Have you ever found yourself in any of these predicaments? You didn’t get much sleep last night and need a “pick me up.” You see a Starbucks, so you pull in for some coffee. You forgot your protein shake at home, but know it’s important to eat breakfast, so you stop at the closest Dunkin Donuts. In the rush to get out of the house, you left the healthy meal you packed last night in the fridge. Now with just a half-hour for lunch, it looks like the Wendy’s across the street will have to do.

It’s really easy to make unhealthy choices when the fast food menu board is staring you in the face, there’s a line of hungry people at your back and an impatient cashier tapping his fingers waiting for your order. Take a deep breath. You’ve got this because you know what to look for.

Starbucks:
You’re craving a latte. Be careful with what flavor you choose. The iced pumpkin spice latte has at least 30 grams more added sugar than the iced skinny flavored latte. Go for the skinny. It has 7 grams of protein and only 80 calories. 
Dunkin Donuts:
Be DD Smart. Forgo the low-fat blueberry muffin that provides over 400 calories and 44 grams of sugar. Instead, choose the egg white veggie flatbread, which only has 3 grams of sugar and provides you with over 10 grams of protein.

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Wendy’s:
Instead of going for the crispy chicken sandwich, try the large chili. The sandwich will cost you close to 500 calories and 21 grams of fat, while a large chili has half the calories, half the carbs and around the same amount of protein.

From the above examples, you can see it is not impossible to make healthier choices no matter where you are. Two simple rules: Avoid items with added sugar (like the latte and the muffin) and anything that is deep fried, such as chicken.Fortunately, many restaurants are placing calorie content right on the menu board, which makes choosing even easier! If you go to the same restaurant frequently, try looking up some of your favorite options online before you go to see if you can find a healthier option.