Healthy Choices From Fast Food: A Nutrition Guide

It’s a common belief that fast food and healthy eating are worlds apart. The reality is, navigating the world of burgers, fries, and quick bites while trying to maintain a balanced diet can feel like a major challenge. Fast food establishments often conjure images of meals packed with calories, sodium, and unhealthy fats, seemingly designed to derail any healthy eating plan. Indeed, many fast food options are high in calories, sodium, and unhealthy fats, and often lack essential nutrients, fiber, fruits, and vegetables.

However, completely dismissing fast food might not be realistic, or even necessary, in today’s fast-paced world. For many, fast food offers convenience and affordability when time is short and hunger strikes. It can be a quick and satisfying option, especially when you’re on the go. The key is not complete avoidance, but rather moderation and making informed decisions. It’s about understanding that occasional fast food indulgence is acceptable, and more importantly, learning how to navigate fast food menus to make healthier choices.

This guide is designed to empower you to make healthier choices even when opting for fast food. It’s about understanding that healthier options do exist, and with the right knowledge, you can enjoy fast food in a way that aligns with your health goals. By focusing on smart substitutions, portion control, and a bit of menu savvy, you can make “Healthy Choices From Fast Food” a tangible reality.

Understanding Calorie Intake and Nutrient Density

When aiming for healthier fast food choices, a crucial first step is to be mindful of your calorie intake. A practical guideline is to aim for a fast food meal that contributes no more than about a third of your daily recommended calorie needs. For most adults, this generally translates to a meal in the range of 450 to 850 calories. It’s surprising to note that studies show the average adult consumes around 836 calories in a single fast food meal, often underestimating their intake by a significant margin – around 175 calories. This is where awareness and information become critical.

To make informed decisions, leverage the nutritional information readily available at most fast food chains. Websites and in-store menus often provide detailed nutritional breakdowns. Instead of guessing, take a moment to review this information. Focus on selecting foods that are nutrient-dense rather than just calorie-dense. This means prioritizing options that offer a good balance of protein, fiber, and essential nutrients, while being relatively lower in unhealthy fats and sodium. Look for meals incorporating whole grains, high-quality protein sources, and fiber-rich components. It’s equally important to be vigilant about saturated and trans fats, aiming to minimize or completely avoid them.

Boosting Nutrition with Smart Add-ons

Even when you make conscious choices from the menu, fast food meals can sometimes fall short in providing sufficient fiber, vitamins, and minerals. A proactive approach to enhance the nutritional value of your fast food meal is to bring your own healthy additions. Planning ahead can make a significant difference. Consider carrying healthy sides and toppings to supplement your meal. Good options include dried fruit, a handful of nuts and seeds, carrot sticks, apple or pear slices, or even a small container of cottage cheese or yogurt. These additions can significantly boost the nutrient profile of your fast food meal, adding fiber, vitamins, and healthy fats that might be lacking in standard fast food offerings.

Navigating Sodium Levels in Fast Food

Sodium intake is a critical health consideration, especially when consuming fast food regularly. Excessive sodium consumption over time is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Health organizations like the American Heart Association recommend limiting daily sodium intake to under 1500 mg, and ideally not exceeding 2300 mg. Unfortunately, fast food often presents a challenge in adhering to these guidelines, even when choosing lower-calorie options. Many fast food items are surprisingly high in sodium.

To mitigate sodium intake, planning becomes essential. If you anticipate eating fast food, try to reduce sodium in your meals leading up to and following your fast food meal. When ordering, a simple request can make a difference – ask for your burger or meat to be cooked without added salt. This small change can help in managing your overall sodium consumption.

Utilizing Nutritional Guides for Informed Choices

Making healthier fast food choices is significantly easier when you utilize the nutritional guides provided by fast food chains. Many chains are now proactive in posting nutritional information on their websites and in their restaurants. While these lists can sometimes seem overwhelming or complex, they are the most reliable source for accurate and up-to-date details about menu items.

In addition to restaurant-provided information, numerous websites and nutrition apps are available that compile and present fast food nutritional data in user-friendly formats. These resources can be invaluable in comparing options and making informed decisions before you even place your order. Familiarizing yourself with these tools and resources is a key step in making “healthy choices from fast food” a consistent practice.

Making Healthier Fast Food Choices On the Go

Planning ahead and checking nutritional guides is ideal, but sometimes you need to make healthier fast food decisions on the spur of the moment. Even without prior planning, you can still make smarter choices by following some general guidelines.

Key Strategies for Ordering Healthier Fast Food

• Portion Control is Paramount: Fast food portions are often oversized, containing enough food for multiple meals disguised as a single serving. Avoid “supersized” or “value-sized” options. Always opt for the smallest available size for sandwiches, burgers, and sides. Don’t overlook the children’s menu, as these often feature more reasonably sized portions that are better aligned with healthy calorie goals.

• Lean Protein Sources are Your Allies: Focus on grilled or roasted lean meats. Try to minimize or avoid fried and breaded items like crispy chicken sandwiches or breaded fish fillets. Choose options like turkey, chicken breast, lean ham, or lean roast beef. Grilled chicken is frequently available and is often a healthier choice.

• Menu Descriptions Matter: Pay close attention to the language used in menu descriptions. Words like “deep-fried,” “pan-fried,” “basted,” “batter-dipped,” “breaded,” “crispy,” “scalloped,” or “au gratin” typically indicate higher calorie, unhealthy fat, and sodium content. Similarly, items with Alfredo or creamy sauces tend to be less healthy.

• Don’t Hesitate to Customize Your Order: Many menu items can be made healthier with simple modifications and substitutions. For example, ask for sauces or dressings to be served on the side, or even omitted entirely. Request a whole wheat bun for burgers or whole-grain bread for sandwiches. Another healthy swap is to ask for extra lettuce and create a lettuce wrap instead of a bun.

• Beware of “Healthy-Sounding” Traps: Don’t automatically assume that dishes marketed as “healthy” are always the best choice. Some fast food salads, for instance, can be deceptively high in calories and saturated fat due to creamy dressings and fried toppings, sometimes exceeding the calorie and fat content of burger alternatives. This underscores the importance of checking nutritional facts, even for seemingly healthy options.

Tips to Manage Calories in Fast Food Meals

• Condiments and Dressings – Use Sparingly: Be mindful of calorie and fat-laden condiments, salad dressings, spreads, and sides like cheese and sour cream. Mayonnaise and oil-based sauces are particularly calorie-dense. Consider skipping mayo and opting for a packet of ketchup or mustard instead, allowing you to control the amount you use.

• Choose Zero or Low-Calorie Beverages: Sugary drinks are a major source of hidden calories in fast food. A large soda can contain around 300 calories, primarily from added sugar, quickly consuming a significant portion of your daily calorie allowance. Milkshakes can be even higher, sometimes reaching 800 calories and a day’s worth of saturated fat. Juices from concentrate and lemonade also add calories and sugar with minimal nutritional benefit. Better beverage choices include water, diet soda, 100% fruit juice in small portions, or unsweetened tea.

• Be Wise About Sides: Be cautious of meals that include multiple side dishes. Sides like fries, chips, rice, noodles, onion rings, coleslaw, macaroni and cheese, biscuits, and mashed potatoes with gravy can drastically increase the calorie count. Healthier side options include side salads with light dressing, baked potatoes (watch the toppings), fresh fruit cups, corn on the cob, or apple slices.

• Seek Alternatives to French Fries: Whenever possible, choose more nutrient-dense sides from the healthier options listed above to avoid the sluggish feeling often associated with high-calorie fast food meals. If fries are a must, opt for the smallest portion size, which can save you hundreds of calories compared to a large serving.

• Skip the Bacon: Adding bacon to sandwiches and salads might seem like a flavor enhancer, but bacon is low in nutrients and high in saturated fat and calories. For added flavor without the unhealthy fat, try extra pickles, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, or mustard.

Optimizing Nutrient Density in Fast Food Salads

Salads can be a seemingly healthy choice at fast food restaurants, but it’s important to build them wisely to maximize their nutritional benefits.

• Choose Dressings Carefully: Opt for low-fat or fat-free dressings and always ask for them on the side. This gives you control over the amount you use, significantly reducing calorie and fat intake.

• Limit High-Fat Toppings: Avoid or minimize high-fat toppings like bacon bits, cheese, croutons, and crispy noodles. These additions can quickly add hundreds of calories and negate the health benefits of a salad.

• Be Mindful of Taco Salads: Taco salads can be misleadingly unhealthy. Be particularly aware of the deep-fried shells, tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream toppings, which can make them high in fat and calories. If choosing a taco salad, be mindful of these toppings and consider eating only part of the shell.

• Choose Lean Protein Sources: Opt for salads with grilled chicken, shrimp, or vegetables rather than those with breaded chicken or other fried toppings. Grilled protein sources are leaner and healthier.

Healthy Fast Food Choices at Burger Restaurants

A typical fast food meal of a burger, fries, and a soda can easily accumulate to a full day’s worth of calories, especially if frequently consumed. Burgers, especially those with multiple patties, bacon, and cheese, can range from 1,000 to 2,000 calories alone.

To make healthier choices at burger restaurants, focus on portion control and minimizing high-fat toppings and sides. Remember, every component of your meal, from fries to soda or shakes, contributes to the total calorie and fat count.

Tips for Healthier Burger Restaurant Options:

• Single Patty Burgers are Better: Stick to single hamburger patties instead of double or triple burgers. Extra patties dramatically increase calories and unhealthy fats – potentially adding up to 800 calories and 40 grams of fat, much of which is saturated.

• Hold the Mayonnaise or Go Light: Eliminating mayonnaise can save around 100 calories. For added flavor, use extra ketchup or mustard instead.

• Easy on Special Sauces: Special sauces often add significant calories. If you want sauce, ask for it on the side to control the amount.

• Say No to High-Calorie Toppings: Decline bacon, cheese, onion rings, and other calorie-laden burger toppings. For flavor, opt for extra pickles or avocado, which provides healthy fats.

• Consider Plant-Based Options: Explore plant-based burger or sandwich options if available, such as veggie burgers or grilled cheese.

• Skip or Minimize Fries: Avoid fries altogether or choose the smallest size. A large serving of fries can add over 500 calories to your meal.

• Explore the Kid’s Menu: Children’s-sized hamburgers often contain between 250 to 300 calories, making them a better portion-controlled option for adults as well.

Healthier Burger Options:

INSTEAD OF	TRY
Double-patty cheeseburger	Regular, single-patty hamburger without cheese
French fries	Baked potato or a side salad
Chicken “nuggets” or tenders	Grilled chicken strips
Salad with high-fat toppings	Garden salad with grilled chicken and low-fat dressing
Milkshake	Yogurt parfait or a small vanilla sundae in a cup

Healthy Fast Food at Chicken Restaurants

While chicken might seem like a healthier alternative to beef, this isn’t always the case in fast food. Many chicken chain items are surprisingly high in fat and sodium, sometimes even exceeding burger options. While healthier choices are available, it’s important not to automatically equate chicken with “healthy.”

The type of chicken cut also matters. Chicken thighs and wings are typically highest in calories, while chicken breasts and drumsticks are generally lower and thus healthier choices. For breast meat, removing the skin further reduces calories and fat.

Tips for Healthier Chicken Restaurant Options:

• Choose Baked, Grilled, or Broiled: Prefer baked, broiled, or grilled chicken over fried or breaded options. Be especially cautious with chicken nuggets, which can be as high in fat and sodium as burgers, or even higher.

• Monitor Sauces: Be mindful of honey mustard, barbecue sauce, and other special sauces, as each packet can add around 60 calories.

• Consider Sides Carefully: Standard chicken restaurant sides like coleslaw, biscuits, baked beans, mac ‘n cheese, and mashed potatoes are often high in calories. Factor these into your meal planning.

• Avoid Crispy Chicken Sandwiches: Crispy chicken sandwiches are typically fried and fatty. A grilled chicken sandwich is a much healthier alternative. Removing the skin from a grilled chicken sandwich further enhances its health profile.

Healthier Chicken Options:

INSTEAD OF	TRY
Fried chicken, original or extra-crispy	Skinless chicken breast without breading
Teriyaki wings or popcorn chicken	Honey BBQ grilled chicken sandwich
Fried chicken sandwich	Grilled chicken sandwich
Chicken and biscuit “bowl”	Mashed potatoes
Adding extra gravy and sauces	Limiting gravy and sauces

Healthy Fast Food Options at Mexican Restaurants

Mexican fast food restaurants can offer surprisingly healthy options. However, they can also be calorie-dense, particularly items like burritos and nachos that are heavy on cheese and other high-calorie additions.

Portion control is especially important in Mexican fast food, as serving sizes are often large. A good strategy is to eat half of your meal, assess your hunger, and save the rest for later.

Many Mexican chains, including Taco Bell and Chipotle, offer healthier menu items that are lower in fat and calories. Options like whole-wheat tortillas and fresh vegetables are increasingly available. However, even with healthier ingredients, portion sizes can still be large.

Tips for Making Healthier Choices at Mexican Fast Food Restaurants:

• Limit Rice and Beans: Control the portion sizes of rice and beans, including those in burritos, as these starches can significantly increase the meal’s calorie count.

• Skip Sour Cream: Sour cream can add 100 to 200 calories. For a healthier fat source, add avocado or guacamole in moderation.

• Avoid or Limit Chips: Chips are high in calories and sodium.

• Look for Baja-Style Fish Dishes: Fish is a leaner protein choice, often with healthy fats. Opt for grilled fish over fried.

• Choose Soft Tortillas: Soft tortillas, whether corn or flour, are lower in fat and calories than crispy, deep-fried shells. Soft corn tortillas are generally healthier than soft flour tortillas.

• Consider Holding the Cheese: Reducing or omitting cheese in burritos or tacos can save over 100 calories.

• Load Up on Fajita Veggies: Adding fajita vegetables to burritos or bowls is an excellent way to boost flavor and nutrient intake without adding many calories.

Healthier Mexican Options:

INSTEAD OF	TRY
Crispy shell taco	Soft taco
Ground beef or steak	Grilled fish or chicken
Refried beans or pinto beans	Black beans
Crunch wraps or gordita burritos	Grilled “fresco” style steak burrito
Beef or steak burrito	Veggie and bean burrito

Healthy Fast Food Options at Sandwich Chains

Sandwich chains, like Subway, are often perceived as healthier fast food options. While it’s true that healthier choices are available, their menus also have potential pitfalls.

Despite ads promoting health benefits, studies have shown that people can consume more calories per meal at sub shops than at burger restaurants. This can be due to feeling virtuous about choosing a “healthy” option, leading to indulgences in chips, sodas, or extra condiments, which can negate the health benefits of the sandwich itself.

Tips for Healthier Deli and Sandwich Restaurant Options:

• Smaller Subs are Better: Choosing a 6-inch sub over a foot-long can save 500 to 700 calories.

• Opt for Whole-Grain Breads: Select whole-grain buns or bread over white bread, French rolls, or cheese breads.

• Limit Mayonnaise and Condiments: Ask for condiments on the side to control the amount and reduce calorie intake.

• Choose Mustard, Vinegar, or Low-Fat Dressings: Use mustard, vinegar, or low-fat dressings instead of mayonnaise and calorie-heavy special sauces.

• Go Light on Cheese or Skip It: Reduce cheese or omit it entirely to save calories.

• Eat Half Now, Half Later: Plan to eat half of a larger sandwich at one meal and save the other half for later.

• Load Up on Veggies: Add plenty of vegetables like tomato, lettuce, pickles, onions, peppers, and olives to boost nutrient content.

• Swap Chips for Healthier Sides: Replace chips with healthier, nutrient-dense sides like an apple, small side salad, or yogurt.

Healthier Sandwich Options:

INSTEAD OF	TRY
Foot-long sub	Six-inch sub
High-fat meats (ham, tuna salad, bacon, meatballs, steak)	Lean meat (roast beef, chicken breast, lean ham) or veggies
“Normal” amount of higher-fat cheese (cheddar, American)	One or two slices of lower-fat cheese (Swiss or mozzarella)
Keeping the sub “as is” with all toppings	Subbing out cheese and meat for extra veggie toppings
Choosing white bread or “wraps” (often higher in fat than bread)	Choosing whole-grain bread or eating the sub open-faced

Healthy Fast Food at Pizza Restaurants

Pizza is generally not considered a health food due to its high calorie content and typical load of fatty meats and cheese with limited nutritional value. Just two slices can easily contain 600 calories and a full day’s worth of sodium and saturated fat. However, occasional pizza indulgence is possible within a healthy diet with smart choices. Sodium content in pizza is inherently high, so limiting sodium intake in surrounding meals is advisable.

Portion control is key with pizza. Be mindful of slice count and size. A large slice can be almost 40% bigger than a medium slice, with a corresponding calorie increase. Personal pan pizzas can also be deceivingly high in calories, often 800 calories or more. If choosing a personal pizza, consider eating half and saving the rest.

Tips for Healthier Pizza Restaurant Options:

• Thin Crust is Best: Order thin crust instead of regular crust, and avoid deep-dish or pan pizza. Thin crust is lower in calories and more authentically Italian.

• Light Cheese Please: Request light cheese on your pizza. You can also consider substituting lower-calorie ricotta cheese for mozzarella. At minimum, avoid extra cheese.

• Load Up on Veggie Toppings: Add plenty of vegetable toppings like tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, spinach, artichokes, garlic, onion, and broccoli.

• Limit High-Fat Meat Toppings: Minimize pepperoni, bacon, sausage, Philly meat, ham, and beef. Chicken is a leaner meat option.

• Avoid Pasta: Pasta dishes at fast food pizza restaurants are often less healthy than pizza, typically consisting of large servings of refined-carb noodles and meat-heavy sauces.

• Skip the Sides: Say no to garlic knots, mozzarella sticks, and cheesy bread to cut calories, excess carbs, and unhealthy fats. Pizza itself is usually filling enough.

Healthier Pizza and Italian Options:

INSTEAD OF	TRY
Cheese-filled or deep dish pizza	Thin-crust pizza (whole-wheat, if available)
Meat lover’s pizza	Veggie lover’s pizza
Pepperoni, meatballs, sausage	Chicken
Bacon	Canadian bacon (90% less fat than regular bacon)
Garlic or “cheesy” bread	Plain rolls or breadsticks

Healthy Fast Food at Chinese and Asian Restaurants

Asian fast food might seem healthier due to the presence of vegetables, but it can be surprisingly high in calories and fat if you’re not careful. While balanced meals are possible, Asian fast food tends to be very high in sodium, making it best for occasional indulgence rather than regular consumption.

Tips for Healthier Asian Restaurant Options:

• Easy on the Rice: Control rice portions. Avoid fried rice, which is high in fat, calories, and sodium. Steamed white rice is a healthier choice, and brown rice is even better due to its fiber content.

• Limit Noodles: Fried noodles are high in calories, carbs, sodium, and unhealthy fats. Choose smaller portions of lo mein, chow mein, and chow fun, or skip noodles altogether.

• Say No to Pork Dishes: Pork dishes are generally higher in fat compared to other meat options.

• Limit Sauce-Heavy Dishes: Avoid dishes with heavy sauces like orange chicken and Beijing beef, as well as anything labeled General Tso’s, Kung Pao, BBQ, or Sweet and Sour, which are high in calories and added sugar.

• Skip Deep-Fried Sides: Avoid fatty, deep-fried sides like fried wontons, egg rolls, tempura, BBQ spareribs, and crab Rangoon.

• Use Chopsticks: Eating with chopsticks can slow down your eating pace, potentially leading to feeling full sooner and preventing overeating.

Healthier Asian Options:

INSTEAD OF	TRY
Deep-fried starters (egg rolls, tempura, fried wontons)	Soup (egg drop, miso, wonton, or hot & sour soup)
Battered or deep-fried dishes	Stir-fried, steamed, roasted or broiled dishes (chow mein, chop suey)
Fried rice	Steamed rice (brown instead of white rice, if available)
Sweet and sour sauce or regular soy sauce	Hot chili sauce or low-sodium soy sauce
Meat-based dishes	Vegetable-based dishes

Healthy Fast Food Breakfasts

Breakfast is often rushed, making fast food a convenient option. However, many fast food breakfasts are very high in fat, saturated fat, and sodium, sometimes even exceeding daily recommended limits in a single meal. Calorie counts can also be very high, sometimes over 1,000 calories. Healthier choices are available on most menus by focusing on fiber and protein, while minimizing fat.

Tips for a Healthier Fast Food Breakfast:

• Limit Sausage, Bacon, and Steak: These meats are high in saturated fat. Leaner breakfast meat options include turkey, Canadian bacon, and ham.

• Be Mindful of Baked Goods: Breakfast pastries, loaves, and muffins are often high in sugar and surprisingly high in sodium.

• Focus on Fiber: High-fiber choices include bran muffins, oatmeal, and granola (be mindful of added sugar in these options).

• Easy on Cheese and Sauces: Ask for breakfast sauces on the side to control calorie intake.

• Minimize or Avoid Breakfast Burritos: Breakfast burritos tend to be high in carbs, calories, sodium, and fat. If choosing one, opt for a smaller portion.

• Choose Toast or English Muffins Over Biscuits: Biscuits are usually higher in calories and fat than toast or English muffins.

Healthier Breakfast Options:

INSTEAD OF	TRY
Bagel with cream cheese	English muffin with jam
Egg on a biscuit	Egg on wheat toast
Donut or pastry	Low-fat bran muffin
Smoothie	Yogurt with granola and fruit
French toast sticks	Oatmeal

Conclusion: Making Informed Choices for a Healthier Lifestyle

While fast food might not be synonymous with health food, making “healthy choices from fast food” is absolutely achievable. By understanding nutritional information, practicing portion control, and making smart substitutions, you can navigate fast food menus without completely derailing your healthy eating habits. The key takeaway is to approach fast food with awareness and make informed decisions. Moderation is also crucial – fast food can be an occasional convenience, but shouldn’t become a dietary staple. By applying these guidelines, you can enjoy fast food in a way that aligns with your health and wellness goals.

Last updated or reviewed on January 16, 2025