It isn’t easy to follow a keto diet always since you need to cut out a lot of carbs from your life. However, in many ways, it is easier to follow than stricter diets that restrict a lot of food items. When you are cooking at home, there are many keto-friendly options that you can turn to as you control the ingredients. However, due to the busy nature of our lives, sometimes we have no choice but to rush out without cooking. In such cases, most of us eat from fast food places spread across the country. So, how many of these fast food places serve keto-friendly food? Do they have meal options that are high protein and low carb? Here’s a look at the best keto high protein, low carb fast food meal options available in the US.
Top High Protein Low Carb Fast Food Keto Meals
High Protein Low Carb Fast Food 1
McDonald’s Bunless Big Mac
If you are an experienced keto dieter, you know by now that you need to go bunless when it comes to burgers. Also, this beauty by McDonald’s is one of America’s most iconic burgers, thanks to its rich flavor and simple arrangement. The Big Mac comes with two beef patties, lettuce, melted cheese and their special sauce. Without the bun, this meal will set you back by about 330 calories and six net carbs. However, while the burger is delicious, it is not as filling as the other entries on this list.
High Protein Low Carb Fast Food 2
Chopped Salad and Cold Cut from Subway
Cold Cut combos are immensely popular as they are more high protein and low carb than the rest of the things available at Subway. Also, the chopped salad contains a lot of veggies such as lettuce, jalapenos, cucumber and tomatoes, making it healthy. The trio of meats that Subway relies on is salami, bologna and turkey, and extra fat comes in the form of shredded cheese. In case you want to make it more nutritious you can add banana peppers, olives and spinach. However, pass on the sauces and additional dressing to avoid packing on extra carbs. Also, remember to ask the outlet whether they have a Deluxe upgrade option, wherein you can get 50% more meat for just $0.75.
High Protein Low Carb Fast Food 3
Menu Steak Bowl from Taco Bell
A high protein low carb lunch bowl from Taco Bell, this Menu Steak Bowl is a blessing for keto dieters. It contains steak, lettuce, guacamole and pico de gallo. In case you want it to be really filling, opt for the second portion of steak, some cheese and nacho cheese sauce. After adding all these, the meal contains about 500 calories and ten net carbs. In case you are bothered by the large number of net carbs, cut back by avoiding the pico de gallo.
High Protein Low Carb Fast Food 4
Jimmy John’s Italian Lettuce Wrapped Club Unwich
This great breadless sandwich is a great high protein low carb fast food option that you can eat in peace. It contains onions, salami, ham, tomatoes, lettuce capicola, provolone and vinaigrette. Since it is wrapped tightly in lettuce, it is the perfect keto-friendly on-the-go snack that you can eat comfortably. The sandwich will set you back by 590 calories and four net carbs, and this fast-food place has almost ten other such Unwich options which are perfect for keto dieters.
High Protein Low Carb Fast Food 5
Chipotle Chicken Salad Minus the Beans and Rice
One of the best high protein low carb meals that you can have from a fast food joint, the chicken salad is a filling meal that will help satiate your hunger. However, to make it more keto-friendly cut down on the carbs by asking to remove the beans and rice. Also, ask them not to add any dressing on their own. Instead, go through Chipotle’s Keto menu to decide a low-carb dressing on your own. In case you don’t find any, sprinkle some oil or vinegar as dressing and eat the salad.
This Chicken Salad contains a bed of lettuce, filled with chunks of roasted chicken and red salsa which is tender and full of flavor. In case you want a large meal, ask for some extra chicken to make sure you don’t go hungry later. It depends on you whether to add the sour cream and shredded cheese, but I would say go for it because they help make the meal for filling. Also, to make it more healthy, you could ask for the extra guacamole, which will cost you $2 extra. With all these fillings in place, the meal contains 630 calories and seven net carbs. The only problem here is that it is a little high on calories since they use chicken thighs instead of breast pieces. However, this is a great meal that will surely keep you going throughout the day, thanks to the calorie-dense ingredients it contains.
High Protein Low Carb Fast Food 6
Bunless FlameThrower Burger from Dairy Queen
If you have been following the keto diet for a while, you will know that when it comes to fast food places, the bunless burger is your go-to option. The FlameThrower is delicious and offers an excellent presentation. It contains two grilled beef patties, bacon, lettuce, jalapenos, pepper jack cheese, tomatoes and a spicy sauce. Since the patties are grilled for an extended period, they release a lot of fat, making the burger very flavorful. The jalapeno cream sauce and the extra spicy sauce they serve ensure that the burger is delicious, so go for it if you love extra chili! The bunless option will cost you 760 calories and four net carbs, making it a perfect fast food keto lunch option.
Other honorable mentions include the Grilled Chicken with Green Beans from KFC (485 calories and four net carbs), McDonald’s Double Quarter Pounder without buns (600 calories and ten net carbs) and Wendy’s Croutons-Less Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad (500 calories and six net carbs)
As you can see, keto-eaters can eat from these fast food chains without too much guilt due to their keto options. Since most of these are heavy on meat, they are protein high and low carb, making them great lunch options for keto dieters. Most of these fast food joint’s websites provide all the nutritional information you could need to build a keto-friendly meal. Let us know in the comments below what your favorite keto high protein low carb fast food meal option is.
