rather than rolling up and trying to guess what you think is the least unsavory option, we ’ ve tapped a handful of nutritionists to tell us precisely what to order at every fast food restaurant. immediately, some of these experts are advocates of not breaking any nutrition rules—even at the drive thru, which means you ’ ll be ordering a la cart and tossing half the meal just to score the perfective dowry of protein, carbs, and fats. early R.D.s are a bit more lenient, adopting the attitude that you can enjoy a key signature burger a long as you ’ re not doing it every workweek. even with this carpe diem, though, they recommend opting for the best of the worst to minimize wrong.
There are a few blanket rules every ridicule should follow when getting anything to go, says Alexandra Miller, RDN, LDN, corporate dietician at Medifast. The most significant : skip the sodium carbonate, choose for lean meats, order salad dressing on the slope, and keep condiments to a minimal. That way you minimize the come of add sugar and salt you ’ ra getting .
As for precisely what jazz band meal you should opt for, check out these nutritionist-approved meals at 50 of your favored fast food restaurants .
Contents
- 1 The experts
- 2 1. Carl’s Jr.
- 3 2. Checkers
- 4 3. Chick-fil-A
- 5 4. Chipotle
- 6 5. Dairy Queen
- 7 6. Del Taco
- 8 7. Captain D’s Seafood Kitchen
- 9 8. Don Pablo’s
- 10 9. Dunkin Donuts
- 11 10. El Pollo Loco
- 12 11. Famous Dave’s
- 13 12. Hardee’s
- 14 13. Jack in the Box
- 15 14. Jimmy John’s
- 16 15. Qdoba
- 17 16. Roy Rodgers
- 18 17. Schlotzkys
- 19 18. Sonic Drive-In
- 20 19. Taco Bell
- 21 20. Subway
- 22 21. Steak ‘n Shake
- 23 22. Tim Horton’s
- 24 23. A&W
- 25 24. Arby’s
- 26 25. Atlanta Bread Co.
- 27 26. Auntie Anne’s
- 28 27. Au Bon Pain
- 29 28. Baja Fresh
- 30 29. Bojangles
- 31 30. Boston Market
- 32 31. Starbucks
- 33 32. KFC
- 34 33. Krystal
- 35 34. Long John Silver’s
- 36 35. McDonald’s
- 37 36. Moe’s Mexican Grill
- 38 37. Mrs. Winner’s Chicken & Biscuits
- 39 38. Panera Bread
- 40 39. Pizza Hut
- 41 40. Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits
- 42 41. Potbelly Sandwich Works
- 43 42. Waffle House
- 44 43. Wendy’s
- 45 44. Whataburger
- 46 45. White Castle
- 47 46. Zaxby’s
- 48 47. Burger King
- 49 48. Culver’s
- 50 49. In N’ Out Burger
- 51 50. Taco John’s
The experts
– New York-based dietician Keri Gans, R.D.N., author of The Small Change Diet
– Michelle Shepherd, R.D., fall through of Westcoast Nutrition
– Nutrition and fitness adept, Janet Brill, Ph.D., R.D.N .
– Nutritionist and transformational health coach Emily Littlefield, collapse of Emily ’ s Powerfoods Living
– New York-based dietician Jessica Cording, R.D.
– Alexandra Miller, R.D.N., L.D.N., corporate dietician at Medifast
1. Carl’s Jr.
What to order: Single All Natural Burger without the tall mallow and mayonnaise or Chicken Club without the bacon ; pair either with the Garden Salad, but only use half the dressing
Approved by: Gans
2. Checkers
What to order: Checker Burger or Big Chicken Deluxe
Approved by: Gans
3. Chick-fil-A
What to order: Grilled Chicken Sandwich with a fruit cup
Approved by: Gans
4. Chipotle
What to order: Salad with steak, black beans, roasted chili corn salsa, and either tall mallow or guacamole
Approved by: Gans
5. Dairy Queen
What to order: Garden Green Salad with barbecued chicken or Grilled Chicken Sandwich with a side salad
Approved by: Gans
6. Del Taco
What to order: Fresco Bowl Pollo Asado with avocado
Approved by: Gans
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7. Captain D’s Seafood Kitchen
What to order: Grilled salmon over rice with a double order of broccoli as the sides
Approved by: Gans
8. Don Pablo’s
What to order: Lunch-sized Mesquite Grilled Chicken Fajitas with corn tortillas and a soap of guacamole
Approved by: Sheperd
9. Dunkin Donuts
What to order: Two Egg White Flatbreads, but take the egg out of one, add it to the second sandwich and toss the first flatbread
Approved by: Sheperd
10. El Pollo Loco
What to order: Chicken Black Bean Bowl
Approved by: Sheperd
11. Famous Dave’s
What to order: Bowl of chili
Approved by: Sheperd
12. Hardee’s
What to order: Build your own burger with a quarter-pound Little Thickburger, extra lettuce, tomato, onion and light catsup ; opt for the low-carb Thickburger on non-training days .
Approved by: Sheperd
13. Jack in the Box
What to order: Whole texture chicken fajita pita and apple bites
Approved by: Sheperd
14. Jimmy John’s
What to order: Vegetarian or Totally Tuna 8-inch sandwich, but tear off half the bun and eat sandwich open faced
Approved by: Sheperd
15. Qdoba
What to order: Four greaser filled with grill chicken, beans, veggies, salsa, guacamole, and pico de gallo
Approved by: Brill
16. Roy Rodgers
What to order: Grilled Chicken Sandwich with a adust potato, side salad, and an apple
Approved by: Brill
17. Schlotzkys
What to order: Homestyle Tuna Wrap
Approved by: Brill
18. Sonic Drive-In
What to order: Grilled Chicken Sandwich with apple slices
Approved by: Brill
19. Taco Bell
What to order: Black Bean Burrito with guacamole, salsa, veggies, and rice
Approved by: Brill
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20. Subway
What to order: Any of the Fresh fit sandwiches, but the best is probably turkey breast with extra veggies and no mayonnaise
Approved by: Brill
21. Steak ‘n Shake
What to order: Chili, vegetable soup, and applesauce
Approved by: Brill
22. Tim Horton’s
What to order: Oatmeal with 1 % chocolate milk
Approved by: Brill
23. A&W
What to order: Bacon Double Cheeseburger with signature sauces, but take off the bun .
Approved by: Littlefield
24. Arby’s
What to order: Roast Turkey Farmhouse Salad and a Chicken Sandwich. Add the protein from the sandwich to the salad and toss the bread .
Approved by: Littlefield
25. Atlanta Bread Co.
What to order: Choose either the Bacon Morning Classic, spanish Omelet, or Tomato Bacon Omelet and add a side of solid grain oatmeal and fresh yield salad .
Approved by: Littlefield
26. Auntie Anne’s
What to order: Jumbo Pretzel dog or mini dogs, bread removed, with mustard .
Approved by: Littlefield
27. Au Bon Pain
What to order: Mayan Chicken Harvest Hot Bowl
Approved by: Littlefield
28. Baja Fresh
What to order: Order the Baja BBQ Chicken Salad and Tasty Burritos, then take out the burrito kernel, veggies, and toppings and add them to the salad. Toss the tortilla .
Approved by: Littlefield
29. Bojangles
What to order: Order two grilled Chicken wheat wraps, a side of green beans, and a broiled chicken salad. Take the protein from the wrapping and put it on your salad .
Approved by: Littlefield
30. Boston Market
What to order: The half chicken
Approved by: Littlefield
31. Starbucks
What to order: Choose any two breakfast sandwiches, take off the muffins and eat the rest
Approved by: Littlefield
32. KFC
What to order: Order the Kentucky Grilled Chicken breast or second joint, corn whiskey on the black-backed gull, green beans, and house side salad. Put the chicken and veggies on the salad alternatively of using dressing, or use light italian dressing .
Approved by: Cording
33. Krystal
What to order: Order three of the bacon or sausage toast sandwiches, but eat just the egg and cheese and toss the boodle and meat .
Approved by: Cording
34. Long John Silver’s
What to order: Baked Cod or Baked Shrimp with seasoned green beans and a bake potato
Approved by: Cording
35. McDonald’s
What to order: Order either a salad with grill chicken and no dress, an Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich, or the Egg White Delight McMuffin .
Approved by: Cording
36. Moe’s Mexican Grill
What to order: Skip the wrap and order a “ streaker, ” which is no tortilla or shell. Fill with list proteins like chicken, bean curd, fish, or scrambled eggs, beans, lots of veggies, and coriander. Skip the rice and stay light on dips, sauces, and tall mallow .
Approved by: Cording
37. Mrs. Winner’s Chicken & Biscuits
What to order: Order fried chicken and a side of k beans, but scrape breading off the wimp and eat just the white kernel .
Approved by: Cording
38. Panera Bread
What to order: Order either the Lentil Quinoa Broth Bowl with chicken or testis ; Avocado, egg white, and spinach Breakfast Power Sandwich ; or classical Salad with Chicken, wholly with an apple on the side .
Approved by: Cording
39. Pizza Hut
What to order: One slice of small, sparse & crisp or cheeseparing slit with veggies on lead and a slope garden salad. rate naked, non-breaded wings to put on top of the salad .
Approved by: Cording
40. Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits
What to order: Order off the “ live well ” menu : Red Beans & Rice or Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya, plus a side of green beans .
Approved by: Cording
41. Potbelly Sandwich Works
What to order: Opt for a T-K-Y Skinny on multigrain bread for lean protein and 1/3 less kernel and cheese than their regular sandwiches .
Approved by: Cording
42. Waffle House
What to order: Two eggs, one serve of City Ham, dry wholly pale yellow toast, and tomatoes
Approved by: Miller
43. Wendy’s
What to order: Power Mediterranean Chicken Salad or asian Cashew Chicken Salad with dressing on the side
Approved by: Miller
44. Whataburger
What to eat: Whataburger Jr. or Grilled Chicken Sandwich with apple slices
Approved by: Miller
45. White Castle
What to order: My Size Slider ( either grilled chicken, original, or cheese slider ) with folderol and low-fat milk or water
Approved by: Miller
46. Zaxby’s
What to order: The Caesar-Grilled Salad with no croutons and dressing on the slope or five chicken wings with celery ( no ranch dressing or fries )
Approved by: Miller
47. Burger King
What to order: Whopper Jr. or Tendergrill Grilled Chicken Sandwich, no mayonnaise on either and add a garden side salad
Approved by: Miller
48. Culver’s
What to order: Value Basket : Butterburger single and a side salad with boo french dressing
Approved by: Miller
49. In N’ Out Burger
What to order: Protein Style ground beef, cheeseburger, or double double, which comes with a lettuce leaf rather of hamburger bun, and no sides
Approved by: Miller
50. Taco John’s
What to order: Breakfast Egg Burrito with salsa or pico de gallo, no sour cream or cheese or the Beef Taco Salad with house dressing on the side
Approved by: Miller
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