It may seem straightforward enough to cook and eat foods at home when you’re eating healthy, but how often have you found yourself out and about, yet you still want to eat healthfully. It can seem nearly impossible to stick to your plan if you’re on the road, need a quick lunch, or are grabbing a bite with friends. So, what are the best quick service restaurants with healthy eating out options when you’re on a diet? You may be surprised how easily you can stay on track once you know how to make better choices on the go.
When You Need Food—Fast
In this modern, fast-paced world, with crazy work schedules, lack of downtime, kids’ activities, traffic jams, and more, it’s no wonder we find it so difficult to shop for healthy food and to cook at home all the time. You’ve got to wonder just how, exactly, you’re supposed to go through your day as a superhero, get all your work done, get in a workout, shop, and then, on top of it all, throw together a healthy meal at the end of the day (not to mention clean up!). While tips like simple meal prep can help (a lot!), let’s face it, at times, we may find ourselves in a pickle, on the road, with nothing healthy to eat.
That’s why many of us find ourselves in line at the drive-thru, desperately hoping to bring home something halfway decent to give ourselves and our families. Or simply deciding to throw in the towel and eat “whatever’s on the menu” (just for one night).
Does quick service or fast food mean you’re doomed to eating junk and have no healthy options? The answer is a resounding, “no”! You can find healthier eating out options at most of your common fast food and quick service restaurants. More and more restaurants are jumping on the health bandwagon and providing both nutritional info as well as healthier meal choices for their patrons. So, it’s not as hard as you think to make good fast food choices when you’re out and about.
Take the time to look at menus and the nutrition value charts of the foods at the spots you find yourself at most often. In fact, eating at a fast food restaurant (versus a sit-down restaurant) may almost make it easier to be on point with your nutrition because all of their food is typically consistent, and you can check out the nutritional information in advance on their websites.
What Are the Healthy Eating Out Options from Fast Food Restaurants?
What are some healthier choices you can make if you find yourself on the road and short on time? Try the following selections from some of these popular quick-service spots:
Chipotle
Chipotle has an entire section on their site dedicated to helping you customize your meal according to your diet plan (available at chipotle.com/dietary-options). You’ll find options for:
- Lower Calorie
- Lower Fat
- Lower Sodium
- Lower Carb
- High Protein
- Vegan
- Dairy-Free
- Gluten-Free
- Paleo
- No Added Sugar
Here are a few of their healthy eating out options:
- Chicken Bowl with fajita veggies, salsa, romaine lettuce, and guacamole
- Vegetarian burrito
- Salad with steak, fajita veggies, corn salsa, and dressing on the side
Click Here to See Chipotle Nutrition Information
Subway
Subway has a Subway Fresh Fit symbol which designates healthier fare on their menu. You can find it here!
Here are a few healthy eating out options:
- 6” Turkey Breast Sandwich on 9-Grain Wheat Bread
- 6” Veggie Delite
- Rotisserie-Style Chicken Salad
Click Here to See Subway Nutrition Information
Starbucks
Starbucks offers a lighter version of both their food and drink menus. You can find them below:
Of course, you’ll still need to use discretion to avoid those choices loaded with excess sugars, but there are still plenty of healthy eating out options:
- Greek Yogurt Parfait
- Spinach, Feta & Cage-Free Egg White Wrap
- Teavana Shaken Iced Passion Tango Tea
- Nonfat Iced Carmel Macchiato
- Caffe Americano
Click Here to See Starbucks Nutrition Information
Chick-Fil-A
When you visit their website, you’ll find that each food item on the menu, once clicked, will open to a page with all the nutritional information listed for you.
Here are a few of their healthy eating out options:
- Grilled Nuggets
- Grilled Chicken Cool Wrap
- Market Salad
Click Here to See Chick-Fil-A Nutrition Information
Dunkin Donuts
While you likely know donuts are off the menu for a healthy diet, Dunkin Donuts has a healthier choice menu called DDSmart, and you can see what’s featured here.
Here are a few of their healthy eating out options:
- Veggie Egg White Flatbread
- Reduced Fat Blueberry Muffin
- Oatmeal
Click Here to See Dunkin Donuts Nutrition Information
Wendy’s
Wendy’s has a mobile app, so you can take a look at the nutritional information while in line or in the drive-thru.
Here are a few healthier options:
- Power Mediterranean Chicken Salad
- Spicy Chicken Caesar
- Grilled Chicken Wrap
Click Here to See Wendy’s Nutrition Information
McDonald’s
While not at the top of my list, sometimes you need to eat, and this is the only food you can find. Fortunately, they do have some healthier options, such as:
- Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad
- Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich
- Apple Slices
- Fruit ‘N Yogurt Parfait
Click Here to See McDonald’s Nutrition Information
Burger King
Again, this wouldn’t be a first choice, but sometimes you may find yourself out and about, hungry, and looking for healthier options. Here are a few to consider:
- Chicken Garden Salad
- Grilled Chicken Sandwich
- MorningStar Veggie Burger
Click Here to See Burger King Nutrition Information
Taco Bell
Did you know Taco Bell has a Vegetarian Menu?
Here are a few healthy eating out options:
- Power Menu Bowl Veggie
- Mini Skillet Bowl
- Black Beans
Click Here to See Taco Bell Nutrition Information
Your Healthiest fast Food Options: A Recap
As you can see, there are many lower calorie and higher protein options to choose from at most fast food and quick service restaurants. While the choices may not always be exactly what you’d eat if you were at home, sometimes you have to choose the best you can from the choices at hand.
Finally, to make things even easier on you when you’re away from home and can’t access the quick service restaurant nutrition guides, you can use an app. Try My Fitness Pal, Lose It, Spark People, or others, which you can easily find in the App Store or Google Play (depending on your phone). And, many of these restaurants even have their own apps to help you make the best food choices you can.
You Might Like
