A Complete Guide to Healthy Eating Out For Student Athletes and Adults

Apart from the creatine question, the second most popular question I get from youth athletes and parents is, “Can young athletes eat healthy at fast food restaurants?”

It’s no secret that I’m a strong advocate for planning meals and snacks when you will be traveling for work, games, and even vacation. But I also know that it’s not always realistic—especially if you’re in a time crunch.

Here’s the truth: You can absolutely meet both your health and fueling needs by scoping out the menu, restaurants, and hotel options ahead of time, or by packing meals to take with you so you’re not tempted to go off plan.

Many often struggle to make good choices in the moment, so if your family or team is going to stop on the road, it’s wise to plan ahead and make choices before you walk through the front door of a restaurant.

When it comes to making healthy choices away from home, “opportunity favors the prepared.” Even if there are limited choices and options wherever you’re headed, you can still make healthy choices at fast food places, gas stations, restaurants, and even concession stands.

So here are some guidelines to equip you with tools to make successful choices on the road, at the table, in the drive-through, and at your events.

Fast food and eating out guidelines

Before you choose a restaurant to eat at, always remember to build a healthy plate that meets all your food groups (lean protein, healthy fat, fruit, veggie, dairy, and whole-grain). In general, when eating at a restaurant:

  • Always choose grilled, baked, roasted, or steamed in regards to veggies and protein.
  • Make sure your bread or bun is whole-grain or multi-grain.
  • Drink water instead of soda and fruit juices.
  • Reduce portion size. Ask for a to-go box immediately upon ordering to have a plan to portion control.
  • Replace fries with a Greek yogurt, salad, or fruit cup option.
  • Ask for dressing on the side to control your intake.
  • Replace mayo with avocado as a healthier option to increase taste, texture, and flavor.
  • Use olive oil or avocado in place of regular dressings.

I’ve got two really quick recommendations for eating at a restaurant on the go:

Subway has the third most franchise locations in the world, so chances are you’ll see one or two on your trip. It’s a classic, fast way to fuel up on the road without risking the fried food temptations. And, it’s one of the most customizable meal choices out there.

Here are some easy ways to get the most out of a Subway meal:

  • Subway has protein bowls now! That’s great news for my gluten-free athletes, or those looking to get lean and drop a little weight. Skip the bread and put your meal in a protein bowl.
  • You can (and should) replace the high-fat, high-kcal dressings, mayo, or spicy blue cheese dressing with avocado or olive oil.
  • You can also ask for the dressing on the side.
  • Choose grilled chicken instead of fried.
  • Ask for additional proteins (egg, grilled meats, cheese) to meet your individual nutritional needs!

Chick-fil-A is one of the most popular fast food places amongst the teens and student athletes I coach (and it’s a personal favorite of mine, too).

While I would much rather you eat a grilled turkey and cheese sandwich on whole grain bread with spinach, avocado and a side of fruit, you can still eat healthy where they serve the Lord’s chicken.

Here are my recommendations for athletes who must stop at Chick-Fil-A:

  • For breakfast, Choose their Greek yogurt parfait or egg white grill for breakfast
  • For lunch or dinner, choose grilled chicken nuggets instead of fried, and pair with a salad (dressing on the side) and a fruit cup.
  • Switch out regular bread on the classic chicken sandwich for the multi-grain bun.
  • It is healthier than the regular bun, contains B-vitamins and has not been stripped of its nutrients like most white bread.
  • Another healthy option is the Chick-Fil-A Cool Wrap.
  • And if you just have to get a chicken sandwich, go with the grilled chicken sandwich.
  • You can ask for extra tomato and lettuce to boost your fiber intake.
  • Fruit cup instead of side salad or ask for dressing on the side and enjoy the salad.

What about sit-down restaurants?

When eating at a sit-down restaurant:

  • Scope out the menu before going
  • Never go to the restaurant OVERLY HUNGRY! You will overheat and be unhappy with yourself.
  • Have a small snack before you go containing some protein. A few great choices would be:
  • 1/2 apple with some peanut butter
  • 1 string cheese with cucumber slices
  • Hummus and carrot sticks
  • 1/2 protein bar (travel remember)
  • Meet your needs (protein, produce, portion)
  • Many restaurants often serve 3x the appropriate portion. Ask for a box before the food arrives to have a plan to consume the proper portion. Consume half of each of the food on your plate and put the remainder in the box to take home or put in your hotel fridge!

What about concession stands and gas stations?

Small soapbox moment: convenience stores should not be your reliance as you will spend more money out of sheer convenience. Versus if you purchase these items ahead of time before travel you will save money and also not put yourself in a situation to be limited in making a healthy choice.

Here are the best choices to limit the bad stuff and maximize your snacks/fueling:

  • Nuts and seed bags (pistachios, walnuts, pecans, cashews, almonds)
  • Pair a fruit (apple, pear, fruit cup, grapes, banana) with a protein bar (see options below)
  • Hard-boiled eggs paired with fruit
  • Cheese sticks
  • Sparkling water, zero sugar Gatorade, flavored waters, Propel ect. (avoid sodas)
  • Beef or turkey jerky (watch the sodium!)
  • Almond butter or peanut butter packs (Justin’s Almond Butter or Jif)
  • Hummus and carrots combo pack
  • Greek yogurt (Chobani can be found at almost every gas station)
  • Quest protein bars or RXbars (almost every gas station carriers these)
  • Muscle Milk, Fairlife Corepower Protein Shake, Shamrock Farms Rockin’ Refuel, and Organic Farms for quick protein

With all that being said, I believe that the best way to increase your nutrition options and stay on track with your fueling and health goals on the road is to bring them yourself! Otherwise, you might make a snap decision that tanks your performance or decreases your energy levels.

Before you leave, pack a cooler with pre-made snacks, put together some no-cook or easy prep meals, and always try to pair a protein with produce.

These are the best things to travel with:

Produce:

  • Fruits that keep well, like apples, pineapple, kiwi, strawberries, oranges, and bananas
  • Veggies like cucumber slices, carrot and celery sticks, sliced bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes.

Protein sources:

  • Hummus, string cheese, Greek yogurt, RTD protein shakes
  • Grilled deli meats like ham, turkey
  • Canned tuna
  • Beef or turkey jerky (light on the sodium)
  • Protein bars
  • Hard-boiled eggs
  • Cottage cheese

Carbohydrates and whole-grains:

  • Oatmeal packets
  • Whole-grain pitas, muffins, wraps, tortillas, bread, rice cakes, and crackers
  • Baked goods ahead of time (whole-grain pancakes, waffles, oat bites)

Healthy fats:

  • Unsalted nuts and seeds (almonds, pistachios, cashews, sunflower seeds)
  • Peanut butter oat bites
  • Guacamole/avocado snack packs
  • Snack pack sized nut butter (sunflower, peanut, cashew, almond)

**Click here to use my discount code (143NWW) for 15% off any Nut’s N More nut butter or powdered nut butter.**

And these are the best combinations of produce and protein:

  • Grapes and string cheese
  • Turkey whole-grain sandwich
  • Fruit and nut butter snack pack
  • Applesauce and hard-boiled egg
  • Spinach, veggie, grilled chicken salad, sliced avocado
  • Bell peppers (green, red, orange, yellow) 4-6 peppers in baggies
  • Hummus and cottage cheese in containers to add to sandwiches and fruit
  • Greek yogurt parfaits and mason jar overnight protein oats

We’ve got a few more ideas from one of our recent Instagram posts.

And if you need a quick reference on the go, here are our 16 fast food tips for athletes.

Here’s the bottom line: no matter if you’re staying at home or traveling to compete, make sure your consume enough quality protein, carbs, and overall kcal to decrease the risk of injury, increase your performance, and enhance your cognition and focus.

And if you need help with any of those areas, our certified nutrition coaches are ready to help you make a customized plan for you and your family. Click here to learn more and book a discovery call with us today.

In good health, safety, and athletic performance,

Wendi Irlbeck, MS, RDN, LD, CISSN

Wendi Irlbeck is a registered dietitian nutritionist and performance coach. Wendi utilizes evidence-based science to tailor nutrition programs for athletes to optimize performance, minimize health risks, and enhance recovery from training while focusing on injury prevention. She partners with parents, sports performance staff, and special needs and recreational athletes to offer nutritional guidance and optimal athletic performance and lifestyle plans. Wendi provides virtual services including telehealth but is based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Wendi works with clients of all levels and ages across the US as well as Canada and the UK. You can find more about Wendi and scheduling an appointment with her on her website.

What can hiring a sports nutritionist offer your program? Learn more here. Testimonials of Wendi’s expertise from colleges, coaches, parents, young athletes, and high school administrators can be found at the testimonial link on her website. You can also follow Wendi on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for more nutrition information

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