Food & Drink

9 (relatively) Healthy Fast Food Lunches

by Tanya Zuckerbrot, R.D.

Fast food is cheap, filling, convenient, and a delicious option that often comes with a side of guilt. One in every four Americans eats fast food at least once a day. Unfortunately, many fast food meals contain a whole day’s worth of calories and fat. Take a Double Whopper Sandwich Meal from Burger King for example: It’ll set you back 1430 calories and 72g fat.

While you can do a lot of nutritional destruction at the drive-thru window, opting for fast food fixes at lunchtime does not have to derail your healthy-eating plan. Tanya Zuckerbrot, R.D., author of The F-Factor Diet, scoured some of the most popular fast food chains and picked nine fast-food lunches that have a (relatively) healthy amount of calories, protein, and fat. Are they the best ever? Not necessarily—but if you’re stuck for options, they’ll get the job done.

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1 / 9

Subway’s 6” roast beef sandwich and Crunchy Apple Snapz

Subway has been considered a healthy fast food joint since the “Subway Diet” gained popularity and headlines. While Subway offers numerous healthy options, many have hidden calories and fat. (Skip the the 6” tuna sandwich, which packs 400 calories and 24g fat.) A good rule of thumb is to choose from their “6 grams of fat or less” menu, which includes the Roast Beef, Club, and Oven-Roasted Chicken sandwich, all with about 320 calories, 5g fat, and a whopping 23g protein! Pair with a bag of Crunchy Apple Snapz for only 50 calories and an extra 2g fiber.

Calories: 370 Fat: 6g Protein: 24g Carbs: 55g

2 / 9

2. Burger King’s Big Fish Sandwich meal

Go ahead and indulge in a childhood favorite by ordering the Fish Sandwich Meal at your next visit to Burger King. Skipping on the tartar sauce, choosing a side salad instead of French fries, and picking water or diet soda will transform this favorite combo meal into a healthier adult version. These simple replacements save you almost 700 calories.

Calories: 450 Fat: 13g Protein: 24g Carbs: 53g

3 / 9

3. Wendy’s Grilled Chicken Sandwich (open-faced) and small chili

Wendy’s is a fast-food restaurant with the advantage of selection. The items on the menu can easily be tailored to the size you want, and you can mix and match. The Grilled Chicken Sandwich has 360 calories, 8g fat, and 35g protein. Make it open-faced by removing the top burger bun and save 110 calories and 25g carbohydrates. Pair with a small chili and get a complete meal with over 40g.

Calories: 360 Fat: 8g Protein:35g Carbs: 38g

4 / 9

4. Taco Bell’s Fresco grilled steak soft taco (2) and black beans

Taco Bell may not have the best reputation for healthy food, but there’s a secret: Ask for the “Fresco” version of your taco or burrito, which replaces the sour cream and cheese with pico de gallo, resulting in meals with 9g of fat or less. A Fresco Grilled Steak Soft taco has 150 calories, 4g fat, and 9g of protein. Enjoy two of these tacos plus an additional side of fiber-rich black beans for 380 calories, 9.5g fat, and 22g of protein. Watch out for their salads though; most of them have around 700 calories and 35g fat!

Calories: 380 Fat: 9.5g Protein: 22g Carbs: 50g

5 / 9

5. Chipotle salad

Believe it or not you can eat a meal at Chipotle for less than 400 calories! The key is to make healthy choices and control portion sizes of higher calorie ingredients such as cheeses and guacamoles. Start with a crunchy lettuce base, top with carnitas (pork), black beans, fajita vegetables, green tomatillo salsa, and a half serving of cheese for a zesty salad. The advantage of a Chipotle salad is you can skip on the dressing without sacrificing any flavor. The tangy ingredients provide a mouthful of taste and allow you to save 260 calories and 24g fat by ditching their house vinaigrette.

 Calories: 385 Fat: 13g Protein: 38g Carbs: 34g

6 / 9

6. Panera Bread’s Half Roasted Turkey & Avocado BLT on sourdough & Low Fat Garden Vegetable Soup

Panera Bread offers plenty of options with healthy and fresh ingredients. Their You Pick Two combination enables you to choose from a half sandwich, salad, and cup of soup, allowing you to enjoy a mini-sampler of lunchtime treats. Choose from the Signature and Café Sandwiches rather than the Panini’s prepared with butter and oil, and pair with a salad or cup of soup. Steer clear of cream-based soups like Creamy Tomato and Broccoli Cheddar and opt for broth-based soups to save on calories and fat.

Calories: 360 Fat: 14g Protein: 19g Carbs: 41g

7 / 9

7. McDonald’s cheeseburger and Kid Size french fries

Keeping it simple has its advantages when it comes to ordering at fast food staples like McDonald’s. One can still order a classic cheeseburger and fries while only setting themselves back 400 calories and 17g fat. It just goes to show that simple is better—there is a lower chance that you are consuming hidden calories and fat found in sauces and cheeses in many of the newer menu items. Make sure to ask for no mayonnaise whenever possible and save an extra 90 calories and 10g fat per one tablespoon serving.

Calories: 400 Fat: 17g Protein: 16g Carbs: 46g

8 / 9

8. Starbucks Chipotle Chicken Wraps Bistro Box and café latte

Most of us cannot turn a corner without bumping into a Starbucks. If you are in a hurry, Starbucks offers delectable pre-prepared Bistro Boxes, such as the Chipotle Chicken Wrap. Whole-wheat tortillas, white chicken strips, pepper jack cheese, lime-cilantro slaw and tomato avocado salsa are joined to create a delicious on-the-go lunch. It even comes with an anti-oxidant rich dark chocolate square for dessert. Pair this lunch with a Café Latte for an additional 10g protein and bone-protecting calcium from skim milk.

Calories: 390 Fat: 12g Protein: 29g Carbs: 41g

9 / 9

9. Chick-fil-A Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich and medium fruit cup

Chick-fil-A focuses on chicken-based dishes rather than hamburgers often found in other fast food chains. What sets them apart from other chicken places like KFC is that Chick-fil-A uses peanut oil and only 100% white breast meat chicken. This allows Chick-fil-A’s chicken sandwiches to have fewer calories than their fast-food counterparts, who do not use solely white breast meat chicken.

Calories: 360 Fat: 5g Protein: 29g Carbs: 53g

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