It’s happened to all of us. You’re on the road, you’re hungry and your only option is fast food. So what do you do? You choose the healthiest option possible! But looks can be deceiving. We did some research on what is the healthiest menu option at the popular fast-food chain McDonald’s and if you’re looking for a meal, there weren’t a lot of choices, but there are some.
We selected the below food options based on feedback from registered dietitian Rebecca Scritchfield. All meals have less than 500 calories and about 500 milligrams of sodium, as part of the new daily sodium recommendations from the U.S. government.
Healthiest Meals at McDonald’s
1. Fruit & Maple Oatmeal. Oatmeal is a great choice for breakfast because of its filling fiber! McDonald’s new version has just 290 calories and only 160 milligrams of sodium, making it the chain’s best breakfast choice. If you’re watching your sugar intake, get it without the brown sugar to save 30 calories.
2. Hamburger and a side salad. This combo has just more than 500 milligrams of sodium and only 270 calories. You get at least one serving of veggies, some carbs and 12 grams of protein to help fill you up. The only bummer? All of McD’s dressings are extremely high in sodium, so you either have to bring your own (a little olive oil and apple cider vinegar are great!) or go sans dressing.
3. Premium Southwest Salad (without chicken) with Newman’s Own® Creamy Southwest Dressing. When you get this salad without the chicken, you’ll get lettuce, tomatoes, black beans and corn for just 140 calories and 150 milligrams of sodium. Pair that with the dressing, which has 100 calories and 340 milligrams of sodium, and you’re set!
And if you’re looking for a snack, try one of these that all have 220 calories and 250 milligrams of sodium or less. Word of caution though, they all do have quite a bit of sugar!
Healthiest Snacks McDonald’s
- Snack Size Fruit & Walnut Salad
- Apple Dippers with Low Fat Caramel Dip
- Fruit ‘n Yogurt Parfait (7 oz)
When you’re on the road and McDonald’s is the only option, what do you choose?
