Help....having lunch on the run!

[WorkinMom]

I need help. I'm on my third day core. I do like it but it has been tough. I think I'm going through a sort of detox. Today I have a dilemna. I'm picking up DS and will take him to lunch before bringing him to a friends house. He will want to go to McDonalds which is fine. I won't have a whole lot of time but will need to find something for me to eat there or somewhere else. What do you all do in a situation like this? Should I get a chicken salad w/ff dressing and have them omit the cheese? (do they do that or are the salads premade?) Of course, you don't know what our options are in this small town so that makes it tough. I wish there was a restaurant site like Dottie's for corebies!!!!

[PSUAmanda]

I'm a big fan of the asian chicken salad. I don't do core, but thats not bad points wise and the dressing in not too bad either. As for core food at McDonalds, I don't know if there is any. I do know that their salads are pre-made so your best bet is to get one that fits within what you want. They can tell you exactly what's in each salad though.

[gb041]

This is way past the time that you would need this help, so I am sorry that I didn't read your post until now! I wanted to respond though, for future ideas.

1) At Wendys you can get a baked potato which is Core. If you add the sour cream, it is only 1 pt for the whole packet. A small chilli is 2 pts, so it can be a pretty substantial meal for only 3 pts.

2) Panera Bread Company has lf black bean soup. I usually do the "You Pick Two," where you can choose between soup, salad and a sandwich. I get black bean soup and a large fruit salad and that is a Core meal. There are some other low points options there, but I don't know them off the top of my head.

3) Burger King has veggie burgers. If you ask them to microwave it, the patty is Core. Do it with no cheese, no mayo and eat only 1/2 the bread and it is only 2 pts, I think. You can add a side salad and some places even have ff dressing. Another pretty substantial meal for 2 pts. If you skip the bread, it is Core! Some BKs, by the way, also sell Dannon Light and Fit Yogurt. They are NOT Core, but a 6 oz cup is 1 pt, and you get -almost- a serving of dairy in.

4) Keep carrot sticks, dried edamame, sf applesauce cups (they don't need to be refrigerated), dry soup mix (lipton/knorr make some good ones), and Alba Shakes/WW Smoothies in your car. That way, you can at least snack until you can get somewhere that has Core food. Usually you can get hot water for the soup at a gas station or convience store. Same idea for the smoothies - you can usually find ff milk someplace, so you just add the mix, shake and drink.

Core is not always convienent (methinks that is one reason it works so well!), but with some creativity, you can make it work. Those things listed above with a few additions (microwave 94% ff popcorn, fruit cocktail in water, tea bags, splenda, ready to microwave tomato soup, and some low points snacks like granola bars, rice cakes, or whole grain crackers) are ALWAYS in my desk at work, so even if I forget my lunch, I will have something to eat. If I look in my desk and find something I don't want, I figure that means I am not hungry enough.

Eventually, it gets easier to eat on the run on Core (at least, I think so), and you will be able to quickly identify Core, or at least, low point options that you are willing to spend points on. It will also get easier to plan ahead so that you don't have to worry about what to eat or where.

What did you end up doing?