s/o Is Chipotle healthier than Burger King?

[Anonymous]

I have a very hard time getting enough calories in my teen boys (dr. recommend about 3000 calories on sports weekends). So chipotle can really pack on the calories and fat that I need in their diet. So on the weekend it is a really good option. They sweat so much they actually need the extra sodium. After 3 soccer games - it is all good. But it is about moderation. They want Chipotle every day but they get it about twice a month.

[Anonymous]

The Washington Post recently had an article about how Taco Bell is coming out with "premium" burittos like Chipotle's. It did a side-by-side comparison with the nutrition facts, and Taco Bell's was way worse--more fat, less protein.

Chipotle's burritos are a big calorie bomb, sure, but you can ask for less rice and avoid sour cream and cheese, and it's on the better end of fast food options. The salad option is better too.

[Anonymous]

It isn't the amount of vegetables in a Chipotle meal but the gigantic portion size. Even a vegetarian burrito from there is huge and I love Chipotle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Eating put is always going to be higher in salt and calories.

But I'm tempted to say Chipotle is healthier. Even if it's higher in calories then a burger.

That's just your intuition speaking; it's not really backed up by nutrional facts. I mean, a burger has lettuce and tomato, so it's hard for me to see how that's really all that inferior to fajita vegetables (peppers and onion) that have been fried in oil.

Chipotle food may be slightly higher in quality (i.e., better cuts of meats), but just because it's not sold from a restaurant mocked in a documentary doesn't make it healthier.

Chipotle may also offer more "better" options than fast food. That's a point in its favor.

But really, anytime you don't prepare the meal yourself, you're at the mercy of how much oil, butter, whatever someone else has cooked with. That's true for a burger flipped at Mickey Ds or the fajita meat sizzling at Chipotle.

And you and you alone are in control of portion size.

That was really my point. Eating out is never that great for you.

I'd be curious to see a comparison between a BK meal and a Chipotle meal.

As for portions - I eat about a half a bowl with some chips and guacamole. Even though I don't do beans, fajita veggies, or sour cream it is high in calories, so I don't do it often.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a very hard time getting enough calories in my teen boys (dr. recommend about 3000 calories on sports weekends). So chipotle can really pack on the calories and fat that I need in their diet. So on the weekend it is a really good option. They sweat so much they actually need the extra sodium. After 3 soccer games - it is all good. But it is about moderation. They want Chipotle every day but they get it about twice a month.

Yes here too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds good to say that you get more veggies, or chicken or beans at Chipotle but really all those foods are processed (yes even the veggies - they include pre-packaged seasonings, oil to grill the veggies, etc. The beans are canned, never rinsed, contain seasonings and salts, etc, the chicken - same story) reducing their nutritional value and upping some other non-nutritional factors like sodium.

As a PP said, fast food is fast food.

So you are saying, that eating beans and pre-oiled-to-grill veggies in a Chipotle burrito, is no better than burger and fries from BK?

Good logic!!!

Yes.

It doesn't take much "logic" to figure out if you soak a healthy food in a unhealthy coating it will no longer be a "healthy" food.

[Anonymous]

But how many people regularly need to consume the portions of teen boys after 3 soccer games...

[Anonymous]

Chipotle also now offers brown rice (hooray!). So, you can get a nice bowl of grilled meat or beans and veggies on brown rice. No simple carbs. Take that BK!

[Anonymous]

Meh. If you want "healthy" fast food, try Panera. Pretty easy to do there. But I'm with the PP--my boys and DH both need the calorie bombs, and my kids are pre-teens. Between the soccer/swimming/ice hockey extravaganzas, there are only so many Boost/Ensures they'll drink.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But how many people regularly need to consume the portions of teen boys after 3 soccer games...

I get a salad with chicken and salsa on top so it fits everybody's needs -sometimes I get brown rice, chicken and salsa.

I don't feel like I can eat as healthy at BK or McD. My kids are limited on what I allow them to order at McD - I am not sure we have eaten at BK but we have had Wendy's. It is almost impossible to resist the fries.

Also, I like that his business model is trying to help local farmers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Meh. If you want "healthy" fast food, try Panera. Pretty easy to do there. But I'm with the PP--my boys and DH both need the calorie bombs, and my kids are pre-teens. Between the soccer/swimming/ice hockey extravaganzas, there are only so many Boost/Ensures they'll drink.

We get the Asiago bagels for my son and I literally am jealous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I always get a salad at chipotle. The kids have rice and beans. We avoid the chips. Not sure why this is a bad meal?

It's the sodium and hidden fat (e.g., in the rice). But, I think that if you're going to do fast food, Chipotle is the best of what's out there.

Ok. Rice does not contain fat. It is a carb. Carry on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
I always get a salad at chipotle. The kids have rice and beans. We avoid the chips. Not sure why this is a bad meal?


It's the sodium and hidden fat (e.g., in the rice). But, I think that if you're going to do fast food, Chipotle is the best of what's out there.


Ok. Rice does not contain fat. It is a carb. Carry on.

they at oil and other fats to the rice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Meh. If you want "healthy" fast food, try Panera. Pretty easy to do there. But I'm with the PP--my boys and DH both need the calorie bombs, and my kids are pre-teens. Between the soccer/swimming/ice hockey extravaganzas, there are only so many Boost/Ensures they'll drink.

How is panera healthier than Chipotle? What do you get at Panera?

[Anonymous]

Burger King? Chipotle? Do we really need to choose?