Our Top Fast Food Picks
Written by
Jenna Stein
Navigating the fast food chains can be difficult when you are trying to make calorie friendly choices.
We have put together our top dietitian approved picks from the major fast food chains in Australia to help take some of the guesswork out of it!
PS. remember we know nothing about you, so these recommendations are simply a starting point. If you like a bit more of a personal touch, we would love to get to know you better!
01
Subway
You always save the best for last, but while we have your attention you really can’t beat a Subway 6 inch when you are looking for a calorie friendly fast meal.
Choose either a 6 inch sub on wheat bread OR a multigrain wrap.
Fillings:
- You can choose any protein option - the better choice for your health would be to skip the subs with salami, pepperoni and bacon.
- Add either Mozzarella OR Old English Cheese OR avocado
- Choose one of these sauces:
- Habanero Hot Sauce
- Honey Mustard
- Marinara Sauce
- Mayonnaise
- Smoky BBQ sauce
- Sweet Chilli or Onion sauce
- Tomato sauce
- You must choose a minimum of 3 different vegetables - bonus points for more.
Want something that is really tailored to your goals?
Visit the Subway website where you can create your own sub with your nutritional requirements in mind. Simply select your favourite sub and click “Calculate Yours” under the nutrition information.
02
McDonald's
Forgot to have breakfast on your way out the door? Going to hit up the drive thru for that morning brew? It could be a good idea to add a bacon and egg muffin to the order if you know that skipping breakfast sends you into scavenger mode later in the day.
Choose one of the following options from the McCafe or Standard menu.
Want to make a meal out of it? Add a side of small fries or garden salad with a diet soft drink or water.
McCafe:
- Ham & cheese OR ham, cheese & tomato toastie
Burgers:
- Cheeseburger OR Hamburger
- Fillet - O - Fish
- Mighty McMuffin
- Bacon & egg McMuffin
Salads:
- Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad
- Classic Grilled Chicken Salad
03
Hungry Jack's
Not a McDonalds fan? Just in the mood for a cheeky cheeseburger? Hungry Jacks has you covered if you're just in the mood for a basic burger.
Choose one of the following options from the Standard men.
Want to make a meal out of it? Add a side of small fried OR medium onion rings with a diet soft drink or water.
Breakfast:
- Ham & cheese OR ham, cheese & tomato toastie
Burgers:
- Cheeseburger
- Grilled Chicken Spicy OR Classic burger
- Whopper Junior
04
Red Rooster
If you are looking to feed the whole family, Red Rooster is a solid option but it would need a little more vegetables (this is why steam fresh vegetables exist). But, if you are in the mood for a good old fashion chicken roast then choose one of the following options from the Standard menu.
Want to make a meal out of it? Add a side of small coleslaw, peas OR corn with a small diet soft drink or water.
Meals:
- Classic Roast
- Picklebird Burger
05
KFC
Look, KFC doesn’t have a huge selection of calorie friendly options, probably because it is literally fried chicken. But if you are making a stop for some dirty bird choose one of the following options from the Standard menu.
Want to make a meal out of it? Add a regular coleslaw with a diet soft drink or water.
Burgers:
- Zinger burger
- Original recipe burger
Twisters and bowls:
- Zinger OR Original Tender Crunch Bowl
- Zinger OR Original Crunch Twister
06
Grill'd
If you want options then Grill’d has you covered! Grill’d and Subway would have to be the top contenders for the most calorie friendly menu. They have something for everyone and if you are looking for something a little more tailored to your goals, they also include the nutritional information for every item on their menu. Just remember, you don’t always have to choose the lowest calorie option.
Do you want chips with that? Choose a chip option “For One” or Onion Rings with the Tomato Relish Chip Dip on the side of any of the following burger options:
Top Tip: There is nothing super about the Low Carb SuperBun, choose whatever full carb bread option you like best!
Beef:
- Simply Grill’d OR Gamechanger Simply Grill’d
- Mustard & Pickled! OR Gamechanger Mustard & Pickled!
- Chilli Addict OR Gamechanger Chilli Addict
Chicken:
- Sweet Chilli Chicken
- Zen Hen
- “Simon Says”
- Hot Bird - this is the lowest calorie option with 430 calories
- Bird & Brie
- Caesar’s Palace
HFC:
- HFC Classic
- HFC Chipotle
- HFC BLAT
- HFC Truffle
Vegetarian:
- Zesty Mexi OR Vegan Zesty Mexi
- Impossible Simply Grill'd OR Vegan Impossible Simply Grill’d
- Impossible Garden Goodness OR Vegan Impossible Garden Goodness
- Garden Goodness OR Vegan Garden Goodness
Lamb
- “Baa Baa”
07
Nando's
It’s no secret that we are huge fans of Nando's perinaise, so it’s only fair that we include them in our list of calorie friendly fast food and you can’t go past their salad range!
Choose one of the following options for the Standard menu.
Want to make a meal out of it? Add a side of coleslaw, garden or grain salad, small chips OR spicy rice with a diet soft drink of water.
Burgers and Wraps:
- Perinaise Classic
- Supremo Wrap
- Avo Goodness
Chicken for One:
- ½ Peri Peri Chicken
- 4 Peri Peri tenders
Salads:
- Choose any salad option!
07
Zambreros
One of the biggest pitfalls when it comes to fast food is the lack of vegetables. Not at Zambreros! Burritos and bowls are a great way to add extra veggies to help keep you feeling fuller for longer.
Choose any of the following options from the Standard menu with any protein of choice.
Top Tip: If you want to add guacamole, think about substituting it for the sour cream - this might still incur an extra charge.
Bowls:
- Classic small bowl
- Small signature bowl
Burritos or Tacos:
- Classic small burrito
- 2 hard or soft tacos
- Quesadilla
Nachos:
- Small nachos
Sauces:
- Red chilli
- Secret BBQ
- Trezigo
It goes without saying that fast food should be enjoyed in moderation, but sometimes you just need a little something on the go. You can thank us later the next time you hit up the drive thru.
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