If you eat fast food regularly you’re probably aware of how quick and easy it is to consume a whole bunch of calories in a short amount of time. A single meal at your typical fast food burger joint will be around or above 1,000 calories. That’s… a lot. Especially considering the FDA recommends that the average person consume only about 2,000 calories per day. And that number is kind of arbitrary, some people need less than that, some more — it depends on a lot of factors like height, weight, and level of activity (but that’s another conversation for another day).
Our point is one fast food meal at over 1,000 calories is probably too many calories to consume in a single meal, no matter who you are. Unless you’re this guy.
Of course, sometimes all you have time for is fast food. So what are you supposed to do if you’re out, hungry, pressed for time, and counting calories? We’re here to help you navigate that tricky spot by shouting out the best fast food menu options under 300 calories. Why 300 calories? Because that’s probably enough to satiate your hunger until you can eat something more sensible, and it’s an amount that you can burn away in just one 30-minute walk.
We’ll try to point you in the direction of the healthiest menu item possible but keep in mind — this is fast food. Where flavor reigns supreme and calories are secondary (at best). Let’s dive in!
- We Blind Tested Bacon Double Cheeseburgers In Search Of The Most Decadent & Delicious
- The Best Milkshakes In All Of Fast Food, Ranked
- We Blind Tested Fast Food French Fries — Here’s The Stone Cold Champ
- Tye Best-Tasting Chicken Tenders In The Fast Food Universe, Ranked
- The Best Breakfast Sandwiches In The Fast Food Universe, Ranked
Chick-fil-A — Grilled Nuggets/Fried Nuggets
Calories: 200 (12 Count Grilled)/ 250 (8 Count Fried)
Thoughts and Tasting Notes:
I won’t lie to you. Are Chick-fil-A’s grilled nuggets as delicious as their fried counterparts? Absolutely not. Come on, we named Chick-fil-A’s Fried Nuggets the best chicken nuggets in fast food! Having said that though, the grilled nuggets can hold their own, and you can order a whole 12-count and it’ll only be 200 calories. That means yes, you can use 100 calories worth of your favorite dip to dip them in (or more, if you get an 8 count).
Sauceless, the nuggets have a great flavor. They’re tender, with a charred flavor accented by some light lemony citrus and a light dusting of black pepper. I like to pair them with the Polynesian sauce, which has a nice sweetness that complements the base flavor.
If you’re not down for the grilled, we’ll let you in on an open secret. An 8-count of fried nuggets is still only 250 calories. So if its more about keeping calories down than being “healthy” in a more general sense, you know what to do.
The Bottom Line:
A low-calorie chicken option that tastes great and gives you some room to use dipping sauce.
Find your nearest Chick-fil-A here.
Chipotle — Kids Meal Taco Combo
Calories: 300
Thoughts and Tasting Notes:
There are ways you can make a salad at Chipotle that’ll add up to 300 calories or less, but we guarantee you, if you go that route you’re going to be making some serious compromises in flavor and number of ingredients.
We want you to actually enjoy your meal, so we’re going with this Kids Meal Taco Combo. This is a two-taco combo with a classic build that takes inspiration from street tacos. Here is the build: flour tortilla, barbacoa, grilled fajitas, and tomatillo salsa.
Generally, I prefer Chipotle’s crunchy shell, but you’ll get more protein going the flour route, and the barbacoa coupled with the fajitas will provide a rich savory flavor with a hint of herbal notes and some sweetness on the backend, complemented by appetizing aromatics, all tied together with Chipotle’s spiciest salsa.
It’s not quite a double corn tortilla street taco, but it’s the closest you’re going to get at Chipotle, and it tastes damn good.
The Bottom Line:
A delicious two-taco meal that tastes great without giving you the sense that you’re missing something.
Find your nearest Chipotle here.
Flame Broiler — Chicken, Veggie, White Rice Mini Bowl
Calories: 290
Thoughts and Tasting Notes:
If you’ve ready any of our healthy fast food articles in the past, you’ll know I ride hard for Flame Broiler. Unfortunately, my favorite dish, the Korean Spicy Chicken does not fall under our 300 calories threshold, but you can get pretty close by ordering a chicken and veggie mini bowl.
For this meal you’ll get chicken cooked in Magic Sauce (a simple teriyaki-style sauce) and FB’s Spicy Korean Sauce, carrots, cabbage, and broccoli, and white rice, all under 300 calories.
This meal is balanced enough that your appetite is guaranteed to be satisfied, you have protein, carbs, and plenty of veggies and the flavors are great. The sauce gives the chicken a nice gentle heat with some savory sweetness that pairs well with the charred flavor of the chicken.
The only downside of this meal is that if you want to keep it under 300 you probably won’t be able to add any additional sauce. If you’re okay with edging over that threshold, go for it, but we had to stick to our guns here.
If you’d like to save even more calories and up the fiber content, opt for brown rice over white.
The Bottom Line:
Balanced, delicious, and legitimately healthy.
Find your nearest Flame Broiler here.
Jack in the Box — Garden Salad w/ Grilled Chicken
Calories: 220
Thoughts and Tasting Notes:
Straight up, this isn’t our first choice. To keep it under 300 calories you’re going to have to be very sparing with the dressing and you can’t use all of the croutons. If you’re okay with that compromise, then great, but if you’re not… Jack in the Box probably isn’t the place for you.
The salad features grilled chicken strips, juicy grape tomatoes, shredded carrots, and shredded cheddar over a bed of mixed greens. It’s pretty standard salad fare, but it gets the job done.
The Bottom Line:
Jack in the Box isn’t the easiest place to eat healthy, but it’s possible.
Find your nearest Jack in the Box here.
Panda Express — Black Angus Pepper Steak
Calories: 210
Thoughts and Tasting Notes:
If you’re dropping carbs, you’re going to love this dish. A bowl of Panda Express’ new Black Angus Pepper Steak served with super greens in place of rice will give you a full standard-sized bowl of food with just 210 calories.
The steak is freshly wok-seared with green beans, onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms. A forkful is a mix of fresh vegetal, umami, and savory flavors seasoned with a mildly salty black pepper sauce. Round out this dish is Panda Express’ Super Greens, which consists of cabbage, kale, and broccoli. There is nothing special about these Super Greens, but if you love all of the above (which I do), you’re going to love these, and by the time you’re done with the meal you’ll be so satisfied that you might even drop rice for good.
The Bottom Line:
A rich savory beef dish served with a plentiful amount of delicious veggies.
Find your nearest Panda Express here.
Panera — Caesar Salad & Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup
Calories: 280
Thoughts and Tasting Notes:
This is an incredibly simple order, you get a small half portion of Panera’s Caesar Salad, which consists of grated parmesan, romaine lettuce, and black pepper sea salt croutons coupled with a half portion of Panera’s Chicken Noodle Soup. You’ve experienced both of these dishes at some point in your life, so don’t expect your mind to be blown or anything.
The soup is hearty and rich and you’re served a piece of baguette on the side for dipping (a delicious combination). The salad is just fine, and if you’re not down with this particular salad, you can order any of Panera’s other half-order salads, but you won’t be able to use dressing on any of them if you want it under 300 calories, so keep that in mind.
The Bottom Line:
Flavors that will be familiar to you whether you’ve been to Panera or not. This meal makes for a good snack on a cold day.
Find your nearest Panera here.
Starbucks — Spinach Feta and Egg Wrap
Calories: 210
Thoughts and Tasting Notes:
Ah, the infamous Spinach Feta and Egg Wrap, a dish you’ll find in many a “healthy fast food” article. And there is a reason for that: this dish is probably Starbucks’ best. Take that how you will!
The dish features egg whites mixed with spinach, feta cheese, and sun-dried tomato cream cheese inside a whole wheat wrap. The egg whites are pretty neutral in flavor, the spinach tastes like, well, spinach (a bit bitter, a bit dirty), and the feta adds a salty quality to the dish that pairs nicely with the tangy and sundried bright tomato cream cheese. Those final two ingredients do a lot of heavy lifting here.
The Bottom Line:
It’s not the sort of dish that is going to bring you intense feelings of joy, but it’s enough to fill you up and give you a boost of energy.
Find your nearest Starbucks here.
Subway —6-inch Black Forest Ham
Calories: 210
Thoughts and Tasting Notes:
You’re going to have to keep the build here simple if you want it under 300. Go with Black forest ham, veggies of your choice (we say tomato, cucumber, and red onions) black pepper, and olive oil or a vinaigrette in place of heavy dressing.
Most of the calories here are coming from the bread but given the balance of carbs, protein, and veggies, a six-inch Subway sandwich is going to be a pretty substantial and filling meal, no matter how you build it.
The Bottom Line:
A simple sandwich that doesn’t feel like a compromise.
Find your nearest Subway here.
Taco Bell — Soft Taco Supreme
Calories: 210
Thoughts and Tasting Notes:
Normally I’d go with a regular Taco Bell Soft Taco over the Supreme build because it’s cheaper, but if all you’re going to eat is a single taco, definitely go the Supreme Route.
The Supreme will get you sour cream and tomato, which do a lot to make this taco taste a bit more complete. This taco is beefy and zesty with a light hint of tang and a lot of brightness from the tomato.
The Bottom Line:
Classic Taco Bell. Be warned though, you’re going to want more than one of these.
Find your nearest Taco Bell here.
Wendy’s — Small Chili
Calories: 240
Thoughts and Tasting Notes:
Wendy’s is known for its decadent burgers and delicious chicken sandwiches, not so much for healthy food options. So… you’ve got slim pickings here. If you want something under 300 calories that isn’t just an order of fries, you can order a baked potato or this small side of chili. We say go for the chili, especially if you love the core Wendy’s flavor.
The chili is made using leftover ground beef chunks from Wendy’s fresh burger patties, resulting in a rich savory flavor with a pronounced spicy character coupled with a lot of onion and garlic, green peppers, kidney beans, and celery. It doesn’t have the comforting magic of homemade chili but from a drive-thru? This is damn good.
The Bottom Line:
Savory, rich, and under 300 calories with that familiar Wendy’s flavor. What more can you ask for?
Find your nearest Wendy’s here.