The Healthiest Options at the Most Popular Fast Food Chains, Revealed (2024)

Looking for lunch on the go? This packable favorite (their PB&J Protein Box is another great option), comes with two hard-boiled eggs, sliced apples, grapes, white Cheddar cheese, multigrain muesli bread, and honey peanut butter. It’s a delicious mix of sweet and salty ingredients with plenty of fiber and protein—it clocks in at 22 grams of protein—to keep you full and satisfied. We love that it mostly consists of real, unprocessed foods and it couldn’t be easier to slip into a purse or backpack.

Nutrition info: 460 calories, 24 g fat (7 g g saturated fat), 40 g carbs (5 g fiber, 21 g sugar), 450 mg sodium, 22 g protein

While some of this chain restaurant’s mains contain sugary sauces, their wok-tossed chicken breast, string bean, and onion dish features a mild ginger soy sauce that’s relatively low in sweetness. It’s one of Panda Express’s “wok smart” menu items, which includes dishes with eight grams of protein or more and less than 300 calories.

Nutrition info: 190 calories, 9 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 13 g carbs (4 g fiber, 4 g sugar), 590 mg sodium, 14 g protein

“This nutrient packed salad is overflowing with a variety of fruits and veggies which is very rare for a fast food restaurant,” says Lauren Harris-Pincus, M.S., R.D.N., founder of NutritionStarringYOU.com and author of The Everything Easy Pre-Diabetes Cookbook. “It features sliced grilled chicken breast served on a fresh bed of mixed greens, topped with crumbled blue cheese and a mix of red and green apples, strawberries, and blueberries. It’s served with harvest nut granola and roasted almonds as well.”

Nutrition info: 540 calories, 31 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 41 g carbs (5 g fiber, 26 g sugar), 1,020 mg sodium, 28 g protein (note that some sugar from fresh fruit is not added)

This hearty dish is packed with brown rice and quinoa, chicken raised without antibiotics, arugula, grape tomatoes, Kalamata olives, cucumbers, hummus, lemon tahini dressing, feta, and Greek yogurt. “It’s a meal loaded with protein, fiber, and heart healthy fats to keep you satisfied for a while and save you the trouble of assembling all of these lovely ingredients at home,” says Harris-Pincus. “The sodium is a bit high and you can lower that by skipping or reducing the cheese and asking for dressing on the side and using less.”

Nutrition info: 640 calories, 32 g fat (7 g saturated fat), 68 g carbs (8 g fiber, 7 g sugar), 1460 mg sodium, 26 g protein

Next time you find yourself at Dairy Queen craving a classic fast food staple, opt for the kids’ hamburger, which can be served with a banana and milk. If you can’t kick the craving for a sweet treat, go for a kids’ vanilla ice cream cone (170 calories).

“I often encourage my clients to get a kids’ meal, because it can give people the portion control they’re looking for, helping them keep calories, saturated fat, and sodium in check,” says Bethany Doerfler, a nutritionist at Northwestern Medicine.

Nutrition info: 350 calories, 14 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 35 g carbs (1 g fiber, 7 g sugar), 620 mg sodium, 20 g protein

Did you know you can customize your order at Taco Bell? This makes it even easier to choose a healthy option. Start with the Power Menu Bowl, then skip the added cheese and sour cream.“Those are two big areas of high fat and high calories,” says Rachel Lustgarten, a clinical dietitian at the Comprehensive Weight Control Center at Weill-Cornell Medicine.

A few more options to lighten things up include swapping in lettuce for the rice as the base, and ditching the chicken. With a ton of veggies, beans, guacamole and pico de gallo sauce, the vegetarian version will still satisfy.

A Power Menu Bowl without chicken, added sauce, cheese, sour cream, and rice is just 190 calories with 6 grams fat and 3 grams sugar, making it ideal for a mini meal or craving-crushing snack.

Nutrition info: 500-930 calories, depending on what you add to your bowl.

This pizza chain may be famous for its stuffed crust pizzas and gooey cheese sticks, but for health purposes, you’ll want to check out Pizza Hut’s thin-crust options.

“Adding vegetables to pizza is a way to increase nutrient density of an old time favorite,” says Evans. Good news: The Veggie Lover’s pizza comes with mushrooms, onions, green bell peppers, Roma tomatoes, and black olives. That’s a lot of produce! And a medium-sized pie clocks in at 170 calories per slice.

Nutrition info (per slice): 170 calories, 5 g fat (2.5 g saturated fat), 410 mg sodium, 23 g carbs (2 g fiber, 4 g sugar), 8 g protein

Craving comfort? Wendy’s offers up a serious dose of feel-good with its classic chili served over a baked potato side. A small side of Wendy’s Chili con Carne is just 253 calories, while the plain baked potato is 232 calories—and both are good sources of satiating fiber.

Nutrition info for chili: 253 calories, 13 g fat (5.5 g saturated fat), 15 g carbs (1.9 g fiber, 3.5 g sugar) 1.5 g sodium, 19 g protein

Nutrition info for baked potato: 232 calories, 5.4 g fat (3.4 g saturated fat), 39 g carbs (4.7 g fiber, 2.4 g sugar), 1.9 g sodium, 4.4 g protein

Whether this fast food chain is called Hardee’s or Carl’s Jr. in your region, one thing remains consistent: It likes its burgers tall, fatty, and gooey with cheese.

That makes it a challenge to find a more nutritious option, but it's not impossible. The chain has a few workable options, including a Charbroiled BBQ Chicken Sandwich. Ask for the sauce on the side (you’ll likely add less yourself than the chef), and you’ll sit down to a savory sandwich with about 210 calories and 3.5 grams of fat. Even so, you won’t want to make this option a go-to. Like most fast food meals it’s high in salt, packing nearly a half day’s worth of sodium.

Nutrition info: 370 calories, 5 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 49 g carbs (1 g fiber, 14 g sugar), 1210 mg sodium, 33 g protein

Simple and fueling, the Wake-Up Wrap can be made to order with your choice of protein and with or without cheese. The turkey sausage option is low in calories and high in protein, with a reasonable amount of sodium.

Nutrition info: 240 calories, 15 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 15 g carbohydrates (0 g fiber, 1 g sugar), 680 mg sodium, 11 g protein

McDonald’s classic burger—seasoned with salt and pepper and topped with pickles, chopped onions, ketchup, and mustard— actually isn’t all that bad for you compared to other items on their menu. “If you have to have a burger, this will do the least damage,” says Lisa DeFazio, R.D. Consider ditching the bun if you’re craving the protein and don’t want the carbs.

Nutrition info: 250 calories, 9 g fat (3.5 g saturated fat), 31 g carbs (1 g fiber, 6 g sugar), 510 mg sodium, 12 g protein

More of a BK person? The Burger King classic hamburger stacks up almost identically to the McDonald’s burger, nutrition-wise. It has 13 grams of protein for less than 300 calories and contains zero trans fats. To cut back on salt, fat, and sugar, consider skipping the fries and opting for a seltzer water instead of a soda.

Nutrition info: 250 calories, 10 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 29 g carbs (1 g fiber, 7 g sugar), 560 mg sodium, 13 g protein

A 6-inch turkey sub at Subway is one of the healthiest items on the menu, if you forgo the cheese and condiments and opt for their nine-grain wheat bread. DeFazio also suggests adding some avocado for healthy fat and mustard or vinegar to boost the flavor.

Nutrition info: 280 calories, 3.5 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 46 g carbs (5 g fiber, 7 g sugar), 760 mg sodium, 18 g protein

With a few small tweaks, you can find a healthier option at Domino’s. Opt for thin-crust. Then, ask to go light on the cheese and load up on protein-rich grilled chicken and an abundance of veggies, suggests Laura Cipullo, R.D., the founder of Laura Cipullo Whole Nutrition in New York City.

Choose a variety of veggies to reap more health (and flavor!) benefits. “Add broccoli for cancer-fighting free radicals and calcium,” she explains. “Olives are also a great choice because of their monounsaturated fat, but be mindful of their high-sodium content.” But be sure to drink plenty of water, since the pizza will still probably be high in sodium. Note that the nutritional info of your slices will change, depending on how many vegetables you add to your dish.

Nutrition info: 143 calories, 6.5 g fat, 15 carbs (2 g sugar), 290 mg sodium, 5.5 g protein

This salad is made with antibiotic-free chicken, arugula, romaine, baby kale, red leaves, grape tomatoes, red onions, toasted pecan pieces, gorgonzola cheese, and apple chips tossed in sweet white balsamic vinaigrette. “It’s very fresh and gourmet,” says DeFazio. DeFazio also says it’s high in protein and includes lots of fruits and veggies.

Nutrition info (full size): 560 calories, 34 g fat (7 g saturated fat), 38 g carbs (6 g fiber, 22 g sugar), 850 mg sodium, 27 g protein

“It’s refreshing to find tofu on a quick service menu! And combined with eggplant, it’s a double pleasure,“ says Harris-Pincus. “This vegetarian style dish consists of lightly browned tofu, eggplant, and red bell peppers tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce. Order with a side of veggies to soak up that extra sauce and add even more nutrition and fiber to the meal. It’s also notably lower in sodium than most Panda Express entrees at 520 mg.”

Nutrition info: 340 calories, 24 g fat (3.5 g saturated fat), 23 g carbs (3 g fiber, 17 g sugar), 520 mg sodium, 7 g protein

Some of the pastries you see in the display case at Starbucks have just as many calories as a fast food burger—and don’t have a ton of good-for-you nutrients. The coffee chain’s fiber-rich hot oatmeal options, however, are a different story.

To keep your sugar intake to a minimum, pass on the optional sugar add-ins. The 410-calorie Rolled and Steel Cut Oatmeal comes with brown sugar, and you can choose your own toppings, including dried cranberries, raisins, and nuts.

“Women in particular often benefit from a nice dose of whole grains, because it’s the best way to get magnesium, something often lacking in their diets and essential in reducing insulin resistance,” says Doerfler.

Nutrition info: 410 calories, 12 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat), 67 g carbs (7 g fiber, 34 g sugar), 140 mg sodium, 8 g protein

While these wraps are made with grilled chicken, lettuce, red cabbage, carrots, and cheese all wrapped in a flaxseed-flour flat bread, they’re relatively high in sodium. DeFazio points out that this is common for most menu items found at fast food restaurants. What makes them a good option, however, is that they’re very high in fiber and protein.

Nutrition info: 660 calories, 45 g fat (9 g saturated fat), 32 g carbs (14 g fiber, 5 g sugar), 1420 mg sodium, 43 g protein

“These tasty bites are made with cage-free egg whites combined with Monterey Jack cheese, spinach, and fire-roasted red peppers and cooked using the French sous vide technique to create a velvety texture that’s full of flavor. Pair with a piece of fruit to up the fiber,” says Harris-Pincus.

Nutrition info: 170 calories, 8 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 11 g carbs (0 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 470 mg sodium, 12 g protein