It’s no secret that fast food isn’t usually considered a health food. However, in today's fast-paced world, convenience and affordability often make it a necessity. A survey by Cleveland Clinic found that nearly half of Americans eat fast food every week. When plans go awry, and you find yourself in a pinch, understanding how to navigate fast-food menus can help you make informed decisions without sacrificing your health goals. As fast-food chains try to compete with more nutrition-centric fast-casual restaurants, there is increasing pressure to add healthy options to the menu. This article provides a guide to making better choices at fast-food restaurants, offering practical tips and highlighting specific chains that stand out for their healthier offerings.
Making Smart Choices at Any Fast-Food Restaurant
Finding a well-balanced meal at a fast-food restaurant may require making some special requests, but don’t worry - you won’t be the first person to ever ask for some tweaks. Here are general strategies to employ, no matter where you find yourself eating:
- Opt for Grilled Over Fried: Always opt for grilled chicken instead of fried. At many places, you may see a “crispy” option. Your best bet is to avoid anything fried.
- Load Up on Veggies: Stack your burger with as many veggies as you can. When it comes to these popular meals, it’s best to skip the tortilla and opt for a bowl instead. Start with lettuce as your base. Add brown rice and load up on veggies.
- Choose Lean Protein: Order the leanest type of burger. Aim for lean meat, pinto beans, or black beans for protein. Avoid getting double meat.
- Skip or Minimize High-Calorie Condiments: Skip the sauce (like mayo) and order without cheese. Skip the sour cream and cheese or ask for a small amount. Condiments, dips, and seasoning can wreak havoc on an otherwise healthy meal. Be mindful of how much you’re actually using. If you’re looking for a taste of the sea when it comes to fast food, tread carefully. Tuna salad is usually packed with mayonnaise and is often beyond a normal day’s fat guidelines.
- Dressings on the Side: Ordering dressing on the side or bringing your own healthier version. (Tip: Dip your fork in the dressing before you dig in.
- Rethink Your Drink: Soda and fast food seem to go hand in hand. But it’s no secret that soda isn’t good for us.
- Practice Moderation: Even when you’re making healthier fast food choices, you don’t want to overdo it. Instead of ordering unsatisfying "nutritious" options, I found it is often better just to order what you actually want, then skip unnecessary sides or split the meal with someone else.
Chains That Stand Out
After my 100% fast-food diet, I came to the startling conclusion that these companies aren’t wrong - fast-food chains can sell healthy food. The issue is that at many chains, these "healthy" options are not filling, insufficiently nutritious, or simply just gross. Some fast-food chains are better than others when it comes to providing genuinely healthy options. Here's a look at some of the top contenders:
1. Chick-fil-A: A Pleasant Surprise
Chick-fil-A has recently been promoting a number of healthy offerings, which helped inspire my fast-food diet. However, promoting nutrition is one thing - serving up healthy food that actually tastes good is another matter entirely. Eating Chick-fil-A’s grilled nuggets and the kale-based "Superfood Side" was the first time all week I enjoyed what I was eating, while also feeling like the meal was healthy and filling. The Asian Salad and Chick-fil-A Minis were equally delicious. Every item I ordered at Chick-fil-A is something I would order again - the biggest compliment I can give to a fast-food chain trying to craft a healthy menu.
2. Taco Bell: Customizable and Health-Conscious
I entered the week suspicious of Taco Bell’s ability to produce any healthy options. I finished the week thoroughly impressed. The element of surprise certainly helped propel Taco Bell to No. 2. One: the "Fresco" menu which replaces cheese, rice, and sour cream with pico de gallo. Two: a fully customizable online ordering feature. The chain’s biggest downfalls are a lack of healthy sides and the insane amount of sodium in most items.
Read also: The Ultimate Guide to Male Diet Supplements
3. McDonald's: Healthier Than You Think
The most notorious fast-food brand around is better than any of its burger-and-fries-centric counterparts when it comes to nutrition. Still, McDonald’s has succeeded in providing a variety of healthy side options, including salads, apple slices, and clementines. Many of its classics, like the McMuffin or even a basic hamburger, aren’t particularly high in calories, fat, or sugar if you skip sides and add-ons. If you study the menu at McDonald’s and avoid super-sizing your meals, eating at the fast-food giant does not have to kill your diet plan.
4. Subway: Proceed with Caution
I’ll admit it: Subway is a chain where my personal biases trump the cold, hard facts. Logically, I realize that Subway is a chain with many healthy options (including sides). If you chose your bread wisely and skip mayonnaise and other dressings, it’s easy to put together a filling, nutritious meal. But… Subway always leaves me wanting more. The breakfast options just aren’t great. I get bizarrely stressed out while ordering. The distinct smell of most Subway locations makes me cringe. For these entirely illogical reasons, Subway is just No. 3.
Chains to Approach with Caution
5. Wendy’s: A Mixed Bag
First, the Asian Cashew Chicken Salad that I ordered was completely ruined by its subpar chicken topping. Second, I only chose that particular salad because many of Wendy’s other "healthy" options are stuffed with calories and fat. The Spicy Chicken Caesar Salad, for example, contains 790 calories and 51 grams of fat. With such a major misstep in one of the few healthy options on the menu, I'm not planning on returning to Wendy’s expecting a nutritious meal.
6. KFC: Lacking Healthy Sides
Still, even if I had received my grilled chicken, KFC’s dedication to forcing unhealthy sides on customers puts it low on the healthy scale. When ordering a combo meal, I was unable to swap out the mashed potato, biscuit, and a cookie with healthier options, like corn on the cob.
A Different Approach to Food
We’ve got a pretty simple approach to food: Serve food we’d feel proud to share with our friends and families in our own homes.We’re constantly sourcing the cleanest ingredients we can find, focusing on serving the simplest, freshest food out there, just like we would if we were shopping for our friends and families. Our menu is focused so we can keep our food fresh, minimize waste, and negotiate discounts for better ingredients without the premium price tags. We’re obsessed with making the best meals we can, because we’re serving it to our friends and families.
Read also: Meal replacement guide for women
Our Approach
- cook from scratch. we push all our food to be as minimally processed as possible.
- focus on produce. everything except the meat we serve is plant-based.
- better, cleaner protein. source only from suppliers we trust, no preservatives ever, organic where possible.
- keep it simple. our menu is focused so our food stays fresh. it’s that simple.
- zero refined sugars or artificial sweeteners. not even stevia, honey, or agave.
- gluten, dairy, and soy free.
Read also: Chlorine Brand Comparison