What Is the Healthiest Fast Food?

Fast food often gets a bad rap for being full of greasy, calorie-heavy, unhealthy foods. This may be true of many menu items; however, fast food is changing. With a rise in demand for healthier options, many chains are now providing meals that meet some level of good taste, nutrition, and convenience. So, what is the healthiest fast food? Let’s get into it.

What Makes Fast Food “Healthy”?

If we are to talk about the healthiest fast food, we first have to define some criteria. In general, a healthy option should:

Be moderate calories (aiming for less than 600 for a full meal).
Have lean protein to promote satiety.
Contain vegetables or fiber to aid digestion and nutrients.
Have less saturated fats, added sugars, and sodium (not fat free but lower).
Avoid overly processed say ingredient when possible to their menu without overhauling their offerings.

With those factors in mind, let’s consider some of the healthiest decisions one can make while eating fast food.

Healthiest Fast Food Choices Exhibit by Category

Healthiest Fast Food Options by Category

1. Grilled Chicken Sandwiches

Grilled chicken sandwiches are considered to be an amazing option for minimally loading on calories and fat while enjoying fast foods instead of fried.

Chick-fil-A Grilled Chicken sandwich comes and weighs in at around 380 calories and 37 grams of protein.
Skip mayo-heavy sauces and opt for mustard or a light dressing to cut calories further.

2. Salads with Lean Protein

Fast food salads can be a crap shoot, some are loaded with creamy dressings while others are nutrient-dense. If you’re looking for a healthy option:

Select salads topped with grilled chicken, beans, or fish.
Use vinaigrette dressing sparingly instead of ranch or caesar.
For example, Panera’s Mediterranean Bowl with Chicken has whole grains, greens, and protein.

3. Burrito Bowls Versus Burritos

Many Mexican-inspired chains like Chipotle, Qdoba, and Moe’s, offer customizable bowls which are essentially burrito bowls. When you select a bowl, focus on the following:

Brown rice, or skip rice altogether.
Bump up the beans (higher in fiber and protein).
Choose a lean protein such as chicken, sofritas (tofu).
Ask for fajita veggies, lettuce, and salsa.
Don’t add cheese, sour cream, and avoid extra large portions.

Thus making a bowl closer to 500 – 600 calories and nutrient dense.

4. Soups and Wraps

Lighter options at fast food spots like soups and wraps can be healthy options if you order wisely:

For wraps, Subway’s Turkey Breast Wrap loaded with vegetables is under 400 calories.
For soup, choose broth-based soups over cream-based soups, if you are looking for a lighter option.
Example: Panera’s Chicken Noodle Soup is much lighter comparatively to broccoli cheddar.

5. Veggie Burgers

Some fast food chains are starting to offer plant-based alternatives. All veggie burgers are not lower in calories but they can be healthier.

For example, the Impossible Whopper from Burger King (without mayonnaise) has less saturated fat than its beef counterpart.

Opt for a side salad instead of fries to have a fully balanced meal.

6. Healthy Breakfast

Fast food breakfasts are often full of bacon, sausage and/or cheese flavored foods, but there are healthier alternatives:

A Starbucks Spinach, Feta and Egg White Wrap is only 290 calories
McDonald’s Fruit and Maple Oatmeal. Oatmeal has whole grains, fiber and of course, fruit
If you want to eat healthier, skip the sugary beverages and select black coffee or water.

General Tips for Eating Healthy at Fast Food Restaurants

Even the healthiest fast food can become unhealthy because you can oversize portions or add unhealthy things to it. Here are some suggestions to make better choices:

Choose grilled instead of fried, Fried foods can add calories and unhealthy fats.
Be careful with sauces and dressings, Sometimes the sauces and dressings double the calorie count of the sandwich or salad. Ask for dressings and sauces on the side if you can.
Choose small sizes or half-sizes, Eating a small hamburger or half-size salad may be the same volume of food you need.
Choose sides wisely, Choose fruit, yogurt or salad for a side, instead of fries.
Skip the sugary beverages, Soda, sweet tea and milkshakes can add hundreds more calories to your meal. Water or tea unsweetened will have zero calories.