go??"

August 02, 2012 16:21:16 PM

I do like eating at Subway, but I can tolerate only so many times per week. Besides, it would be nice to get a little more for the kings ransom I'm paying for the meal.
Could be better if truckstops would try to get away from McD's, Wendy's, and all the fried stuff. I'm sure a Taco Bell would be a fun change.

August 02, 2012 10:09:44 AM

This is a great article with very useful information for anyone!

July 31, 2012 10:25:13 AM

Excellent Information!

July 30, 2012 9:05:55 AM

This is great info. Can you put together a story on the best prepared foods to eat out of a microwave. Many of us have refrigerators in our trucks and its nice to be able to cook while waiting to get loaded at the dock.

July 29, 2012 8:54:14 AM

Check out dietfacts.com too. They have TONS of restaurants and unofficial Weight Watchers points if you know how to use that. Soups are almost always going to be a great option as long as they are broth based and not cream based. Soup with half of a sandwich is a good meal. A lot of websites do have their nutritional information, but it's a bummer when they don't.

July 27, 2012 11:34:03 AM

Big fan of Taco Bell's Fresco menu. Ask for an extra scoop of salsa and you won't need the sauce.

July 27, 2012 7:37:17 AM

Great information to have while traveling.

July 26, 2012 22:50:46 PM

Great information, I'm printing this one to kep in my truck !

July 26, 2012 22:24:55 PM

Great information for all to do!

July 26, 2012 15:21:00 PM

Will you follow up with the restaurants at TA? This is great information for fast food choices.

July 26, 2012 13:02:05 PM

Bob, glad to see there are some good options at Starbucks ... how many cups a day do you think are okay for us?

July 26, 2012 8:11:02 AM

Great read! I also recommend downloading the MyFitnessPal app! Helps track your calorie intake, and exercise output! Great app!

July 23, 2012 8:17:29 AM

Subway has great nutritional information on their website!

July 19, 2012 14:03:10 PM