Let’s face it, everyone eats fast food. It may not always be fast but it’s always easy! We all have days that we don’t want to cook, don’t have time to cook, are out of groceries, or maybe we’re just craving a Mickey D’s cheeseburger!
Whatever the case may be, fast food happens. I want to show you how I eat keto when we eat fast food! Since I’m in rural Kentucky, we have your basic fast food options. McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King, Chick-Fil-A, Taco Bell, KFC, Dairy Queen, Sonic, etc., etc.
I’m kind of picky about fast food. I steer clear of 90% of those establishments because the quality of ingredients is so poor. However, the principals I’m going to show you can be applied at virtually any restaurant (fast or traditional).
Let’s start with Chick-Fil-A because I’m an Atlanta girl and CFA is near and dear to my heart!
Chicken Places
Chick-Fil-A is hands down the BEST fast food ever! I always order the Grilled Chicken Club (grilled chicken, bacon, tomato, cheese, lettuce) WITHOUT a bun and a side salad with avocado lime ranch dressing (no crunch pepper things). Sometimes they give you extra lettuce (you could probably ask for it too) to wrap your sandwich in.
Now, let me admit that the ENTIRE reason I order this sandwich is because of the packet of Honey Roasted BBQ Sauce they give you. 1 packet only has 2 carbs! Yes, it probably has some sugar in it but I feel like it’s such a small serving, I’ll live. Plus it’s delicious and I’m not the keto police!
One other important note about the salad…I mentioned that I don’t eat the crispy things that come with the salad. However, they are included in the macros because of how CFA does their nutrition menu. Sooo…the macros are slightly lower than listed.
My Order: Chargrilled Chicken Club (no bun), Side Salad w/ Avocado Lime Ranch dressing, Coke Zero
My macros for this meal are typically: 37.5g F | 8.5g NC | 31.5g P
Other keto friendly options include:
-Grilled Nuggets
-Cobb Salad (without crispy peppers) (sub grilled chicken)
-Santa Fe Salad (without corn, beans or tortillas)
-Egg White Grill (without english muffin)
-Breakfast Burrito (without tortilla)
Burger Joints
Wendy’s is a VERY easy place to eat while keto! Personally, I prefer Wendy’s over all other “burger fast food” places because I think they have the better quality.
Your safest options at any burger places are going to be (obviously) bunless burgers sans fries. I always opt for side salads and big burgers. Want the double bacon cheeseburger? Go for it! Load up on mayo and mustard but watch the ketchup! Ketchup is full of sugar.
My Order: Son of Baconator (no bun), Side Salad w/ Ranch dressing, Diet Dr. Pepper OR Original Double (no bun), Side Salad w/Ranch dressing Macros for Wendy’s can be calculated on their website! They have an awesome nutrition menu!
Sandwich Shops
Jimmy John’s is another keto friendly establishment! Every sandwich they make can be made as an “unwhich” which basically means lettuce wrap! You can also add bacon to every sandwich! Deli meats, cheeses, mayo, ranch, bacon, veggies…how can you go wrong?! Another thing I like about JJ is that you can customize your order online (since they deliver!) and you know exactly what your macros are! You can visit their website here!
Taco Places
Tacos, taco bowls, burritos…all things that I used to love! Now, if I go to a fast food type Mexican restaurant (Qdoba, Chipotle, Taco Hell…I mean, Bell) I order anything without rice, beans, or tortillas.
Truth be told, I NEVER eat Taco Bell but I do know they have a “fresh” line nowadays with salads. Load up on the good fats. Lose the carbs. Keto basics.
Rule of Thumb
Generally speaking, fast food should be our last resort! Eating keto is all about fueling our bodies with clean, healthy foods. But when the time arises that we need, want, gotta hit up a drive-thru, skip the buns, fries, and milkshakes and you’ll be golden!
Eating fast food and sticking to keto is more of a mental game. Don’t let the yummy aroma of fresh french fries lure you into a carb binge. Don’t let the careless teenager who still gave you a bun ruin your macros for the day. Go in with a keto strong mindset and you’ll be in low carb bliss!
