Written by
John Carter
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Packing a healthy, home-cooked lunch every day requires a lot of planning and preparation — and with busy schedules, it’s often simply not done. Pressed for time, many of us give up on cooking a nutritious meal and opt for a fast-food restaurant out of convenience.
Fortunately, there are plenty of excellent, nutrient-dense fast food options to choose from that will help fill you up while helping you lose weight. Here are eight healthy fast food meals you can eat when looking to keep calories low:
Wendy’s now offers several healthy options to choose from including the Grilled Chicken Wrap. This tasty wrap is served on a small tortilla with crisp lettuce, cheddar cheese, a small grilled chicken breast, and your choice of sauce. Avoiding the added fats from fried chicken, this delicious grilled chicken wrap comes out to about 270 calories and offers 20 grams of protein.
To make it a full meal, add a small side of chili for an additional 240 calories and 16 grams of protein. Not only is this meal low in calories, but it’ll help you stay full throughout the day.
If you find yourself near a Chick-Fil-A, there are plenty of healthy options to choose from. One simple choice is the 8-piece grilled chicken nugget meal. These bite-sized pieces of marinated boneless chicken breast are grilled and packed with 25 grams of protein and will only set you back 130 calories.
The meal also comes with your choice of sauce, including the classic Chick-fil-A sauce, BBQ, honey mustard, or buffalo — each under 140 calories. This is a great protein-packed meal to fill you up and keep your energy high!
If you find yourself on the hungrier side, Chipotle has you covered. Rather than choosing a base of rice, ask for a salad bowl at the counter. You can then add on your choice of meat, freshly grilled fajita vegetables, and multiple salsas. Additional higher-calorie add-ons include cheese, guacamole, and sour cream.
The guacamole is packed full of healthy fats and this nutritious salad will only cost you about 500 calories, depending on what toppings you choose. On top of that, this nutrient-dense meal contains more than 30 grams of protein, helping you feel full.
McDonald’s has gotten a bad rep over the years, but not everything on their menu deserves that reputation. In fact, you can actually find some pretty healthy options at McDonald’s if you look in the right places.
If you’re looking for a quick breakfast on the way to work, an egg McMuffin is a perfect choice. For only 300 calories you’ll get a freshly cracked grade-A egg on top of a toasted English muffin with Canadian bacon and melted American cheese. This simple breakfast option is quick, easy, and filling with 18 grams of protein.
Another healthy option at Chick-fil-A is the grilled chicken sandwich. The lemon-herb marinated grilled chicken breast is served on a toasted multigrain bun with green leaf lettuce and a crisp tomato.
Make it your own and ask for your choice of sauce to slather on top. For only 380 calories, you’ll get 28 grams of protein and only 44 grams of carbs. Opting for the grilled chicken sandwich is a simple way to avoid the added fats of fried chicken.
A recent addition as part of Panera’s push toward healthier options, this multigrain bowl will do more than just satisfy your hunger. The Greek-inspired dish is served on a fresh bed of arugula with brown rice and quinoa on top. Served with grilled citrus-flavored chicken and topped with cheese, red grape tomatoes, kalamata olives, hummus, and feta cheese — this is a great option if you’re looking for a larger meal.
For only 650 calories, this nutrient-dense grain bowl contains 32 grams of protein to keep you full and satisfied throughout the day.
Chick-fil-A might be leading all of the competition by creating more healthy, nutritious meal options that taste just as good. Another great option is the Lemon Kale Caesar Salad. Served on a bed of romaine lettuce and fresh kale, this salad is served with juicy grilled chicken nuggets, shaved parmesan cheese, and a lemon wedge.
The caesar salad pairs extremely well with the lemon caesar vinaigrette dressing. For only 470 calories, it comes packed with 43 grams of protein to help you stay on track with your weight loss goal!
Another quick and easy breakfast option is the oatmeal from Starbucks. This breakfast staple from Starbucks is a blend of rolled and steel-cut oats served with dried fruits, a medley of fresh nuts, and brown sugar to sweeten it up! With 5 grams of protein and 28 grams of carbs, the Starbucks oatmeal is hearty, nutritious way to start any day.
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And there you have it — eight healthy, nutritious fast food meals that will help you lose weight and stay satisfied for longer. Although it takes some discipline at first, you’ll quickly learn that fast-food chains do offer a variety of healthy, nutrient-dense choices. Not only are these meals high in protein and low in calories, but they’ll help you stay on track with any diet or weight loss goal!
