Macro friendly fast food: Best macro options guide

Ok so you don’t have a personal chef living with you, right? I get it.

Any of us who are busy with the hustle and bustle of life understand you’ve got to adapt on the run.

Fortunately, I’ve got good news, not all fast food chains are created equal so you are likely to come across a great option in the form of a fast food meal!

This guide highlights numerous macro friendly options from the most popular fast food restaurants. I made a point to find various protein rich options that suit multiple macro needs. Everything from low carb, moderate/high carb recovery meals, low/moderate fat, all of which are nutrient dense and high protein.

Jump to your favorite restaurant to get specific examples and macros:

(note on mobile, tilt your phone to view tables with macros on landscape).

I went through the menu items of twenty plus fast-food restaurants examining the nutrition information of their menu options. So, the next time you are on the run looking for macro-friendly options we’ve got you covered. Like anything else, some fast food restaurants offer healthier options than others.

Confused about macros and energy balance, check out this step by step guide.

Guilt can serve as a powerful motivator to dissuade you from future behavior when observed in a vacuum. However, our mind and confidence are subject to how we view ourselves and our behavior.

Beating yourself up over food decisions in pursuit of a healthy lifestyle doesn’t help your future self as it’s limiting. It’s also not realistic in the long-term, no matter what your health goals entail.

​If you are on the road to achieving your fitness goals, and you hit a bump in the road, that’s OK! If you’ve gone further than you have in the past, that’s progress!

The key is not to get caught up in all or nothing thinking which is all too common with fad diets. Be flexible, and know that you can find macro-friendly fast food options at numerous places.

Looking for a one-time nutrition plan/macro consult? Or perhaps you looking for coaching to ensure you reach and stay at your goals? Click below to sign up for a free consultation call to see if I’m the right coach for you.

Before we dive into specific fast food options, let’s highlight some fundamentals that will guide you to making good choices for any specific fast food places not covered here.

We will generally grade based on something being protein rich, lean, and/or nutrient dense. These ensure that the foods selected are satiating and will help most people hit their macros.

Of course, everyone will not have the same macro ratios. However, most are seeking lean protein sources and ideally completing their plate with a vegetable. Note the latter can be made up for in separate meals.

We will define a lean protein as anything with a protein to fat ratio 2:1 or greater. For instance, if an item contains 20 grams of protein and 10 grams of fat, that would meet our minimum criteria for qualifying as a lean protein source. In other words, for every two grams of protein you consume, you get one gram of fat. So if your macros were such that you needed 120 grams of protein per day and 60 grams of fat, you’d be right on track.

Note, you can overcome a fattier source of protein, however you will leave yourself with more limited options throughout the rest of the day.

Think on a continuum. There’s a difference between eating the burger, fries, and soda vs. just eating the burger. All or nothing thinking leads to giving up. It’s also unrealistic on a long enough time horizon.

Some rules of thumb to follow:

Quick notes on Chick-Fil-A:

• Plenty of lean protein options from grilled nuggets for those watching carb intake, to grilled sandwiches and wraps.
• You can add grilled nuggets to any of the salads, just be aware of the dressings. You can opt for one of the three lighter options listed below. If you really like one of the heavier options, such as avocado lime ranch you can always use half or less.
• Fat free honey mustard (90 kcal), Light balsamic Vinaigrette (80 kcal), Light Italian (25 kcal).
• Everyone’s favorite, Chick-Fil-A sauce clocks in at 140 kcal / 13 g fat / 6 g carbs / 0 g protein. If you can’t go without it, stick with one packet, a little goes a long way!
• Pro tip: If you need more protein, you can order a greater amount of grilled nuggets or add more to a salad.
• For the kids, you can sub in a cup of fresh fruit.

Quick notes on Chipotle:

• Given the nature of ordering from Chipotle, there’s lots of flexibility in how you build your meal. Therefore above, I created a couple examples so you can explore different options. Notably all of their protein options are fairly lean with chicken leading the way.
• A common thought is that brown rice is better than white rice, however they are not all that different so preference should dictate which you choose.
• Chipotle has a user friendly nutrition calculator, so you can determine macros based on your preferences. If you use an app, such as MyFitnessPal your favorite meal from Chipotle can be saved for simple logging in the future.
• Pro tip: Add beans (black or pinto) for added fiber and protein. Beans are filling as they are high on the satiety index.
• Pro tip 2: Add extra lettuce for added satiety and nutrient density.
• Pro tip 3: Watch how much rice and other ingredients the employee scoops. Anecdotally I’ve observed different amounts scooped in a bowl. The normal amount on the nutrition calculator is often closer to a light scoop in the nutrition calculator.
• Pro tip 4: If you have room in your macros and are looking for some healthy fats you can add guacamole.

Quick notes on Starbucks:

• As you can see in the above table, the egg white options are a good choice at Starbucks to pair with your coffee on the run.
• Starbucks also offers rolled and steel cut oatmeal. Note that nutritionally they are the same, the size of the oat and texture is where they differ. A great way to sweeten your oats is to add fresh blueberries, which adds fiber and antioxidants.
• If you add sweetener to your coffee, Starbucks offers sugar free vanilla syrup, or you can add a non-nutritive sweetener. If you can’t resist your favorite syrup, keep it to one pump.

Quick notes on Panda Express:

• Panda Express offers some lean protein options: grilled chicken options, wok-fired shrimp, and broccoli beef.
• I created a few examples of meals above with lean protein and vegetables for those looking for low carb options. Also, there’s one with a full serving of rice that is higher in carbs. Note you could always get half a serving of rice to reduce carbs.
• Pro tip: Go easy on any sauces if you add them, and add greens to increase nutrient density.

Quick notes on Panera:

• Panera’s menu is versatile as you can add extra protein to any of the salads, sandwiches or bowls. They offer lots of lean protein options: egg whites for breakfast sandwiches, grilled chicken breast, deli turkey, roasted turkey, and smoked pulled chicken.
• Panera also offers oatmeal, fruit cups, and parfaits. For oatmeal you can adjust the add ins to suit your macro goals.
• Pro tip: If you want variety, get a half sandwich and combine it with a half salad (add a lean protein). This can get you over 40 grams of protein, and as long as you go with a light dressing you’ll keep your macros in check.

Quick notes on Subway:

• Subway has menu items for those looking for a low carb, high protein option. If you want to add carbs, just get a sandwich instead of a salad.
• All breakfast options allow you to sub in egg whites for a high protein, low fat meal.
• Pro tip: Go easy on mayo and other high calorie condiments and salad dressings. Note yellow mustard and buffalo sauce yield 20 and 10 calories respectively. So, they are a good, flavorful option low in calorie density.
• Pro tip 2: Looking for a high protein meal? Subway allows you you add 50% more meat or you can double it for even more protein.

Quick notes on Taco Bell:

• Taco Bell has a limited amount of options to suit most who are aiming to lose body fat. The options above, chicken soft tacos and power bowls are your best bet.
• Pro tip: If you want a low carb option for the power menu bowls, you can remove the rice.

Quick notes on Wendy’s:

• Wendy’s offers limited macro friendly options.
• They do offer apple slices and plain baked potato as side options.
• Pro tip: For salads, pomegranate vinaigrette dressing is the lowest calorie option at 90 calories. Removing the blue cheese crumbles from the apple pecan salad saves 150 calories! If you remove crispy onions and swap ranch dressing for pomegranate vinaigrette dressing for the cobb salad you go from 680 calories to 430 calories (21 g fat / 24 g carbs / 36 g protein).
• Pro tip 2: Remove the ranch dressing from the grilled chicken wrap and get it on the side so that if you want it, you can use a fraction of the full serving.

Quick notes on Arby’s:

• Arby’s online ordering let’s you remove the bun from sandwiches if you want a high protein / low carb option.

Quick notes on Noodles & Company:

• Noodles & Company has one of the most user friendly nutrition calculators. You can filter the menu based on nutrients, allergens, dietary lifestyles (vegetarian, vegan, paleo-friendly, keto-friendly), and maximum calories.
• Swapping sauteed shrimp for grilled chicken for the 3 cheese tortelloni rosa, you go from 31 g of protein to 44 g of protein.
• Pro tip: Looking for low carb? Go with the Zoodles. The LEANguini is another lower carb option, not as low as zoodles. However, it has more protein and fiber.
• Pro tip 2: For kids meals you can get a side of broccoli or apples.