This post is brought to you by Panda Express, however as always, all opinions are my own.
With a 3 year old, eating out needs to incorporate a few things for us – quickness, healthy options, and a bit of noise to keep it kid friendly. While we don’t always eat out, having a good option that isn’t your typical fast food is a must!
When I lived in Atlanta, Panda Express was always a favorite to grab an eggroll and some fried rice on a break from work (I mean, you can only eat at the mall food court so many times.) Insert – as Google calls it – this Simple Chinese fast food chain. And that’s exactly what it is! Simple. Fast. And Delicious. Needless to say, I was pumped when Birmingham had a few locations pop up!
We visited the location off of Hwy 280 recently & it was the perfect family dinner spot! Lots of seating, fun lighting, and TVs on to boot. And booth seating options! Which, if you are in this stage of toddlerhood, you know is a game changer. Head over to insta stories to see more from our trip – it’ll be saved to the BHAM highlight! AND check the feed for a fun giveaway!
What I loved perhaps most of all though was that you can see all your options up front (perfect for tiny humans who want to get a visual before ordering). They also have the full menu up to read along with notations of the Wok Smart options, and even which items are spicy. They also have pictures of the portion sizes which is a fun touch. Y’all know I love a good visual!
Here’s what we ordered:
We decided to get a few different options so we could snag some from everyone’s plate & share and it was the perfect plan to get a little taste of everything! The husband got a plate complete with Chow Mein, the Beijing Beef, and the Orange Chicken. (plate on the right below.)
We of course also had to get the New Sichuan Hot Chicken Strips (which is available for a Limited Time Only) more Chow Mein, and their SweetFire Chicken. (plate on the left above).
And I wanted to try one of the Wok Smart meals (trying to be healthy over here!) so I opted for the Kung Pao Chicken which also had a bit of a kick. And because it’s all about moderation, I also got the Orange Chicken and Fried Rice. But I could do so knowing that the Kung Pao Chicken was packed with protein, full of fresh veggies, and under 300 calories.
As much as I love egg rolls, you know we also got some Chicken & Veggie Egg Rolls & Fortune Cookies for everyone. If you go to the website you can see these stats below for each entrée in the nutrition calculator as well as the Wok Smart & Spicy icons.
Then of course we got the tiny diva a kids meal that she was able to pick out – complete with fried rice & grilled teriyaki chicken. Plus it came with a chocolate chunk cookie & a small drink so it was the perfect combo – and already in a tiny to go box for easy transport if when she fails to finish her meal. Brilliant.
Try theses locations in & around Birmingham:
- 101 Resource Parkway off of US 280 (Birmingham, AL)
- 245 South Colonial Drive off of US Hwy 31(Alabaster, AL)
- 500 East MelghanBlvd (Gadsden, AL)
- 5505 AL Hwy 157 NW (Cullman, AL)
- 20 Common Way off of I-20(Oxford, AL)
