Healthiest Fast Food Restaurants
More and more fast food restaurants have begun to offer more health conscious and lower calorie fast food options. This article includes seven of the healthiest fast food restaurants to choose from.
These fast food restaurants all strive to include healthy options that are both nutrition and calorie conscious. Without further ado, let’s get started.
Chipotle
Chipotle is one fast food restaurant that offers many healthy food options. For starters, Chipotle only offers ingredients you can pronounce.
Whether you order tacos, burritos or a bowl, Chipotle meals are sure to include healthy plant and/or animal based protein, complex carbohydrates and fiber and micronutrients too. In fact, many Chipotle meals make for great post-workout recovery.
As long as you watch the portion sizes, chips and guacamole, you can also order a meal that contains a reasonable number of calories. For instance, three tacos or one bowl without guacamole or cheese will only set you back about 700 calories.
Taco Bell
While it may come as a surprise, Taco Bell also offers a number of healthy and low calorie options on its menu. Taco Bell also allows you to customize many food items. You can reduce saturated fat and cholesterol by omitting cheese and sour cream on many menu items.
Many meals, like their Steak or Chicken Power Bowls, also contain a good amount of protein and carbohydrate. These meals would often work well for pre workout or post workout recovery or as a good weeknight lunch or dinner choice.
Taco Bell also includes plant based options like bean burritos that are a good choice for plant based protein and heart healthy fiber.
A good number of items on the menu also contain a reasonable number of calories. For instance, three tacos without cheese or one power bowl will set you back about 600 calories.
Panera Bread
Panera Bread is a great option for healthy and nutritious fast food. For starters, Panera Bread aims to serve meat raised without antibiotics and has removed trans fats from their menu.
As long as you do not go crazy with pastries or bread bowls, you can order many reasonable meals at Panera Bread. For instance, this restaurant includes many salads that contain both healthy fats, protein and carbohydrates. They also offer grain bowls that include an assortment of vegetables in addition to protein and healthy fats like avocado and hummus.
Panera Bread also has some healthier breakfast sandwich options to get your day going. You can also order coffee with skim milk and artificial sweeteners to save calories too.
California Pizza Kitchen
California Pizza Kitchen is a good choice for healthy eating. In addition to many heart healthy pizzas made with whole grain dough and assorted vegetables, California Pizza Kitchen also offers a variety of entree options like Cedar Plank Salmon. You can also find the calorie content online or at many local restaurants to make sure you don’t blow your daily budget. California Pizza Kitchen also offers many vegetarian options if you don’t eat meat or just want to cut down on your meat consumption.
Subway
Subway is the poster child for its infamous fresh fit meals and six subs under 400 calories. A six inch sub with lean meat, vegetables and vegetables of choice can work as a balanced meal or post workout snack.
Just be conscious of condiments like full fat mayonnaise, cheese, extra meat or processed cold cuts like bologna or salami.
If you stick to salads or one of six lower calorie subs, you can eat relatively healthily at Subway on a budget.
Starbucks
Besides for their calorie laden sugar filled drinks, Starbucks does offer many healthy food and beverage options. For instance, you can get several healthy breakfast sandwiches that contain a healthy balance of macronutrients for 300-500 calories a piece. They also offer many lower calorie coffee options. A simple coffee with skim milk will set you back 50-100 calories.
Starbucks also offers organic ingredients and cage free eggs on its menu. Overall, Starbucks can be a good option to grab a sandwich or coffee any time of day.
Chick-Fil-A
Chick-Fil-A does include some healthy options on its menus. For instance, this restaurant offers several salads with grilled chicken that come in under 500 calories. Additionally, Chick Fil A offers healthier wraps and sandwiches made with grilled chicken. And if you want to order chicken nuggets, you can order grilled instead of fried nuggets. This restaurant also makes calorie counts available so that you do not overeat and make more informed decisions overall.
Closing Thoughts
The seven healthiest fast food restaurants listed in this article will surely provide you with some nutritious lower calorie options to choose. No matter where you choose to eat, you can make health conscious choices that will help you reach your nutrition goals.
What do you think? Which of these healthiest fast food restaurants do you like the best? Please let me know in the comment section below.
