Let’s face the reality. Fast food is everywhere. They’re quick, convenient, and they’re awfully cheap too. It’s hard not to get tempted to go grab a cheeseburger while on the go. It gets even harder when you’re on a diet. So what do you do?
Fortunately, there are some fast food items out there that will help you get your macros while also helping you build your physique. I’m talking about protein-filled meals that will fit both your actual budget and your calorie budget. From salads to sandwiches, these are the 10 fast food items perfect for losing weight.
10. Egg McMuffin – McDonald’s
Nutritional Facts:
- 310 Calories
- 17g Protein
- 30g Carbs
- 13g Fat
What?! An actually healthy meal from McDonald’s? That’s right! Mickey D’s may be famously known for being bad for your health, but people don’t give them enough credit for actually having some healthy items. Of course, if you really wanna be healthy, then just avoid fast food altogether. But we both know that that’s not happening, right? The Egg McMuffin has 310 calories that will help fill you up and give you energy throughout the day. If you just worked out, then its 17 grams of protein would help your muscles recover.
9. Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich – Panera Bread
Nutrition Facts:
- 500 Calories
- 18g Protein
- 77g Carbs
- 14g Fat
Want to get your beach bod but can’t seem to ditch the sandwiches? Good thing, Panera Bread has their Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich. This has everything you need for a healthy sandwich. It has a good amount of protein, fiber, and healthy fat. It’s made with a tomato basil bread, creamy hummus spread, cucumber, tomatoes, red onions, feta cheese, and Peppadew peppers, which give it that distinct Mediterranean flavor. It does have 500 calories, however, so you may want to incorporate this sandwich near the start of your day and get yourself some energy.
8. Classic Roast Beef Sandwich – Arby’s
Nutrition Facts:
- 360 Calories
- 23g Protein
- 37g Carbs
- 14g Fat
We all need that protein kick when we’re working out; especially if your goal is to build strength and to put on some muscle. Arby’s Classic Roast Beef Sandwich is one of those meals that is both delicious and healthy for you. Beef is one of the best sources for protein and this meal will help you get closer to your fitness goals one bite at a time. So forget those unhealthy burgers and go for this roast beef sandwich instead. This low-carb, high-protein meal will keep you feeling full without worrying about those extra pounds.
7. Chicken Power Bowl – Taco Bell
Nutrition Facts:
- 460 Calories
- 27g Protein
- 41g Carbs
- 21g Fat
Craving for some Taco Bell but worried it might derail your diet? Don’t worry about it. Taco Bell has some other options that won’t break the scale. While it is pretty hard to go to Taco Bell and not order tacos, the Chicken Power Bowl is just as good but with less calories and more protein. This bowl has seasoned rice as base, a layer of black beans, crunchy lettuce, diced tomatoes, real cheddar cheese, grilled chicken, and creamy avocado ranch sauce. You get all the nutrients you need and you get to brag about the fact that you went to Taco Bell for a meal that’s essentially a salad.
6. Grilled Chicken Sandwich – Chick-fil-A
Nutrition Facts:
- 390 Calories
- 28g Protein
- 44g Carbs
- 12g Fat
Chicken is another great source of protein with lots of fitness experts relying on it for nutrition. While chicken can indeed be healthy, it can be rather unhealthy depending on how you prepare it. Fried Chicken is great, let’s be honest. But it also has unreasonable amounts of fats and calories from the oil it was deep fried from. Luckily, chains like Chick-fil-A offer a grilled chicken option as a better alternative to deep-fried chicken. At first glance, you may think that the Grilled Chicken Sandwich is some flavorless fast food chicken. Once you taste it, though, all that doubt gets thrown out the window. Chick-fil-A uses a lemon-herb marinade that makes their chicken bursting with flavor without using any breading.
RELATED: 11 Top High-Protein Restaurant Chain Meals You Should Try
5. 6-inch Turkey Breast Sub – Subway
Nutrition Facts:
- 270 Calories
- 17g Protein
- 41g Carbs
- 4g Fat
Subway has long been known for being one of the healthiest fast food chains out there with their emphasis on using fresh and quality ingredients. People have also been known to lose weight while actively incorporating Subway’s sandwiches into their diet. So this definitely earns its place here. With a wide variety of options, you can mix and match and choose whatever sandwich works for you and fits your health goals. But for this list, we’ll go with a classic Turkey Breast sub. Sliced turkey breast is a high-protein option that tastes good when mixed with vegetables like tomatoes, lettuce, and cucumbers. You can go light on sauce and go for mustard or vinegar. Choosing whole wheat as your bread will give you fiber, and if you need some flavor boost, you can opt to add some jalapeños or pickles to make it even better.
4. Chicken and Hummus Protein Box – Starbucks
Nutrition Facts:
- 300 Calories
- 22g Protein
- 32g Carbs
- 9g Fat
You think Starbucks is all about coffee? Think again. Starbucks has expanded their menu over the years and they’ve managed to put out really healthy food. This meal really wasn’t kidding when they slapped “Protein” on its name. In this box, you get a hummus made of chickpeas, grilled chicken breast strips, baby carrots, sugar snap peas, and whole-wheat pita bread. It’s a perfectly balanced meal that has a mix of everything you need plus it tastes absolutely delicious.
3. Goddess Cobb Salad – Panera Bread
Nutrition Facts:
- 510 Calories
- 37g Protein
- 27g Carbs
- 30g Fat
Panera Bread makes another appearance on this list, which goes to show their commitment to giving us the healthiest food available. This time, we’re gonna talk about their Goddess Cobb Salad. This meal is an absolute unit of nutrients that features ingredients like grilled chicken, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, dried cranberries, and red onions. It’s a salad fit for a goddess (and will help you get the body of one too!). For a meal that heavily features vegetables, it has a surprising amount of calories at 510. That’s actually a good thing since this meal will give you tons of energy to help you function throughout the day. But you might want to limit yourself to one of these a day if your goal is to lose weight.
2. Kentucky Grilled Chicken Breast With Green Bean – KFC
Nutrition Facts:
- 235 Calories
- 36g Protein
- 5g Carbs
- 7g Fat
Believe it or not, KFC isn’t just about fried chicken! They also have grilled chicken on their menu that will provide you with a really healthy option. It can be tempting to get KFC’s fried chicken, but don’t worry; their Kentucky Grilled Chicken Breast is just as good. It’s loaded with lean protein, thanks to the chicken breast and the green bean. This meal will keep you full without all the unhealthy fat and calories. Your body will thank you for going with this option while satisfying your cravings for some of KFC’s chicken.
1. Grilled Chicken Cool Wrap – Chick-fil-A
Nutrition Facts:
- 350 Calories
- 42g Protein
- 29g Carbs
- 13g Fat
And last but not the least, is the Grilled Chicken Cool Wrap from Chick-fil-A. This is probably the best meal on this list and it’s really really good for you. It’s low on carbs on calories but the real kicker here is the 42g of protein you get from each serving. That’s a lot of protein. For reference, the average person only needs 60g of protein each day. It’s light, it’s lean, it’s delicious, and it has the signature flavors we’ve come to love from chicken prepared by the Chick-fil-A. If you’re looking for a fast food item that you can frequently order without having to worry about all the extra calories, go with this one.