Oftentimes when you head to your favorite fast food restaurant, you’re not thinking of grabbing something healthy. In fact, sometimes the most satiating experience is satisfying your junk food cravings with a burger and fries—maybe even a milkshake—and there’s absolutely no harm in this on occasion. However, there are also times when you need to grab a fast food meal because it’s what is quickest, cheapest, and most convenient. In these cases, you may be itching for something that isn’t going to totally derail your current health goals, which is why we wanted to learn about some of the healthiest fast food burgers available right now.
To do so, we talked with a handful of expert dietitians to get their choices on better-for-you burger options. “You’ll notice a trend on the list that isn’t surprising—single burgers without all the fixings, cheese, extra meat, etc., because these are best when it comes to keeping calories, fat, saturated fat, and sodium in check,” say Tammy Lakatos Shames, RDN, CDN, CFT, and Lyssie Lakatos, RDN, CDN, CFT, also known as The Nutrition Twins.
Read on to learn which burgers made the list of healthier fast food options. Then, for more tips on eating out while maintaining your health goals, check out 8 Healthiest Dishes To Order at Olive Garden.
“At under 300 calories (290 to be exact), the Wendy’s Jr. Cheeseburger has less than half of the calories of most burgers, so there’s still wiggle room to amp up some nutrients by ordering a side salad,” say the Nutrition Twins. “While the sodium and saturated fat in this cheeseburger aren’t low, they are lower than you’d find in many other burgers. If you skip the pickles and go light on the ketchup and mustard, you can drop the sodium significantly.”
Another healthy hamburger option to try if you’re in a rush and need something quick is the Whopper Jr. from Burger King.
“Fairly close in nutrition stats compared Wendy’s Jr. cheeseburger, this burger has 334 calories, so it doesn’t break the calorie bank,” say the Nutrition Twins. “While the calories are slightly higher than the Wendy’s burger, the sodium is slightly lower, as well as the saturated fat.”
They also add that this burger has “17 grams of satisfying protein,” which can help keep you full longer.
“The Jack in the Box Hamburger made it on the list due to its total calories and protein, which is nutritionally comparable to the other options,” says Amy Goodson, MS, RD, CSSD, LD, author of The Sports Nutrition Playbook and member of our Medical Expert Board.
Another reason this one made the list of healthiest fast food burgers is because compared to other options, it’s relatively low in saturated fat. When looking at the recommended daily intake of saturated fat at around 13 grams, having only 4 through your fast food meal isn’t too shabby.
“It may not be the most decadent choice on the menu, but the single patty hamburger without cheese is a fast food burger with a solid nutrition profile,” says Sydney Greene MS, RDN. “I typically recommend someone aim to have at least 15 grams of protein in their meal and anywhere from 10-20 grams of fat, so this burger is spot on.”
According to Greene, you can also replace the hamburger bun with lettuce, to improve the nutritional value even more.
“This hamburger tops the list when it comes calories, saturated fat, and sodium,” say the Nutrition Twins. “Add apple slices or a healthy side from your own house to step up the fiber, antioxidants, and nutrients.”
However, they add that”this burgers’ biggest shortcoming is that it only contains 12 grams of protein, and you want to aim for at least 20 grams of protein per meal.”
