It’s time for another post in our Healthy Dining Series. This time our family headed into Panda Express for lunch. We try to eat home cooked meals when we can, but I’m a sucker for eating out. My grandma used to say that food always tastes better when somebody else makes it and now I know exactly what she means. After a long week, dining out and coming home to a clean kitchen is just what this mama needs!
I’ve got great news for you too. Eating healthy at Panda Express is walk in the park compared to some fast food restaurants.
Before our health and fitness guru’s go crazy on us, we are providing you with the following DISCLAIMER: Yes, eating and prepping home-cooked healthy meals are your best option for weight loss and healthy living, BUT let’s be real… sometimes after a long week, dining out and coming home to a clean kitchen is just what mama needs!
Stay Fit Mom is bringing you The Healthy Dining Series. We are heading into some of the most popular fast food joints and restaurants around the country to share with you menu choices we believe are your best options for maintaining your healthy lifestyle.
Tracy’s Healthy Menu Choice at Panda Express:
- Mixed Veggies
- Double Beef and Broccoli
- Water
When I go to Panda Express, the very first thing I do is forgo the Chow Mein and rice and replace it with the steamed mixed veggies offered. I LOVE, love, love that Panda offers this as an option. For my entrée, I get double Broccoli Beef because I think it tastes extra delicious. BUT if you’re not a Broccoli Beef fan, I’ve still got great news for you. You can order a number of options from the Panda Express WOK Smart Selections. The Mushroom Chicken and the String Bean Chicken Breast are GREAT options as well.
Tracy’s Healthy Options Rating: Panda Express gets HUGE bonus points for offering not only steamed mixed veggies as an alternative to the Chow Mein and rice, but giving customers a fabulous WOK Smart menu for their entrees. You could easily stick to your Paleo, Gluten Free, or low-calorie diet plan at Panda. The servers are also constantly making fresh batches of veggies and entrees. I’m giving Panda Express 4.5 out of 5 stars!
Tracy’s Family Friendly Rating: My kids love heading to “The Panda Bear.” Good call on the cute, friendly panda bear logo, Panda Express. My kids are also all about trying to fiddle with the chopsticks while we’re there. It makes for good entertainment and distracts them long enough for Chris and I to enjoy our meal without interruption. I really like that they give out the fortune cookies. It’s a “dessert” my kids enjoy that is relatively guilt free. I’m giving Panda Express a 4 out of 5 star rating for accommodating all of our needs as a family!
Let us know which fast food joints or restaurants you’d like to see in our Healthy Dining Series.
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Did you catch our last Healthy Dining post?
5 Comments
I would love to see your selections at Chipotle.
Will do, Tanya! Thanks for stopping by!
Good stuff – thanks!
Clearly you are only looking at calories, because the sodium content here is outrageous! And that is definitely NOT healthy, for adults nor kids
You’re absolutely right that home cooked meals are your very best bet to avoid high sodium.