Dietary Experts Break Down The Healthiest Fast Food Items Out There, And They’re Not Those We Suspected

Fast food isn’t known for being healthy — quite the opposite, in fact. But did you know that certain items can fall into that category? We’ve gathered 40 dishes that are healthier than most other options on fast food restaurant menus. Now, we’re not suggesting you swap out your fresh fruit and vegetables for these, but they’re perfect for when you need a little fast food fix!

1. Chili’s: Caribbean Salad with Seared Shrimp (Calories: 600)

While some salads have little flavor, that certainly isn’t the case with this option from Chili’s. The Caribbean Salad with Seared Shrimp’s an absolute delight, tasting just as good as it looks. The dish is packed with fruit and veg, too, such as mandarin oranges, pineapple, and bell peppers. It isn’t loaded with calories, either, so don’t be afraid to give it a try.

2. Subway: Tuna Salad Sub (Calories: 450)

Speaking to the Eat This, Not That! website, a food expert named Michelle Dudash revealed, “My go-to Subway selection is the tuna salad sandwich. I order it on a six-inch nine-grain wheat roll with spinach, green peppers, olives, cucumber, and banana peppers, which comes in [at] under 500 calories. [It’s] a good source of vitamins A and C, calcium, and iron.”

3. Shake Shack: ’Shroom Burger (Calories: 510)

Beef patties? Pah! Portobello mushrooms make for a surprisingly effective substitute at Shake Shack. The ’Shroom Burger’s a wonderfully unique dish, packing a lot of flavor in the bun. Yes, the mushroom is fried and stuffed with cheese, admittedly, but its saturated fat readings are much lower than most of the other burgers at the restaurant. The calorie-count isn’t too high, either.

4. Au Bon Pain: Veggie and Hummus Wrap (Calories: 580)

The next time you visit Au Bon Pain, ask for the Veggie and Hummus Wrap. Why? Well, in addition to being extremely tasty, this option’s full of goodness. You’ll find cucumber, chickpeas, carrots, lettuce, and much more inside the whole-wheat wrap. The total fat measurement comes in at under 30 grams, while the calorie-count’s less than 600. Not bad, right?