When you’re in a rush and on the go, making a pit stop at a fast food restaurant may be your only option. Though McDonalds and other fast food chains have a reputation for only serving greasy, fattening foods, believe it or not, there are a few healthy choices on the menu. Here’s your guide healthy fast food options at some of your favorite restaurants.
McDonald’s
Try: Grilled Chicken Snack Wrap with Ranch
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If you’ve seen the movie Super Size me, or even know just a little bit about McDonald’s, you know that the majority of the items on their menu are far from healthy. The grilled chicken snack wrap is an exception. These snack wraps are the smaller version of the McWrap and are lighter and healthier. You have the option of grilled or crispy chicken (opting for grilled is much healthier) and ranch or honey mustard sauce. Along with these ingredients, each wrap comes with cheddar jack cheese and lettuce wrapped in a flour tortilla. With ranch and grilled chicken, these wraps are 270 calories and have 10g of fat and 830mg of sodium.
Burger King
Try: Veggie Burger
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Like McDonalds, Burger King offers massive burgers that can make your fat intake for the day skyrocket. If you’re craving a burger, try Burger King’s veggie burger (yes, it exists). This burger has only about one tenth the saturated fat as one of the restaurant’s most famous, and fattening options, the Whopper Sandwich. Choose your toppings carefully by, ditching the mayonnaise and topping it with lettuce and tomato and maybe ketchup instead. Order a bag of apple slices instead of french fries as well.
Wendy’s
Try: Asian Cashew Chicken Salad
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You might not believe it, but it actually is possible to order a salad at a fast food restaurant. We recommend the Asian Cashew Chicken Salad from Wendy’s. This fresh, colorful salad racks in just under 400 calories and is packed with healthy veggies. It also saves you calories with the grilled chicken instead of fried. It’s an excellent source of fiber and protein as well, and is low on fat content. In order to keep the fat low, dress your salad wisely. Instead of dumping 4 packets on, try using one or two instead.
Taco Bell
Try: MexiMelt
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Mexican food by nature tends to be on the unhealthy side and Taco Bell is no exception. Though the MexiMelt wouldn’t be considered “healthy”, it’s by far one of the healthiest choices on the menu. Beef, pico de gallo, and a three cheese blend are wrapped inside a flour tortilla to make this creation. You also have the option to upgrade this item with marinated and grilled chicken, which would make it even healthier. It racks in at about 250 calories, 14g of fat, 19g carbs, and 2g of sugar.
Arby’s
Try: Ham & Swiss Melt
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Walking into Arby’s, you’ll have to restrain yourself from ordering one of their famous roast beef sandwiches. Instead, try one of their delicious ham and swiss melts. This sandwich will fill your craving for a warm, tasty sandwich, without the ridiculous amount of calories. With only 300 calories, the melt also delivers 19 grams of protein and has 20 less grams of fat than some of their other sandwiches.
Subway
Try: Black Bean Soup and Veggie Delight Salad
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Though Subway markets itself as a healthy fast food chain, you can easily rack up calories depending on how you pack your sandwich. Even if you choose vegetables and fresh ingredients, their thick loaves of bread can rack up your calorie count, as well as fattening sauces such as ranch. An easy way to avoid that is with their lesser known soups and salads. Try the black bean soup and veggie delight salad to fill you up. This meal is filling, flavorful, and heart-healthy, without the unhealthy fats that you get in a sandwich.
