Fast food restaurants are almost unavoidable for many people. Whether you end up there with associates from work or because you need a quick meal for hungry kids on the go, making good decisions when you get there helps avoid nutritional disaster. While salads may seem an obvious choice, not all salads are created equal. Moreover, you also want a meal that is satisfying. Knowing what foods pair well with a salad can make the difference between a meal that seems virtuous, but unsatisfying, and one that you enjoy.
Calories and Fat
The calorie count for fast food salads ranges from about 20 calories for a few pieces of lettuce to almost 500 for a more elaborately constructed dish. Those numbers don't include the dressing, croutons or other extras. Navigating the landscape of prepared salads is a little easier if you keep one hint in mind. Whether it's crispy wontons or crispy chicken, the word "crispy" in the name of a food generally adds about 100 calories and as much as 11 g of fat to a salad.
Dressings
The calorie count of dressings ranges from about 40 to almost 200. Avoiding dressings that have the word "creamy" in the name can knock 100 calories off the dressing. If you like dressing but are concerned about the calories, select balsamic vinaigrette or Italian. Better yet, try the low-fat dressings that many restaurants offer.
Sodium
The American Heart Association urges people to limit their sodium intake to no more than 1,500 mg per day because a diet high in sodium is associated with high blood pressure. In light of this recommendation, the sodium content in fast food salads may seem shocking. For example, the Southwest Chicken Salad with Grilled Chicken at Jack in the Box has 1,007 mg sodium and the Tendercrisp Garden Salad at Burger King has 1,180 mg sodium.
The best way to get the sodium content under control is to avoid salads that have chicken in them. For example, removing the chicken from the Premium Southwest Salad with Crispy Chicken at McDonald's drops the sodium content from 920 mg to a healthier 150 mg. If you do this, just be careful not to rely upon fast food salads for your daily protein because this significantly lowers the protein value.
Pairing
Ordering salads along with a small fries and a small chicken nugget dish can be both satisfying and nutritionally sound if you make good choices. This pairing can be a good strategy when introducing children to fast food salads. For example, four chicken nuggets and a small French fries have 190 and 230 calories respectively. The sodium content of the fries is only 160 mg, and the sodium in the chicken nuggets is only 400 mg. These can be combined with a side salad or a premium Caesar salad without chicken, which are relatively low in calories and sodium. Just be careful not to combine these items with a high-fat, high-sodium salad.
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