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10 Best Fast Food Options
Whether you’re craving a fast food outing or it's your only available choice, most if not all of the quick restaurant chains have healthful options. Prices vary by region, but here are some of the most healthful meals you can get for your money. And some of them may be more substantial than you’d think.
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McDonald's
On a McDonald's (Stock Quote: MCD) menu, the company highlights the Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken and one package of low-fat balsamic vinaigrette, one Fruit 'n Yogurt Parfait and a medium iced tea as one of the chain's more healthful meals.
Calories: 420
Total Fat: 11 grams
Downside: You could come face to face with a creepy Ronald McDonald, whether live or in statue form. Photo Credit: Mr ATM
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Burger King
At Burger King (Stock Quote: BKC), a four-piece order of chicken tenders, apple “fries” with caramel sauce and a diet coke gets a fairly low calorie count.
Calories: 250
Total fat: 11.5 grams
Downside: While there are only 250 calories in this meal, compared to the McDonald's meal, this one would likely be less filling but still have about the same amount of fat.
Photo Credit: irina slutsky
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Wendy's
Wendy’s highlights a number of fairly healthful options on its Web site, including a meal made up of a crispy chicken sandwich, side salad and any size diet coke.
Calories: 465
Total fat: 18 grams
Downside: Since when is crispy healthful?
Photo Credit: Wyscan
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Subway
The six-inch turkey breast sub is one of Subway’s weight loss celebrity Jared’s favorites. That, plus a cup of Dannon Light & Fit yogurt and a bottle of water make a meal.
Calories: 360
Total fat: 3.5 grams
Downside: Meatballs are better. And cookies!
Photo Credit: turtlemom4bacon
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Sonic
Sonic highlights its grilled chicken breast salad with fat-free Italian dressing as one of its most healthful menu options. Add on an order of apple slices and a diet coke, and you have a meal with plenty of vegetables, fruit and lean meat.
Calories: 466
Total Fat: 2.3 grams
Downside: Their “balanced choices” only include chicken. Sonic is known for their burgers. And want a frozen treat? Add on a few dozen more grams of fat.
Photo Credit: justephens
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KFC
You might be surprised at how much food you can get for less than 300 calories at KFC. The company notes that one breast piece of original recipe chicken without skin, mashed potatoes without gravy, green beans and one medium Diet Pepsi is one of its most healthful meal options, meaning loyal fans of the colonel’s original recipe don’t have to deprive themselves of the crispy stuff.
Calories: 265
Total Fat: 5 grams
Dowside: Fried chicken isn't the same without the skin.
Photo Credit: Arturo de Albornoz
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Hardees
For those cutting carbs as well as calories, Hardees gives customers the option of having their sandwich in a lettuce wrap instead of a bun. By cutting the bun, a charbroiled BBQ chicken sandwich is only 190 calories, compared with 340 with the bun.
Calories: 160
Total Fat: 4 grams
Downside: There don’t seem to be many low-calorie sides at Hardees from what we can see here. Some can add around 35 additional grams of fat.Photo Credit: Mykl Roventine
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Arby's
If you go to Arby’s looking for healthful options, you may be limited to just a sandwich. A regular roast beef sandwich is relatively high in fat and calories.
Calories: 350
Total Fat: 13 grams
Downside: Adding any side would double the meal's total fat content and may even tack on a few hudred more calories. Slim choices are clearly, well, slim here.Photo Credit: puroticorico
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Quizno's
A luscious Bistro Steak Melt can be had without too much added to your waistline. You can even allow yourself a Side salad with fat-free balsamic dressing.
Calories: 415
Total Fat: 4 grams
Downside: There are so many other delicious-looking hot sandwich options to tempt us.
Photo Credit: The Consumerist
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White Castle
White Castle may pull a fast one on diners who are stopping in with late night munchies. The nutrition facts for each menu item don’t include some condiments (like those that come on your burger) by default.
Calories: 280 calories for two sliders with no condiments
Total Fat: 14 grams
Downside: If you get more than this little midnight snack, you could end up consuming enough calories to amount to a meal or two at another fast food establishment. Even the “saver size” fries add 353 calories! Then again, many White Castle customers ignore nutrition and aim for what they crave.
Photo Credit: star5112
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