Typically, fast food contains added sugar and a lot of carbohydrates. Therefore, in order to stay in ketosis, people who follow a keto diet need to choose keto-friendly fast foods wisely.
This article looks at some popular keto-friendly fast food options and details their macronutrients and calories. It also discusses which foods and ingredients to avoid.
Keto Friendly Fast Food
Many popular restaurants have menu items that can be made keto friendly by adding or omitting some ingredients.
Keto friendly fast food options include the following:
1. Bunless Burgers
The typical burger meal at a fast food restaurant is high in carbohydrates due to its bun.
For a keto-approved fast food burger meal, simply skip the bun and any toppings that may be high in carbohydrates.
Popular high-carb toppings include honey mustard, ketchup, teriyaki sauce and brioche onions.
Replace the above toppings with mayonnaise, salsa, fried eggs, avocado, mustard, lettuce, ranch dressing, onions or tomatoes to reduce carbs and add extra fat to your meal.
Here are some examples of low-carb, keto-friendly burger meals:
- McDonald’s Double Cheeseburger (no bun): 270 calories, 20 grams of fat, 4 grams of carbs and 20 grams of protein (1).
- Wendy’s Double Stack Cheeseburger (no bun): 260 calories, 20 grams of fat, 1 gram of carbs and 20 grams of protein (2).
- Five Guys Bacon Cheeseburger (no bun): 370 calories, 30 grams of fat, 0 grams of carbs and 24 grams of protein (3).
- Hardees ⅓ lb Thickburger with cheese and bacon (no bun): 430 calories, 36 grams of fat, 0 grams of carbs and 21 grams of protein (4).
- Sonic Double Bacon Cheeseburger (no bun): 638 calories, 49 grams of fat, 3 grams of carbs and 40 grams of protein (5).
Most fast food restaurants will gladly serve you a bunless hamburger.
Boost your fiber intake by adding a simple side salad to your meal, topped with a high-fat dressing.
2. Low-Carb Burrito Bowls
Surprisingly, a burrito wrap can contain over 300 calories and 50 grams of carbohydrates.
Since the ketogenic diet is very low in carbs (usually less than 5% of total calories), skipping the burrito shells and burritos is a must.
Fortunately, you can make a delicious burrito bowl without adding carbs.
Start with a low-carb base, such as leafy greens, and then add your favorite protein and fat choices.
Be sure to avoid high-carb toppings, such as tortilla chips, beans, sweet dressings or corn.
Instead, stick with high-fat, low-carb options such as sliced avocado, sautéed vegetables, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, cheese, onions and fresh herbs.
Here are some burrito bowl options for ketogenic diets:
- Chipotle Steak Burrito Bowl with lettuce, salsa, sour cream and cheese (no rice or beans): 400 calories, 23 grams of fat, 6 grams of carbs and 29 grams of protein (7).
- Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl with cheese, guacamole and romaine lettuce (no rice or beans): 525 calories, 37 grams of fat, 10 grams of carbs and 40 grams of protein (7).
- Taco Bell Cantina Power Steak Bowl with extra guacamole (no rice or beans): 310 calories, 23 grams of fat, 8 grams of carbs and 20 grams of protein (8).
- Moe’s Southwestern Grill Burrito Bowl with pork carnitas, grilled peppers, sour cream, cheese and guacamole (no rice or beans): 394 calories, 30 grams of fat, 12 grams of carbs and 30 grams of protein (9).
3. Low-Carb Salads
Fast-food salads can be very high in carbohydrates.
For example, Wendy’s full-size Apple Pecan Chicken Salad contains 52 grams of carbohydrates and up to 40 grams of sugar.
Carbohydrates from popular salad toppings, such as dressings, marinades and fresh or dried fruit, can add up quickly.
To keep your salad low-carb, it’s important to skip certain ingredients, especially those high in added sugar.
For those following a ketogenic diet, avoiding sweet dressings, fruits and other high-carb ingredients is key.
The following are several salad options that fit within the ketogenic diet:
- McDonald’s Bacon Ranch Grilled Chicken Salad with guacamole: 380 calories, 19 grams of fat, 10 grams of carbs and 42 grams of protein (1).
- Chipotle Salad Bowl with steak, romaine, cheese, sour cream and salsa: 405 calories, 23 grams of fat, 7 grams of carbs and 30 grams of protein (7).
- Moe’s Taco Salad with adobo chicken, fresh jalapenos, cheddar cheese and guacamole: 325 calories, 23 grams of fat, 9 grams of carbs and 28 grams of protein (9).
- Arby’s Roast Turkey Farmhouse Salad with buttermilk ranch dressing: 440 calories, 35 grams of fat, 10 grams of carbs and 22 grams of protein (16).
To minimize carbs, stick with high-fat, low-carb dressings like ranch or oil and vinegar.
Be sure to avoid breaded chicken, croutons, candied nuts and tortilla shells as well.
4. Handy On-the-Go Snacks
Stopping at your favorite fast food restaurant can provide you with a quick, keto-friendly meal, but keeping ketogenic-approved snacks on hand can help you tide you over between meals.
As with regular meals, ketogenic snacks must be high in fat and low in carbohydrates.
Surprisingly, many convenience stores and gas stations have a good selection of low-carb foods.
On-the-go snacks for a ketogenic diet include:
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Peanut butter packets
- String cheese
- Peanuts
- Almonds
- Sunflower seeds
- Beef jerky
- Meat sticks
- Tuna packets
- Pork rinds
While it’s easy to buy snacks, focusing on preparing homemade snacks will give you more control over the foods you eat.
Investing in a cooler to keep in your car can make it easier to take healthy ketogenic snacks with you, including hard-boiled eggs, low-carb vegetables and cheese.
5. Lettuce-Wrapped Burgers
Some fast food restaurants have noticed that many people have adopted a low-carb diet.
This has led to keto-friendly menu items such as lettuce-wrapped burgers, which are a great option for people following a ketogenic diet or for those who want to cut back on carbohydrates.
The following lettuce-wrapped burgers are available on fast-food menus:
- Hardees ⅓ lb Low-Carb Thickburger: 470 calories, 36 grams of fat, 9 grams of carbs and 22 grams of protein (18).
- Carl’s Jr. Lettuce-Wrapped Thickburger: 420 calories, 33 grams of fat, 8 grams of carbs and 25 grams of protein (19).
- In-n-Out Burger “Protein Style” Cheeseburger with onion: 330 calories, 25 grams of fat, 11 grams of carbs and 18 grams of protein (20).
- Five Guys Bacon Cheeseburger in a lettuce wrap and with mayo: 394 calories, 34 grams of fat, less than 1 gram of carbs and 20 grams of protein (3).
Even if a lettuce-wrapped burger isn’t featured as a menu option, most fast-food establishments can accommodate this request.
There are some ingredients and fast foods that people following a keto diet may wish to avoid.
These foods tend to be high in sugar or carbs. They include:
- full sugar soft drinks
- breads, including burger buns, muffins, and wraps
- fries and hash browns
- biscuits
- ketchup
- salad croutons
- certain sauces, such as barbecue, teriyaki, and honey and mustard dressing
- rice and noodles
Summary
Meat and cheese based fast food can be suitable for people on a keto diet if they omit high carbohydrate components such as bread, pasta, rice and sweet sauces.
Many fast food restaurants allow people to design their meals to their specifications and provide detailed nutritional information.
As the popularity of the ketogenic diet continues to grow, more delicious low-carb options are sure to appear on the menus of fast food restaurants in the near future.
