For individuals following a ketogenic or low-carb diet, dining out, especially at fast-food chains like McDonald's, can present a challenge. However, with some planning and knowledge, it's entirely possible to enjoy a satisfying meal at McDonald's without derailing your dietary goals. This guide provides easy ordering tips and low-carb options available at McDonald's, ensuring you can stick to your ketogenic diet or a low carb diet, even on the go.
Understanding the Basics of Keto at McDonald's
The key to eating keto at McDonald's lies in avoiding foods high in carbohydrates. This primarily means skipping items with obvious carbs, such as buns, breading, and sugary drinks. By making smart choices and modifications, you can find several satisfying options that align with your low-carb goals.
General Tips for Ordering Keto at McDonald's
- No Buns or Breading: This is the golden rule. Order burgers and sandwiches without the bun, and avoid breaded chicken items like chicken nuggets.
- Skip the Ketchup: Ketchup contains a surprising amount of sugar. Opt for mustard or mayonnaise instead, which are typically zero-carb.
- Avoid Salad Dressings: Many salad dressings are high in sugar. Choose low-carb options like ranch dipping sauce, or eat your salad without dressing.
- Skip Fries, Frozen Treats, and Shakes: These are loaded with carbs and should be avoided entirely.
- Add Healthy Fats: Incorporate sources of healthy fats like cheese, bacon, avocado, or mayonnaise to make your meal more filling and keto-friendly.
- Choose Protein-Rich Options: Prioritize protein to help you feel full and support muscle growth.
Keto-Friendly Breakfast Options
McDonald's offers several breakfast items that can be modified to fit a ketogenic diet. The eggs and sausage food options are typically best. Remember to skip the high-carb items such as muffins, biscuits, and hashbrowns to keep your breakfast low in carbs.
- Sausage, Egg and Cheese McMuffin (no English muffin): 4g net carbs, 26g of fat, and 15 grams of protein.
- Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit (no biscuit): 4g net carbs, 13g of fat, and 14g of protein.
- The Big Breakfast (no hash browns or biscuit, add bacon and cheese): 4g net carbs, 34.5g of fat, and 28g of protein.
- Egg McMuffin (order with no English muffin): 3 net carbs, 160 calories.
Keto-Friendly Lunch and Dinner Options
Lunch and dinner at McDonald's offer even more possibilities for low-carb meals. Burgers are generally a good choice due to their higher fat content, which is ideal for a ketogenic diet.
Burgers (without buns)
- Hamburger (order with no ketchup and no bun): This will leave you with a burger patty, pickles, and onions.
- Cheeseburger (order with no ketchup and no bun): Enjoy a burger patty with cheese, pickles, and onions.
- McDouble (order with no ketchup and no bun): This option includes two burger patties, a slice of cheese, mustard, pickles, and onions.
- Double Cheeseburger (order with no ketchup and no bun).
- Triple Cheeseburger (order with no ketchup and no bun).
- Quarter Pounder with cheese (order with no bun and no ketchup): A larger patty for a more substantial meal.
- Double Quarter Pounder with cheese (order with no bun and no ketchup).
- Big Mac (order with no sauce and no bun): If you keep the sauce you are adding 2g of carbs to your sandwich. Without the bun and special sauce, you'll get three beef patties, two slices of cheese, lettuce, onions, and pickles.
- Bacon McDouble (order with no ketchup and no bun): Two burger patties, bacon, a slice of cheese, mustard, pickles, and onions.
Salads
Salads can be a good option, but be mindful of the dressing.
Read also: Safety of Low-Carb Diets During Lactation
*McDonald’s Side Salad - (no carrots, no dressing). You can opt for ranch dressing if you want to.*Bacon Ranch Grilled Chicken Salad - (No croutons, no carrots, no tomatoes and no dressing). If you want dressing add the ranch dipping sauce which will add 1 g net carb to the salad.
Sauces and Condiments
Many sauces and condiments at McDonald's are surprisingly keto-approved.
- Spicy Buffalo Sauce: 1g net carbs, 3g of fat, 0g of protein.
- Creamy Ranch Sauce: 1.5g net carbs, 12g of fat, 0g of protein.
- Signature Sauce: 3g net carbs, 9g of fat, 0g of protein.
- Mayonnaise and Mustard: Generally zero carb options.
Drinks
- Water: The best and most keto-friendly option.
- Unsweetened Iced Tea: 0g net carbs.
- Coffee: McDonald’s coffee is also a good keto-friendly option, but be sure to skip the cream and sugar.
- Diet Coke or Coke Zero.
Modifying Your Order for Optimal Keto Results
- Bunless Burgers/Sandwiches: With any of the options listed, you’ll need to choose bunless burgers or sandwiches. However, if you still want the feeling of a sandwich, you can ask for extra romaine to make it a lettuce wrap or bring a low carb tortilla instead!
- Customize Your Order: Almost any menu item can be made keto-friendly with a few tweaks.
- Double Up on Protein: Add an extra beef patty or more bacon to keep your macros in check.
- Ask Questions: Not sure about the carb content of sauces or sides?
A Note on Health and Frequency
While McDonald's offers keto-friendly options, it's important to remember that fast food should not be a dietary staple. Many menu items are cooked in processed vegetable oils, such as soybean oil, which may not be ideal for overall health. Eating a fast-food keto meal once in a while is unlikely to cause harm, but prioritize whole, unprocessed foods whenever possible.
Read also: Best keto-friendly chips
Read also: Best Keto Tortillas
tags: #low #carb #options #McDonald's