Fast Food – Burgers

Fast Food Carb Review – Five Guys

IMG_1670[1]I had only eaten at Five Guys twice before.  Good burgers.  Good fries and onion rings.  Not my favorite.  It was my sister’s favorite.  I hadn’t been to one in many years.

I tended to not like to walk into a fast food place when a drive-through was more convenient.  It wasn’t “fast” enough.

I liked McDonald’s fries better than Five Guys’ for some reason (although I loved Wendy’s best until they changed their oil or product many years ago and they dropped off the top of my list.)

I hadn’t been there, that is, until I was out a few weeks ago at a store that was next to a Five Guys.  I thought I would walk in since it was close and I was already parked.  Why not? I was on this new low carb way of living and burgers were always a good way to go when out shopping or traveling.  Especially until I could get what I could have and not have under my belt when eating out.  I was and am still working all that out.

What greeted me (aside from the delicious smell of potatoes and onions frying) was a sign I hadn’t expected.   At the top of their toppings menu it said “ALL TOPPINGS FREE”. At the bottom of their menu it said “ALL BURGERS AND DOGS AVAILABLE BUNLESS”.

First of all, even though you give Wendy’s, McDonald’s and other burger chains their bun back when you ask for it bunless… they then proceed to CHARGE you 20 to 25 cents for putting extra lettuce on it.  My husband just gets the burger and takes the bun off.  Me?  I don’t like cheese to stick to the bun and so I pay.  But Five Guys doesn’t charge you no matter HOW you want your burger or WHAT you want on it!  Their cred with me immediately went up!

I ordered a double beef patty with cheese “bunless”. I was asked if I wanted it in a lettuce bun or a basket.  The difference was one was wrapped up to eat as if it were in a bun only this one was made of lettuce.  The other was laid on top of the lettuce in a basket to to use a knife and fork.  I got the lettuce bun but still used a knife and fork.
Basically what I had was around 5 Net Carbs with 2 patties, cheese and lettuce.  If you start adding things is where you have to be careful.  Tomatoes 2 carbs, Onions 2 carbs, Mustard 0 carbs, Mayonnaise 0 carbs, Ketchup 5 carbs, Pickles 1 carb.  If you stick with basic beef, lettuce, cheese you can usually stay low carb.  It all depends how many Net Carbs you have to play with.
I have to tell you… hands down… short of cooking at home or a gourmet burger at a service restaurant this was the best burger I had ever had!
Not to mention the polite courteous service.  No judgement.  No confusion over what was being asked for.  Just a great place with great food!
Other diabetics I knew already knew this secret.  I didn’t, but now I want to tell everybody!

GO!  Go eat at Five Guys!  A delicious surprise and they have a fan forever!

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Low Carb Fast Food – Wendy’s

Low Carb Fast Food - Wendy's

I was a little fearful of eating fast foods, but you don’t have to be!  There are almost always options! This is my first fast food post, but I will continue to add new ones as I discover and try them!

Rule of thumb… basically, leave off the breads, breading, potatoes, onions, high carb fruits and veggies and desserts.  Get lettuce wrapped double meat proteins or salads.  Beware of hidden salad carbs, especially in croutons and sugars in dressings or toppings!  If you follow this rule of thumb you can find quite a lot to eat.

Wendy’s is one of my favorite “go to” fast food restaurants!  

My favorite is a single or double cheeseburger with lettuce.  No bun.  No condiments.  Ask for a knife and fork.  They usually put it in a little salad container.  I am always satisfied with the quantity of food. The small amount of carbs keeps my sugars level.



Their 1/4 lb. hamburger patties have 0 Net Carbs!  Cheese has 1 Net Carbs.  Lettuce has 1 Net Carbs. You can go ahead and get the tomato (1 Net Carbs) and pickles, if you like (0 Net Carbs).  I sometimes do and sometimes don’t.

You can do the same for their grilled chicken sandwiches.

Just so you know… their buns have 33 Net Carbs!  Something to be aware of!

My only complaint is that they save money on the buns but they will charge you 20 cents for the lettuce!  Five Guys makes a point of their regular condiments, like lettuce, always being free.  McDonalds also charges 25 cents for the lettuce even though they keep your bun.  My frugal husband thinks you should go ahead and get the bun anyway and just not eat it.  He never wants the establishments to win if the consumer is being gouged a little.

Their salads you will have to watch out for.  Their Taco Salad has 63 Net Carbs!  Their Chicken Salad has 52 Net Carbs!  The lowest carbs I could find on their salads was their Garden Side Salad at 19 Net Carbs, but if you get rid of the croutons (12 Net Carbs) then it has 7 Net Carbs!  You can get that down to 5 Net Carbs if you switch from the Ranch Dressing to a vinaigrette.

See… so their are ways to eat at fast food restaurants!

And just a word about their products. Their burger patties are like I make at home.  You can tell they are “fresh, never frozen” beef patties.  I say this in comparison to McDonald’s.  If there is a choice between the two, I am going to Wendy’s!  (I’d still go to McDonald’s in a pinch, but their burgers are really unappetizing to look at!  And when you are wolfing down a Quarter Pounder with Cheese that is inside of a bun, you don’t really notice what they look like!)  But, I still have a lot of other fast food restaurants to try!  And I will.  And I will report on them all here!

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