Discovering Healthy Lunch Alternatives

Every work day, around noon, my coworkers head for lunch. They always invite me, and I would love to join them, but they dine out almost everyday. I’ve taken a stand, recently, with the goal in mind to eat a little better. Now, admittedly, this has been hit and miss. I’m forced, for the most part, to pack a bag full of vegetables and fruit, avoid the shared kitchen at the office—incase of donuts—and eat alone to abstain from the high-fat Chinese and burger joints my coworkers are prone to choosing.

Last week, with my willpower dwindling, I was invited to Qdoba for lunch. At first I resisted, but then my friend produced a coupon from ShopAtHome.com for free chips and salsa, and I was sold. I had never been to this particular Mexican-American restaurant before, so I decided to investigate their website before going.

The site contained a lot of burrito facts, quizzes and literature—sort of a shrine to the burrito. I learned that they serve what is know as a San Francisco-style burrito, which means multiple ingredients in the filling and a large flour tortilla for the wrap. Also, burrito means “little donkey,” and the burrito was first invented during the Mexican Revolution.

Next, I searched the menu and discovered that there are many other options available besides the burrito, including gumbo and salads. I also discovered a page on their site called Healthy Qdoba that included tips on how to make their already healthy menu healthier and a Nutritional Calculator, which I used to plan my meal before arriving.

The site helped me settle on healthy options—like removing the tortilla or shell altogether, skipping the rice, choosing leaner chicken or pork, and adding extra grilled vegetables. I played with the calculator until I had decided on a salad with grilled chicken, lettuce, grilled vegetables, and both pico de gallo and mango salsa—for extra flavor. All for under 300 calories. Then I decided to add ½ a serving of guacamole, because the monounsaturated fats in avocados are so good for you, which I learned from the Healthy Qdoba page, for another 115 calories. I felt so good about my lunch, I didn’t regret sharing the chips and salsa.

I have decided Qdoba might not be a bad lunch option, for when my bag lunch just won’t cut it. And with the additional money-saving incentive, thanks to ShopAtHome.com, I plan to keep an eye on their Qdoba coupons and indulge from time to time. With such healthy options, what could it hurt?