The Keto Fast Food Cheatsheet
When following a ketogenic diet, you may feel like your food options are extremely limited which can make eating out seem next to impossible. This is one of the biggest reasons people tend to shy away from diets. However, the great news is that there are tons of keto-friendly options available, and many fast food restaurants are offering low carb options to make eating keto on the go that much easier.
In this article, we are going to take a look at some of the best fast food keto-approved options that you can opt for when in a pinch and also look at some general tips for making lots of different foods keto-friendly.
Keto-Approved Fast Food Options
Some of the most popular fast food chains like Chipotle, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, McDonald’s, Chick-Fil-A, and In-N-Out offer options that can fit within your low carb dietary restrictions. Let’s take a look at some of the things you can order next time you find yourself craving one of these fast food meals.
Chipotle: Chipotle is known for their burritos and taco bowls which aren’t notoriously known for being low carb. However, you can make your own low-carb burrito bowl by asking for no rice and no beans. When you skip these two, you can enjoy a burrito bowl that will only cost you 3 grams of net carbs! Not too shabby.
In-N-Out: At In-N-Out, you can easily stick to your ketogenic diet by ordering any “protein style” burger and asking for it without the sauce and served with lettuce as your bun. When you skip the sauce and bun, your meal won’t cost you unnecessary carbohydrates.
Wendy’s: If you are in a pinch for time and need something super quick on the go, you can order a southwest avocado chicken salad from Wendy’s without the dressing. When you skip the dressing, this meal will only rack up about 11 grams of net carbs and plenty of healthy fat and protein.
Taco Bell: Craving something spicy? Try ordering a power bowl from Taco Bell without rice and beans. This meal comes in at only 6 grams of net carbs and can easily satisfy that craving for something spicy and savory.
McDonald’s: Believe it or not, you can order yourself low carb from McDonald’s by ordering a bacon McDouble without the bun and sauce. This will only come in at 3 grams of net carbs, and it contains lots of fat to help keep you full until your next meal.
Chik-Fil-A: If you find yourself craving some Chik-Fil-A, you’re in luck, because you can order the 12-piece chicken nugget without the sauce which will only come in at 6 grams of net carbs!
The Bottom-line
The take-home message here is that the ketogenic diet is not nearly as restrictive as many people think it may be. You can still enjoy some of your favorite foods from some of your favorite restaurants with some modifications. If you have a favorite fast food place that’s not on this list, here are some general tips to follow when eating on the go to make sure your meals are low carb and keto-approved.
- Order a burger without the bun or sauce and use a lettuce leaf instead.
- Skip the dressing, beans, and croutons with your salad.
- Skip anything that is deep fried and choose a grilled option instead.
Next time you’re in need of a quick meal or craving something from one of these fast food places, give these swaps a try. You may be surprised at how a small tweak can make a ton of your favorite meals keto-friendly.
