Finding lower-fat menu items at fast-food restaurants isn’t an easy feat. Many fast-food options are packed with fat, particularly saturated fat, which is associated with an increased risk of heart disease. But enjoying fast food doesn’t have to derail your efforts to stick to a lower-fat diet. With a little preparation, you can make smarter choices that align with your health goals.
To help you navigate fast-food menus, we’ve compiled a list of nine low-fat options that deliver less than 30% of total calories from fat. Even better, each option contains no more than 5 grams of saturated fat, staying well within the Dietary Guidelines‘ recommendation to limit saturated fat to less than 10% of total calories (about 22 grams per day for a 2,000-calorie diet). This means these meals provide at most 22% of the daily saturated fat limit, making them solid choices for anyone looking to cut back.
Armed with this guide, you’ll be ready to make informed, health-conscious decisions the next time you’re at the drive-thru. Read on to discover the best low-fat fast-food picks, and for more inspiration, don’t miss The 15 Best High-Protein Fast Food Meals.
9 Best Low-Fat Fast-Food Orders
Subway’s 6″ Oven Roasted Turkey
Nutrition (Per 6-inch sub):
Calories: 270
Fat: 4 g (Saturated Fat: 1 g)
Sodium: 810 mg
Carbs: 40 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 6 g)
Protein: 20 g
This sub is a quick and easy pick when you’re on the road or need to pick up a meal in a flash. The total fat is 10% of total calories, with a reasonable amount of carbs and protein so make it a balanced meal. Enjoy with a piece of fruit for dessert.
Chick-fil-A Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Nutrition (Per order):
Calories: 390
Fat: 12 g (Saturated Fat: 2 g)
Sodium: 770 mg
Carbs: 44 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 12 g)
Protein: 28 g
This sandwich is made with boneless breast of chicken served on a toasted multigrain bun with green leaf lettuce and tomato. The total fat in the sandwich is 28% of the total calories. To keep the total fat in check, skip the fries and pair this sandwich with a small salad to complete the meal.
Taco Bell Bean Burrito
Nutrition (Per order):
Calories: 350
Fat: 9 g (Saturated Fat: 4 g)
Sodium: 1,040 mg
Carbs: 55 g (Fiber: 10 g, Sugar: 3 g)
Protein: 13 g
This vegetarian burrito is made with beans, red sauce, cheese, and onions. Total fat is 12% of total calories with a nice distribution of carbs, protein, and carbs.
Au Bon Pain Chicken Caesar Asiago Salad
Nutrition (Per order, without dressing):
Calories: 270
Fat: 8 g (Saturated Fat: 3.5 g)
Sodium: 550 mg
Carbs: 21 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 2 g)
Protein: 29 g
This salad is made with chicken, homemade croutons, asiago cheese, and romaine lettuce. Total fat is 28% of total calories—considered lower fat. Opt for a lighter vinaigrette dressing, which will add healthy fat.
Starbucks Rolled & Steel Cut Oatmeal
Nutrition (Per order):
Calories: 155
Fat: 2.5 g (Saturated Fat: 0.5 g)
Sodium: 125 mg
Carbs: 28 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 0 g)
Protein: 5 g
“If you need a quick breakfast or snack on the go, ordering oatmeal with your coffee can be a great low-fat fit,” says Seattle-based Ginger Hultin, MS, RDN, CSO, author of the e-book Meal Prep for Weight Loss 101. With more fiber than fat, these oats are a quick, filling low-fat fast-food meal. Hultin recommends requesting fresh blueberries if they’re available to boost nutrients and fiber even more.
Dunkin’ Egg and Cheese on a Bagel
Nutrition (Per order):
Calories: 460
Fat: 13 g (Saturated Fat: 5 g)
Sodium: 1,010 mg
Carbs: 66 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 8 g)
Protein: 19 g
This low-fat fast-food sandwich is made with egg and cheese on a bagel (the English muffin version is pictured above) and provides 25% of total calories from fat. As Dunkin’ is found in many, many places—including highways, neighborhoods, and just around any corner—you can pick up this sandwich any time of day for a quick, lower-fat meal.
Starbucks Spinach, Feta, and Egg White Wrap
Nutrition (Per order):
Calories: 290
Fat: 8 g (Saturated Fat: 3.5 g)
Sodium: 840 mg
Carbs: 34 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 5 g)
Protein: 20 g
“When I’m tight on time and need something to nosh on with my Americano, I’ll add the Spinach, Feta, and Egg White Wrap to my drive-thru order at Starbucks,” says Elizabeth Shaw, MS, RDN, CPT, national nutrition expert and author of the For Dummies Instant Pot Cookbook and Air Fryer Cookbook. “Not only does this have 20 grams of high-quality protein, it also is a good source of fiber with 11% of your daily value. Plus, it has just 10% of the daily value for total fat, making it a realistic option to add into a low-fat diet plan that also tastes good too!”
McDonald’s Fruit & Maple Oatmeal
Nutrition (Per order):
Calories: 320
Fat: 4.5 g (Saturated Fat: 1.5 g)
Sodium: 150 mg
Carbs: 64 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 31 g)
Protein: 6 g
“This hearty breakfast has a mere 13% of its total calories from fat,” says Dr. Joan Salge Blake, EdD, RDN, LDN, FAND, nutrition professor at Boston University and the host of the nutrition & health podcast, SpotOn! Salge Blake explains that this menu option also provides a very small amount of heart-unhealthy saturated with only 1.5 grams while providing a hefty 4 grams of fiber per serving. “If you want to reduce the fat further in this hot breakfast choice, you can order it without the cream and ask them to add a splash of low-fat milk instead.”
Taco Bell’s Veggie Bowl
Nutrition (Per order):
Calories: 410
Fat: 20 g (Saturated Fat: 6 g)
Sodium: 850 mg
Carbs: 47 g (Fiber: 11 g, Sugar: 3 g)
Protein: 12 g
According to Wan Na Chun, MPH, RD, CPT of One Pot Wellness, this vegetarian option is a “great vegetarian option that’s topped with black beans, which are a great source of protein and fiber. It also contains guacamole, which is a healthy source of monounsaturated fats.” Each serving provides 25% of total calories from fat, which is an appropriate amount of fat for a meal. If you want to reduce the fat even more, Chun recommends skipping the cheese and sour cream.
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Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, MS, RD, CDN
