I have not eaten fast food in the past few months.  This was an intentional effort on my part to eliminate useless calories and fat from my diet.  But giving up fast food cold turkey can be difficult.  For the first few weeks I did well. However, for the last few days, I have had these unnatural cravings for a hamburger… and not just any burger, but a big, juicy, fat and calorie laden, bacon double cheeseburger… an American classic.  I figure… if I am going to dream, I might as well dream big, huh?

Today, I put an end to my fast food free spree and gave in to my cravings.  But be proud of me PFA, I did not completely give into my desires.  I compromised.  Instead of having the monster sized, 3,000 calorie burger I fantasized about, I settled for something less egregious… a junior bacon cheeseburger from Wendy’s.

Fast food restaurants have gained a reputation for serving up unhealthy meals… however Wendy’s is hoping to overcome this reputation.  They have added many healthier food options to the menu. (No, it is not the fresh fruit and veggies kind of healthy, but healthier none the less.)

So what sensible Wendy’s options are available to us dieters…

Actually there is an entire section on their website which is devoted to nutritious dining.  They show several different food combination options that’ll keep your meal under 550 calories.  The combination I had today… junior bacon cheeseburger, a kiddie fry and water. Healthier Wendy’s options include:

Crispy Chicken Sandwich, 330 calories and 14 grams of fat

Chili (Small), 190 calories and 6 grams of fat

Junior Banc Cheeseburger, 310 calories and 16 grams of fat

5-piece Nuggets with BBQ sauce, 230 calories and 15 grams of fat

Kids’ Size French Fries, 210 calories and 10 grams of fat

Junior Frosty, 150 calories and 4 grams of fat

Side Salad, 225 calories and 8 grams of fat (opt for a fat free dressing)

What Wendy’s options should we not be fooled by?  For some folks, the word salad is automatically associated healthy.  But beware… that this may not always be the case.  Garden Sensations Salads are a prime example.

Mandarin Chicken® Salad with Grilled Chicken Fillet, 540 calories and 25 grams of fat

Chicken BLT Salad with Homestyle Chicken Fillet, 780 calories and 53 grams of fat

Chicken Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken Fillet, 490 calories and 33 grams of fat

Southwest Taco Salad, 640 calories and 39 grams of fat

All four of these salads contain more calories and fat than the Double Stack.  So don’t get duped by the word salad. And don’t get duped into paying more than you need to… check out these Wendy’s values:

Sign up for Wendy’s news and get a coupon for $1 off

Sign up to get a wake up call on Wendy’s Waaaay Better Wednesday and win Waaay Better Than Working Package Ends November 16^th

Become a  Wendy’s Underground Agent to get free food and more

Redeem you Branch Banking and Trust Reward Points for Wendy’s Gift Cards

Dozens of Wendy’s coupons are available for sale on eBay

Apply for a Wendy’s Classic Achiever Scholarship Application Deadline, November 4^th (which is also Election Day… my public service announcement… don’t forget to get out and vote)