Healthy Fast Food Options

One thing I’ve learned over the past few years is the importance of finding staple items you can eat on-the-go. As someone who is a picky eater and loves finding healthier options it can sometimes feel stressful to find something to eat in a rut.

I also have a super sensitive stomach and a family with a ton of allergies making having a planning list of “safe” foods is super important for those road trips.

Over the past few years, I have discovered the importance of finding comfort foods that I can find anywhere. A lot of these consist of chain/fast-food places that I love to grab a bite at.

Some of these are the healthiest options you can find on-the-go, while others are more of something I love to eat.

Here are some of my favorite eats at my favorite places.

Starbucks

As a Starbucks barista, Starbucks is definitely in my diet daily. I love that you can find a Starbucks anywhere and there’s so many great healthy options. I featured all of my favorites on my previous Starbucks blog post.

My absolute favorite item is the spinach, feta and egg white wrap. It’s a great balance of protein, carbs, and fats! I swear I could eat this every day and never get sick of it.

Here are some of my other favorite items:

- Egg White + Roasted Red Pepper Bites (add avocado spread for more nutrient density)

- Kale + Portobello Mushroom Egg Bites

- Everything/Plain Bagel with Avocado Spread or Cream Cheese

- Blueberry Muffin

My brother has recently become obsessed with the tomato and mozzarella panini along with the turkey, provolone and pesto panini! These are safe for his tons of allergies which is a bonus win for all of us!

Chick-Fil-A

Love me some Chick-Fil-A and a fast-food place where you can get quality grilled chicken! The grilled chicken cool wrap is EVERYTHING! It packs so much protein with the chicken. The best part is that the wrap provides a good deal of fiber for your daily diet! The grilled nuggets are also perfect to pair with some avocado spread, add to a salad or even meal prep with. I need to try the grilled chicken sandwich and soup options soon.

Dunkin’

I’m a Starbucks girl, but Dunkin’ also has some great options. I really love the avocado toast option they’ve added. I pretty much get that anytime I go to Dunkin! My order is typically an iced oat milk latte with the avocado toast.

Earl of Sandwich

This place is not everywhere, but they absolutely should be. Earl of Sandwich became my favorite obsession during my Disney College Program. The ingredients are top notch, and you can definitely taste the difference between Earl of Sandwich and other chain sandwich places. I’m a wrap gal all the way and loved the chicken and avocado along with the turkey and cheddar options! My first stop on my next trip to Disney will definitely be this location!

Panera

Panera is definitely a great option for soups, salads and everything in-between. They always discontinue my favorite items though... so I will have to have a chat about that. I was always a huge fan of the ten-vegetable soup. I do love a simple turkey on sourdough sandwich though. The best item is the strawberry poppyseed salad that they have in the summer. I’ve never been for breakfast, but I’m begging for a breakfast date as the spinach, egg white and avocado on a sprouted grain bagel flat is right up my alley.

Ihop

Pancakes are my ultimate comfort food and I'll never say no to a pancake. They also have launched new protein pancakes as a balanced option, have healthy dishes and are a great option for a family breakfast.

Subway

I’m from New York... so you know i have high expectations for a sandwich. However if you want something healthy and quick, Subway has options for you! Whole grain bread and wraps are a great starting point. I have had the oven roasted deli turkey on a spinach wrap with spinach and tomato quite a few times on the road!

Bluestone Lane

Best. Avocado.Toast. Ever

Chop’t

Shoutout to my friend Jenna who took me on an adventure to a Chop’t. Any type of salad you can imagine is in this location. I love it for a quick, nutrient dense option! I know there’s a bunch of healthy salad chains popping up all over the nation which is definitely making this healthy foodie excited for the future of quality restaurant eats.

Playabowls

Thank you Pace University for putting me a walk away from this iconic smoothie chain place and I guess I can thank COVID for putting me on Zoom for years to avoid me spending all my money here.

The smoothies are delicious, and I love that they are milk-based (dairy-free) and are made with whole ingredients. I always add protein powder to my smoothies for a more balanced snack/meal option. I really love the seasonal pumpkin pie and gingerbread smoothies during the holiday season.

Smoothies and bowls are what the brand is known for, but the oatmeal should not be looked down upon. I’ve never had a better oatmeal bowl in my entire life.

Au Bon Pain

My most fond memory of having Au Bon Pain was basking in the enjoyment of a napa chicken and avocado wrap after a week of strict hospital food. To sum it up… it was delicious. Au Bon Pain bagels are also a tasty option, the smoothies are pretty yummy with whipped cream, and the 12-veggie soup is another good choice.

Blaze Pizza

Another great Disney Springs find is Blaze Pizza! It's super different from New York style, but I am certainly a fan. It reminds me of my wrap pizza's that I love to make at home. Thin-crust, customizable and lots of different options.

I’m always looking to build this list because the more options…the better for someone who loves to travel and has a super sensitive stomach especially in stressful situations!

I haven’t gotten around to trying a lot of other sandwich chains such as Jersey Mike’s, Jason’s Deli, Jimmy Johns etc., I also haven’t yet tried a Chipotle or Moe’s or Qdoba (which is kind of a crime for me because I love Mexican food) However, there’s a lot of great balanced meal options at all those places.

I tried to mainly focus on quick food places that have a variety of locations that I have been too rather than all the chain options for this specific post.

A few of my favorite other chains that I’ve tried are

- Clean Juice (The Cali Sandwich is an amazing winner)

- Zoes Kitchen (I love that they have a great menu with simple and fancy mediterranean food options.)

- Pret a Manager (Top-Notch Bread)

- Olive Garden (My absolute favorite for a fancy night out.)

Let me know what your favorite road meals are and what places I need to try next! I know I have my own list building already.