Sometimes the day flies by and it is already 7:30 pm and you have not even thought about dinner options… enter my favorite “fast food” place… Pita Pit! Quick service, fresh ingredients, healthy choices… not to mention they deliver.
I ordered the Hummus Pita on wheat with feta, cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, and banana peppers with a Blue Bayou smoothie. The smoothie was made with vanilla frozen yogurt, orange juice, strawberries, and blueberries. I got veggies, fruit, and whole grains! This meal provided 12 grams of fiber.
Other fast food places are heading in the right direction by offering some healthier menu options but I think most places lack fiber in their foods. The only places that I know of in New Orleans that you can order wheat buns or wheat breads are Chik-Fil-A and Subway. It is recommended that women consume 25 grams of fiber each day and men 38 grams each day. So at 12 grams of fiber I met 48% of my fiber needs with one meal!
Why do you need fiber? Let me count the ways…
- Fiber helps fight heart disease by lowering blood cholesterol levels.
- A high-fiber diet can reduce your risk of certain types of cancer, such as colorectal cancer.
- Fiber can help control blood glucose levels in diabetics.
- A high-fiber diet helps keep you regular and can prevent flare ups of diverticular disease or irritable bowel syndrome.
If you are not at your recommended fiber level, gradually increase the amount of fiber in your diet and drink plenty water to avoid any GI upset.
What is your favorite “fast food” item?
I really enjoye Chipotle burritos! I usually skip the cheese though because I can never really taste it and that way I feel less guilty chowing down the entire thing!
I like Quizno’s I get the Honey Burbon Chicken on wheat it is one of their low fat subs!
Meg- I used to go to Chipotle when I lived in Houston… They don’t have any in Nola. I don’t think they have wheat tortillas as an option but you could get plenty of fiber from the beans
Kiley- That sounds like a good choice! I could not find the fiber content of their foods on Quiznos website under nutrition information.
We don’t have Pita Pit, but it sounds great.
Our only fast food is really Chipotle. Hubby and the teenager usually get a burrito, and the toddler and I split the tacos with extra lettuce and tomatoes and no cheese and sour cream.
Great reminders about the importance of fiber!
I’m new to your blog and I love it! Incredible information! It really is hard to find something healthy at a fast food place that isn’t a salad with no dressing. I love chick-fil-a’s grilled chicken sandwich. It’s so good that I don’t even mind watching my husband scarf one of their original ck sandwiches. I normally get it with a side salad with the fat free honey mustard dressing.
Thanks Kristen
I love their chicken sandwiches too… I like that they offer fruit salads as a side!
Next time we go to your house we’re ordering pita pit…i miss that stuff so much!
Lori- Most definitely!