16 Fast Food Orders That Are Surprisingly Good For You

What's your go-to lunch order? Do you bring a lunch box to work or are you the type that dines out? While every day is different, packing a lunch is a great way to save money and choose healthier food options. However, no one is perfect, and sometimes you need a meal and you need it quickly. This is where fast food can be the perfect solution thanks to the convenient locations, typically low prices, drive-through lanes, and late hours. And quite frankly, it's delicious! However, fast food restaurants are not ideal when it comes to choosing healthier meals, as they tend to be high in saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, and carbohydrates. 

Nonetheless, there are often limited options for dining, and whether you are looking for a quick bite during your busy workday or driving across the country, fast food restaurants are always available when you need them. Instead of indulging in something you'd regret, or worse not eating altogether, we've compiled a list of 16 fast food orders that are surprisingly good for you. 

Let's face it, we are always heading to Starbucks to try the latest new espresso drink on our way to work. While we're at it, picking up a nutritious breakfast to go is a convenient option. Starbucks is actually great at offering a variety of food products that hit many different dietary needs and preferences. The most nutritious on their menu is likely their Rolled & Steel Cut Oatmeal with Blueberries. This dish contains oatmeal made with water, topped with almonds, walnuts, pecans, blueberries, and agave nectar syrup.

Oatmeal is a whole grain breakfast option that can benefit heart health, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. Because it is packed with fiber, not only will you feel full throughout the morning, but you may also experience positive changes in your blood cholesterol. Additionally, fiber can aid in managing blood sugar levels, according to Healthline. All those benefits in a simple bowl of oatmeal — who knew?

When you are on the road, you often have to make do with what's available if there aren't a lot of options for a healthy lunch. Luckily there are more than 6500 Wendy's locations across the United States according to their website. With such a large number of locations, you are likely very close to a Wendy's as we speak.

While the fast food spot isn't known for its healthy food options, it does have one menu item that we particularly love when we're looking for something that's good for us. The Apple Cranberry Chicken Salad contains lettuce, apple chips, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, cheese, grilled chicken, and a pomegranate dressing. Not only does this salad taste delightful thanks to the combination of savory cheese and sweet fruits, but it's also fairly nutritious. According to Healthline, sunflower seeds contain a lot of vitamin E and omega-6 fatty acids, which can assist with inflammation and heart health. Additionally, dried cranberries pack a major punch of antioxidants, Livestrong explains.

Taco Bell has numerous options on its menu, but we'll admit, most of them are not remotely close to what we'd call healthy. However, the chain does carry a taco in its wide selection that is simple and nutritious. The Black Bean Soft Taco consists of a warm flour tortilla packed with seasoned black beans, shredded lettuce, and shredded cheese.

According to Healthline, black beans are a great source of plant-based protein and they're packed with fiber. Even if you aren't a vegetarian or otherwise avoiding meat, Forks over Knives indicates that a number of research results agree that we could all use a bit more beans in our lives. Eating more black beans can assist in weight loss, balance your blood sugar, lower blood pressure, maintain healthy bones, prevent cancer, and even help support a healthy heart, as per Medical News Today. All of that from eating more beans? Count us in.

Subway restaurants can be found almost everywhere, thanks to the 41,600 locations worldwide (via Statista). Consequently, if you're stuck without options you should be able to find a Subway for a quick meal. The healthiest option at this sandwich hub is without a doubt the Oven Roasted Turkey Sandwich loaded up with veggies. 

For starters, Healthline indicates that turkey meat is a great source of protein that is rich in B vitamins. Add to that the ability to customize your sandwich and you have yourself the potential for a very nutritious meal. Because Subway has a plethora of vegetable toppings to choose from, you can add more fiber and micronutrients to your sub with each additional topping you choose. What's our go-to order? We love the six-inch sub on whole wheat with turkey, mustard, mayo, green bell peppers, lettuce, tomato, olives, spinach, and cucumber. These veggies add a lot of nutrients and flavor without adding a ton of calories and grams of fat, according to Healthline.

It's very tricky to try to find a healthy option at many fast food restaurants, and that's especially true at Arby's. Many of their menu items are exceptionally high in sodium and saturated fat, which should be limited according to the Dietary Guidelines for America. However, one option stands out above the rest: The Roast Turkey and Swiss Wrap. It contains roast turkey, Swiss cheese, leaf lettuce, red onion, tomato, mayo, and spicy brown mustard all loaded up in an artisan wrap.

With about 530 calories, 42 grams of carbohydrates, and 37 grams of protein, as far as macronutrients go this meal is well-balanced. The high protein content helps to increase satiety or feelings of fullness, according to Healthline, which means you might not be as tempted to indulge in an order of fries. Unlike some healthy foods which leave you hungry and eager to snack unnecessarily, Arby's Roast Turkey and Swiss Wrap will keep you full until your next meal.

Carl's Jr. Big Hamburger contains a beef patty, dill pickles, onions, mustard, and ketchup on a sesame seed bun –  basically a quintessential fast food burger. We know you probably weren't imagining a hamburger to make this list of healthy orders, but in fact, at around 480 calories it makes a fairly low-calorie option for a complete meal.

According to the Mayo Clinic, counting calories can be an efficient way to lose weight in conjunction with maintaining an active lifestyle. By maintaining a 500 calorie per meal goal, you will total your daily intake at 1,500 calories. While everyone has different caloric needs, exercise routines, and health concerns, a 1,500 calorie per day guideline can be a good tool to lose weight, according to Eating Well. Since Carl's Jr.'s hamburger isn't loaded with veggies, we don't think it's the best option available, but it will certainly do in a pinch.

Alright, so fried chicken isn't necessarily the healthiest, but we had to include this option because chicken is leaner than beef, according to Healthline. While WebMD indicates that deep-frying anything is not ideal for heart health, chicken can be an excellent source of protein. Not to mention, it's very tasty!

The Shake Shack Chicken Stack contains crispy fried chicken over lettuce, pickles, buttermilk herb mayo, and a bun. Interestingly, pickles actually offer some health benefits. Shocked? We were too. Nonetheless, Nourish by WebMD reports that pickles can lower your risk of heart disease and aid in weight loss due to the high water and vinegar content. The source explains that vinegar has been shown to slow the rate at which your body processes carbohydrates, which is certainly an impressive feature. We're definitely going to use that fact as an excuse to eat one of these bad boys today!

Ah, there is nothing like Sonic's Grilled Cheese to bring us back to our childhoods. Their grilled cheese truly stands out among the rest, even compared to mom's. With buttered Texas toast and melted American cheese, it truly does not get better than this. While this menu item does not contain any vegetables and is consequently lacking in many micronutrients, this grilled cheese is a simple low-calorie option that will please even the pickiest of eaters. 

Sonic's Grilled Cheese clocks in at 430 calories, 19 grams of fat, 51 grams of carbohydrates, and 14 grams of protein. Although the caloric total is reasonably low, with this nutritional profile we probably wouldn't recommend getting a side of tater tots if you are really trying to be healthy and watching your caloric intake. But we realize that's asking a lot, so if you have to get the tots, make it a special occasion — we won't judge.