The 7 “Healthiest”Orders From Our Favorite Fast Food Spots
Yes. It’s possible to eat fast food sometimes without flinging away all of your hard work.
by The Candidly Team
What brings us to the fast food line in the first place is, we believe, one of three things.
We’re on the move or in a huge rush.
We’re not about to go spend $27 on a salad somewhere else.
We want something greasy and delicious.
And no matter where we are on our health journey, (a term we’ve learned to be cool with as a wellness website), we will at some point find ourselves turning to fast food.
And so, we took one for the team and figured out some of the “healthiest” or let’s call it “least horrific” orders from 7 of our favorite fast food spots. And we’re not talking about the carrot sticks that come with a kids’ meal or the bun-less chicken sandwich on shredded lettuce which are literally the healthiest things on the menu. We’re talking about the realistic, more “traditional” fast food optioms that are more likely to make us feel full and satisfied, while giving us enough nutrition to not send us into a snacky rampage the rest of the day.
And here’s what we’ll be shouting from our windows next time our car steers itself into a drive-thru. The password is: protein.
1. McDonald’s
Click into any article telling you what’s “healthy” at McDonald’s and without fail, you’ll see apple slices top the list. Uh, no. We’ll bring our own apple from home, thanks. We’re here because we’re starving, and/or craving McDonald’s. Not apples.
The other sad truth is that there’s no version of our beloved McDonald’s fries that are healthy. So if you want the fries? Get the fries! Just don’t trick yourself into thinking health is part of the equation.
However.
The macros (sorry) of a double cheeseburger are pretty decent. Sure, there’s lots of salt and fat, but there’s also iron and protein, which will leave you feeling fuller for longer. Now, of course, most “health” articles will also tell you to just order a plain hamburger or cheeseburger, but we all know how small those single patty sandwiches are, so if we really want to fulfill our craving, stay full til dinner, and not crave McDonald’s again tomorrow, we do the occasional double cheeseburger.
Pro tip? Ask for it “made fresh.” The difference between a freshly made double cheeseburger and a double cheeseburger that’s been sitting under hot lights for 48 minutes is a revelation. And if we’re going to eat trash, it should be the most exquisite version of trash possible.
Double pro tip: Since you’re asking for it fresh anyway, get extra pickles and onions. It’s also a revelation.
Double Cheeseburger
Calories: 440
Protein: 25
Oh, and for breakfast, an Egg McMuffin is absolutely the way to go, because unlike hotcakes or 4 orders of hash-browns, it’s an early morning protein hit that actually leaves you good until lunch.
Egg McMuffin
Calories: 310
Protein: 17g
2. Taco Bell
Yes, we could settle for a single taco or a fiber-filled bean burrito, but when we’re aiming for something deeply nourishing, we go for the Cantina Chicken Bowl. The bowl boasts 11g of fiber in addition to its expectedly high protein count. One downside is that the sodium content is also quite high, so if you’re looking for something lower in salt, you can always opt for a wildly filling portion of black beans and rice, which also comes in at a very low 160 calories.
Cantina Chicken Bowl
Calories: 490
Protein: 25g
3. Subway
We don’t realistically find ourselves pulling into a Subway for anything other than…a sub. Or grinder if you’re from Connecticut. Given that we can pack on as many nutrient-rich veggies as we desire, we go with the Oven-Roasted Turkey on a 6-inch sourdough roll. Load it up with buffalo sauce (very lo cal!), lettuce, tomatoes, green peppers, pickles, banana peppers, cucumbers, and a small smattering of olives. If you double the meat you’ll almost double the protein for only 40 more cals.
Oven-Roasted Turkey 6-Inch Sub
Calories: 270
Protein: 21g
3. Chick Fil-A
Listen, they have grilled nuggets. Which we may or may not occasionally pair with mac and cheese if we are in it for true comfort. But the nuggets themselves run a mere 130 calories. So we eat them instead of fries and feel marvelous doing it. Of course, there is also a Grilled Chicken Sandwich, which is nice and lemony and still feels very much like fast food.
Grilled Nuggets
Calories: 130
Protein: 25 g
Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Calories: 390
Protein: 28g
4. Dunkin’ Donuts
Fiiiiiiiine, we’ll skip the donuts. Even though a glazed donut is one of life’s most perfect things. We’re typically savory people in the morning anyway. Unless we’re making THIS remarkably satiating breakfast, which may as well be “fast” food, because it takes all of 90 seconds to make and tastes unbelievable. But if we’re out and about and doing Dunkin’ here are two go-tos.
We adore the Wake Up Wrap, but we need to order 2 to stay full. But! Blessedly, each wrap has only 180 cals.
The Turkey Sausage, Egg & Cheese Sandwich. It’s all the things you want in a breakfast sandwich and quite possibly, the item most likely to make you feel like you don’t have to eat again in two hours.
Wake Up Wrap
Calories: 180
Protein: 23g
Turkey Sausage, Egg & Cheese Sandwich
Calories: 470
Protein: 23g
5. Jersey Mikes
We’ve seen all kinds of modifications of the turkey and provolone being touted as the best option at JM, in a bowl or in a wheat wrap, with oil or without to save on calories. And, in addition to almost 40 grams of protein and the nutrients in the veg, which you should definitely make sure they pile on, the wrap has 7 grams of fiber. Add avocado to the bowl to make it extra satisfying (because avocados are nutritional magic).
Turkey and Provolone Wheat Wrap
Calories: 540 (no oil or mayo)
Protein: 39g
Turkey and Provolone Bowl With Avocdo
Calories: 560
Protein: 30g
6. Jack In The Box
Jack In The Box makes a pretty darn balanced Chicken Fajita Pita with crunchy lettuce, grilled onions, and other veggies stuffed into a whole grain pita pocket, so we really get that satisfying two-handed grip when we eat it that doesn’t make us feel like the whole thing just evaporated in 12 seconds. The calorie content is also shockingly low, and that beautiful burst of protein keeps us full for hours
Calories: 330
Protein: 27g
7. Starbucks
Let’s call Starbucks what it is - a fast food restaurant. And probably the one we most frequently frequent. We remain loyal to the Spinach, Feta, & Cage-Free Egg White Wrap because we eat it one-handed on the go, and unlike most egg-white things, it’s packed with flavor. We truly enjoy every bite of this wrap, and there are plenty of bites to be had. Which is the biggest win of all.
Calories: 290
Protein: 20g
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