Revenge Eats: Healthiest Fast Food Options
Generally, the words “healthy” and “fast food” don’t get used in the same sentence. I love fast food. I mean, who doesn’t love a good late night Jack in the Box run? Or a quick cheeseburger on a road trip? A lot of the time, fast food comes down to convenience. It’s fast and easy. Luckily, there are a ton of “better-for-you” options at most of the nation’s fast food chains. While they might not be as healthy as a kale salad, the lighter options are a great way to eat on the go without sacrificing your health.
Sadly, fast food isn’t usually healthy for us. It’s convenient, inexpensive and tasty (and generally fairly greasy). But did you know that close to 50% of American’s eat fast food weekly!? Fast food is a very “American” thing. Chains line most blocks, parking lots and shopping centers. So how can we make healthier choices when we’re eating out? Well, let me start by saying you’re not going to see any salads on my list. That’s just not realistic. Who wants to order a salad at McDonalds? The trick is to find menu options that are lower in calorie count and have some sort of nutritional value. Or at least avoid opting for a jump fry and soda.
Healthiest Options At Your Favorite Fast Food Restaurants
Alright, so what’s the trick to ordering healthier options at fast food restaurants? For starters, it’s important to keep an eye on portion sizes. Meaning, staying away from super sized value options or over ordering. It’s also important to keep an eye out for trans fats and saturated fats, meaning items with lower amounts will have more nutritional value. I like to look for items that have higher amounts of protein, vitamins and fiber.
So I’ve put together a list of my favorite, healthier menu items from fast food chains like Wendy’s, Taco Bell and Chick-fil-A. All passing my taste test and filling enough to satisfy your cravings without totally ruining your diet.
McDonald’s: Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich
One of the healthier options at McDonald’s (short of eating a dry salad) is their Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich. Rather than use mayo like most sandwiches, the Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich comes with an herb vinaigrette sauce, which is a lot lower in fat & calories. The chicken breast is also all white meat & no artificial preservatives, flavors or colors.
Another great option is their Regular Hamburger. It’s pretty basic, but comes in at only 250 calories. It’s got less protein than the grilled chicken sandwich though, so it might not keep you feeling full for as long.
Calories: 380 // Fat: 7 grams // Carbs: 44 grams // Protein: 37 grams
In-N-Out: Protein Style Hamburger (with Onions)
In-N-Out is my go to for a healthy fast food option. I always opt for a protein-style hamburger, which means they swap out the bun for a lettuce wrap. Another tip is to have them leave their “secret sauce” off and add ketchup or mustard instead.
If you’re really hungry, I recommend getting 2 burgers rather than adding a side of fries or a shake. As tasty as their fries are, they’re fairly high in calories and fat.
Starbucks: Spinach, Feta, and Cage-Free Egg-White Breakfast Wrap
Starbucks can be SO DANGEROUS when you’re trying to stick to a healthy diet. Did you know their Sausage, Cheddar & Egg Breakfast Sandwich has 500 calories and 28 grams of fat!? I can eat one in about 30 seconds as an appetizer! Luckily, they also have some healthy options like their Spinach, Feta Egg-White Breakfast Wrap. The breakfast wrap is a great breakfast option because the egg and feta gives you a ton of protein, while the whole wheat wrap has lots of fiber! Not to mention, the spinach is a sneaky way to get some extra vegetables into your meal.
Calories: 290 // Fat: 3.5 grams // Carbs: 33 grams // Protein: 19 grams
Burger King: Veggie Burger
Vegetarian’s rejoice! Fast food chains are finally starting to stock vegetarian friendly options! Taste wise, it’s actually pretty good too! I’m not a vegetarian and I don’t mind opting for it instead of a beef patty. I recommend leaving the mayo off of this one as well. It’s got a fairly low calorie count, so depending on how hungry you are, you might want to add a side of yogurt or fruit to keep you full.
Calories: 310 // Fat: 7 grams // Carbs: 42 grams // Protein: 22 grams
Taco Bell: Power Menu Steak Burrito
Omg I’m getting hungry just typing this… Taco Bell is my weakness. I love a good bean burrito or order of “nachos”. When looking for healthier options at Taco Bell, focus your loving gaze on the Power Menu. The new Power Menu is dedicated to all of us TB lovers who are trying to stay fit.
A really cool option their site now offers is a nutrition calculator. Basically, you pick the menu item you want and adjust it by adding or subtracting elements. For example, when you choose the Power Menu Burrito, you can change the type of meat, add or subtract sauces or cheese, etc. I opt for steak, no sour cream, easy avocado ranch sauce, easy cheese, guacamole, pico de gallo & romaine lettuce. By reducing the sauce and cheese, the burrito goes down 60 calories! The order I got came in at 390 calories instead of 450 & was also lower in fat, carbs & protein). It’s a great reminder that most of the orders can be “healthified” by leaving out the sauce or reducing the amount of cheese.
Calories: 450 // Fat: 20 grams // Carbs: 41 grams // Protein: 26 grams
(based on menu order, doesn’t account for reduction of sauce & cheese)
KFC: Kentucky Grilled Chicken Breast + Green Beans
Fun fact: one Kentucky Grilled Chicken Breast from KFC provides more protein and wayyy less fat than any other combination of two pieces of grilled chicken from the chain. I recommend ordering a side of green beans for a well rounded meal. The entire order clocks inn at just under 250 calories! Crazy, right? Especially when you think about the fact that an order of Popcorn Nuggets has over 570 calories and 1890 mg of sodium! You most likely won’t feel full from the Popcorn Nuggets, but you’ll feel bloated from all of that salt. Did I mention the grilled chicken has 0 carbs!? If you’re on a low carb or keto diet, this is a life saver!
Kentucky Grilled Chicken Breast: Calories: 210 // Fat: 7 grams // Carbs: 0 grams // Protein: 38 grams
Green Beans: Calories: 25 // Fat: 0 grams // Carbs: 4 grams // Protein: 1 gram
Popeyes: Blackened Chicken Tenders + Green Beans
Similar to the KFC option, Popeyes also sells grilled chicken! Their Blackened Chicken Tenders come with either 3 or 5 pieces. To round out the meal, add some green beans!
3 Piece Blackened Chicken Tenders: Calories: 170 // Fat: 2 grams // Carbs: 2 grams // Protein: 26 grams
Green Beans: Calories: 55 // Fat: 2 grams // Carbs: 7 carbs // Protein: 3 grams
Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s: Trim It Charbroiled BBQ Chicken Sandwich (Lettuce Wrap)
Did you know that Carl’s Jr/Hardee’s has a whole section on their menu dedicated to lighter options!? Their “Better for You Options” offers low carb, vegetarian, gluten free & low fat menu items. Their new site also lets you mix and match menu items/ingredients to determine the nutritional value. For example, you can order the Trim it Charbroiled BBQ Chicken Sandwich as a lettuce wrap instead of with a bun! It literally drops 200 calories!
Calories: 190 // Fat: 5 grams // Carbs: 13 // Protein: 24 grams
Sonic: Classic Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Sonic is one of the trickier fast food restaurants to order from because they don’t have a modified menu and a ton of options to choose from. Your best bet is to go with a Classic Grilled Chicken Sandwich. The grilled sandwiches is fairly straight forward: grilled chicken, vegetables & light mayo on a soft ciabatta bun. To be honest, it’s a little dry if you leave off the mayo so I recommend substituting ketchup or mustard!
Calories: 480 // Fat: 22 grams // Carbs: 39 grams // Protein: 32 grams
Dairy Queen: Fudge Bar
If you’re craving a sweet treat from Dairy Queen, opt for the Fudge Bar. It sounds boring compared to their over the top Blizzards, but one Fudge Bar is only 50 calories! It’s also got 0 grams of fat and has fairly low carbs. Bonus: it has protein! Beware, a small blizzard can be over 600 calories and close to 100 grams of carbs! The Fudge Bar is a great way to treat yourself without totally ruining your diet!
Calories: 50 // Fat: 0 grams // Carbs: 13 grams // Protein: 4 grams
Wendy’s: Grilled Chicken Sandwich
When I think if Wendy’s, I automatically think of Frosties and fries. Sadly, neither offer a whole lot in the national value department. Fortunately, Wendy’s has a pretty awesome Grilled Chicken Sandwich. It comes packed with a grilled chicken breast, tomato, lettuce & a honey mustard drizzle. It’s packed with protein and flavor, but doesn’t go overboard on fat or sodium.
Calories: 360 // Fat: 8 grams // Carbs: 38 grams // Protein: 35 grams
Subway: 6-inch Turkey Breast Sub (no cheese, add avocado)
Oh Subway, I have a love/hate relationship with you. At the end of the day, Subway is a really convenient option for most health conscious eaters who are also on the go. They’re also fairly easy to find across America. You can “eat fresh” pretty easily by opting for lean meats, vegetables, whole wheat bread & low cal/low fat dressings. One of my go to’s is the 6 inch Turkey Breast Sub. I like to substitute avocado (hello health fat & protein) for the cheese. Also if you’re trying to cut down on carbs, I recommend making it an “open faced” sandwich and only using one side of the bread.
Calories: 340 // Fat: 9 grams // Carbs: 49 grams // Protein: 18 grams
Shake Shack: Chicken Dog
Shake Shack has some pretty epic burgers and fries. Oddly enough, one of their healthier options isn’t the mushroom burger! It’s their Chicken Dog! Think hot dog, but with chicken!
Calories: 300 // Fat: 11 grams // Carbs: 32 grams // Protein: 26 grams
Chipotle: Burrito Bowl with Steak, Pinto Beans, Guacamole & Fajita Vegetables
I said I wasn’t going to talk about salads, but I do need to note that Chipotle is the only fast food chain I actually order salads from. They taste more like a burrito than anything, so it’s an easy swap for me. But if you’re looking for a little more substance, opt for a Burrito Bowl! Did you know one single tortilla from Chipotle has 320 calories!? Not even joking. So, if you basically dump all of the burrito contents into a bowl, you’re saving a ton of calories & carbs! I opt to leave out the cheese and sour cream to lighten my bowl up. You can use their nutrition value calculator on their site to see where your order clocks in.
Calories: 530 // Fat: 29.5 grams // Carbs: 35 grams // Protein: 32 grams
Dunkin’ Donuts: Egg-White Veggie Flatbread
Ugh, sorry guys but there aren’t any healthy donuts for sale at Dunkin’ Donuts. Sadly, all of their donuts are fried and generally have zero nutritional value. HOWEVER, they do have an Egg-White Veggie Flatbread that’s only 310 calories! Score!
Calories: 310 // Fat: 10 grams // Carbs: 38 grams // Protein: 15 grams
Chick-fil-A: Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Oddly enough, Chick-fil-A’s Grilled Chicken Sandwich is healthier than their Chicken Salad! You’ll save over 100 calories and 10 grams of fat! Chick-fil-A’s sandwich comes a marinated grilled chicken breast (lots of flavor), lettuce, tomato & honey roasted bbq sauce, all on a toasted multigrain bun.
Calories: 310 // Fat: 6 grams // Carbs: 36 grams // Protein: 29 grams
Jack in the Box: Fajita Pita
I’m a huge fan of the Fajita Pita. Jack knows what’s up. It’s probably one of the best tasting, filling, health conscious fast food items. It’s low in calories, loaded with protein & fiber and has a ton of flavor. Next time you hit up their drive through in the middle of the night, opt for the Fajita Pita over the loaded fries (which rack up over 700 calories, ouch).
Calories: 346 // Fat: 12 grams // Carbs: 36 grams // Protein: 24 grams
Want more food tips? Check out my post on The Most Underrated Fast Food Chains!