25 Drive-Through Hacks For Healthy Ordering on the Go

How to order: no cranberry-raisin blend

McDonald’s Fruit and Maple Oatmeal with the works includes brown sugar, diced apples, cranberries, raisins, and light cream. The breakfast dish is surprisingly high in protein, calcium, iron, vitamin C, and fiber, while being low in fat and sodium. The downfall is the carbs and sugar — 32 grams of sugar is extremely high, and 58 grams of carbs is nothing to mess with either.

By simply cutting the cranberry-raisin topping, you’ll lose half the sugar and still have the nutrients from the apples (and flavor from brown sugar and cream).

How to order: no bun

In terms of calories and sodium, this chicken sandwich is not much better than a classic McDonald’s cheeseburger (crazy, right?).

Quick fix: lose the Artisan Roll — you’ll also lose over 60 percent of the calories, nearly all the carbs, 350 milligrams of sodium, nine grams of sugar . . . even a few grams of fat! The result will be a high-protein, low-calorie lunch that will leave you feeling full in a pinch.

How to order: no Canadian bacon, no salted butter (optional: no cheese)

Eggs are a great go-to for a protein fix, and there are no added ingredients in McDonald’s egg patties.

Although the Canadian bacon is “lean,” there are nitrites on the ingredient list, so it’s best to avoid it. Although optional, skipping the salted butter and cheese will save you half the fat, while still keeping the protein high. Surprisingly, the English muffin itself has five grams of protein, 1.5 grams of iron, and 140 milligrams of calcium, so consider keeping it around if you’re not on a gluten-free or low-carb diet.

Wendy's is one of the few fast-food places where you can order a baked potato. But there's a caveat to this order: you need to skip the cheese sauce. Before you cry "blasphemy," hear us out — although it is likely very tasty, the sauce is not just melted cheese; there's a slew of ingredients in there that account for lots of added fat, sodium, and calories. Instead, order a loaded broccoli potato, so you get all the great benefits of a cruciferous veggie and all the minerals from the potato (don't forget to eat the skin!). Add salt and pepper, to taste.

With 20 grams of protein and 270 calories, this wrap alternative to the sandwich has fewer carbohydrates and is a little smaller in portion size. Decide whether or not you want the "smoky honey mustard sauce" or cheese, which can save you a lot in the fat, sodium, and calorie departments.

With 36 grams of protein and under 400 calories (that's with the dressing), this Asian-inspired salad from Wendy's has nutrient-rich edamame, cashews, chicken, and greens. It's also high in potassium, fiber, vitamins C and A, iron, and calcium, but it's also somewhat high in sodium and sugar. Control your intake by getting the dressing on the side. It cuts the sodium nearly in half and takes off two-thirds of the sugar.

It's not often you can find "wild-smoked Alaskan salmon cream cheese spread" at a truck stop or fast-food joint. With edamame hummus, wheat-free crackers, cucumbers, and trail mix, you can load up on omega-3s, which are great for your brain health. You'll also get a solid dose of fiber and protein in this box, so it's a great option when you're on the go.

This is actually my favorite healthy lunch at Starbucks. With brown rice cooked in heart-healthy olive oil and a bounty of veggies that are rarely found at a fast food or fast casual restaurant (the likes of butternut squash, beets, kale, broccoli, red cabbage, peas, and tomatoes), this 430-calorie bowl is absolutely packed with nutrient-rich, natural ingredients. The dressing is a lemon-tahini blend, which adds a light, citrusy, creamy zest to the whole deal. It’s got nearly double your daily vitamin A, 130 percent vitamin C, protein, calcium, fiber, and an impressive 25 percent daily value of iron. This is probably one of the healthiest dishes you can get at any fast-food joint.

This low-carb, low-sugar, high-protein sandwich has a decent amount of vitamins and minerals. The reduced-fat cheese gives flavor without significantly impacting the fat and cholesterol content, making for a savory and filling breakfast meal. Keep things light and classic with a cup of black coffee or a hot tea.

We know it's counterintuitive, but there's no way around it: skip the KFC and go for KGC — Kentucky grilled chicken. A grilled drumstick is only 60 calories per piece, with 10 grams of protein; a grilled chicken breast will give you 31 grams of protein in every 180-calorie piece. Get the full nutritional info and create your meal based on your caloric and macro needs.

Did you know there are plain ol' vegetables at KFC? We didn't either! This side of green beans comes in at 25 calories, with 0 grams of fat, 260 milligrams sodium, 2 grams of fiber, and 1 gram of protein.

How to order: 6" on 9-Grain Wheat; No Cheese (optional); Add Black Olives, Cucumbers, Green Peppers, Jalapeños, Lettuce, Red Onion, Spinach Tomatoes; Yellow or Deli Mustard; Add Avocado

Subway's all-veggie sandwich is a great choice for the vegetarian on the go. And, if you're not vegan and you're looking to up your protein, try provolone cheese. With only four additional grams of fat, you'll get four additional grams of protein.

How to order: 6" on Flatbread

With three simple ingredients — flatbread, eggs, and cheese — this sandwich is easy to deconstruct, and high in protein to keep you full in the morning. It's also super high in calcium and iron, meaning you'll have a bit more energy, while the flatbread shaves a couple carbs off your total. Even Consumer Reports thinks this sandwich is a good breakfast option! You can spice up your meal with avocado, spinach, or tomato for added nutrients.

How to order: 6" on 9-Grain Wheat; No Cheese; Add Cucumbers, Green Peppers, Lettuce, Red Onion, Spinach Tomatoes; Yellow or Deli Mustard

With a similar caloric breakdown to the Oven-Roasted variation, the Rotisserie-Style sandwich has nearly 30 grams of protein, with only 7 grams of sugar. If you want cheese and honey mustard, you'll gain additional calcium, vitamins, and flavor, all without majorly impacting your waistline (an extra 80 calories and 5 grams of sugar).

Let's start off by saying this salad has 50 grams of protein. So, if you're into upping your protein, building muscle, and adjusting your macros, this is a salad for you. Additionally, thanks to superstar kale, you'll also get 100 percent or more of your needed vitamin A and C, as well as calcium. Ten percent of your iron and three grams of fiber are an added bonus. Keep an eye out for dressing and cheese, as they can add a lot of fat, sodium, and calories; ask for your dressing on the side!

Lean egg whites and veggies bring great nutritional content to this 400-calorie breakfast sandwich. With healthy fats from avocado, 12 grams of protein, and 60 percent of your daily value of iron, this sandwich's only downfall is the carb content, which comes from a sprouted grain "bagel flat." And let's be honest, unless you're cutting out carbs, a sprouted grain bagel isn't the worst thing in the world.

Lentils, quinoa, and brown rice are here and they're ready to rock your lunchtime plans. This fiber-full soup is high in protein (nearly 20 grams) and only adds up to 350 calories. It's also got a good amount of calcium and iron, as well as 150 percent of vitamin A and 110 percent of your vitamin C for the day.

Whether you order it with chicken, steak, or veggies, the Cantina Power Bowl is one of the better items you can order at Taco Bell. The meat options bring a whopping 30 grams of protein (16 grams in the veggie variety) and around 425 calories, with lots of fiber and not too much fat. The bowl also packs a ton of nutrients: 100 percent vitamin C, 45 percent vitamin A, 20 percent iron (25 in veggie), and 20 percent calcium. Go easy on the avocado ranch sauce, which contributes to the 1,000-plus milligram sodium content. You can add in healthy fats from avocado by ordering guacamole for extra flavor.

By ordering your bean burrito fresco style, you'll skip the dairy while still getting 13 grams of protein and nine grams of fiber, all under 350 calories. While there are 55 grams of carbohydrates, all the ingredients in a Fresco Bean Burrito are certified vegan.

This 210-calorie dish has four grams of fiber, seven grams of protein, under 500 milligrams of sodium, six percent of your iron, is vegetarian, and is also literally $1. You can order it Fresco style to save on calories.

While the classic Grand Slam of pancakes, bacon, eggs, and sausage will run you 49 grams of fat and 850 calories, the Fit Slam is only 10 grams of fat and under 400 calories. Turkey bacon and fruit take the place of pork bacon and sausage, an egg white and veggie scramble replaces the eggs, and pancakes are substituted with english muffins.

Under 350 calories and loaded with vegetables, Denny's vegetarian skillet has 19 grams of protein from egg whites and vitamins galore from the broccoli, mushrooms, bell peppers, spinach, and tomatoes. You'll also get the benefits of good-for-you potatoes, including relaxing magnesium, which might loosen you up for the rest of your road trip.

Say what?! Pacific salmon at a diner? This is almost unheard of. At 520 calories, this plate brings in 39 grams of protein. If you want to cut down on carbohydrates and sodium, swap whole grain rice for steamed vegetables. Salmon offers tons of omega-3 and brain-boosting nutrients that'll keep you full AND put you in a good mood.

Straight out of the gates, half your calories will be coming from the corn tortillas. These tacos in particular are the lightest and leanest of the three options (soft flour and crispy corn being the others), but they still do a bit of caloric damage.

If you're just craving tacos, order the below fixings, and you'll be at 430 calories, with under 10 grams of fat, 810 grams of sodium (lightest of all the options), 51 grams of carbohydrates (ouch, but that's the tortillas again), 8.5 grams of fiber, and 36 grams of protein (incredible), as well as high amounts of vitamins A and C, calcium, and iron (tortillas brought some iron and calcium to the table, whoo!).

How to order:

You're probably not at Chipotle to get a salad, but on the off chance you are, here are some ordering tips.

Between the vinaigrette and guacamole as your dressing, it's likely a better choice to opt for guac. Their serving of vinaigrette is 270 calories, with 25 grams of fat, 850 grams of sodium, 12 grams of sugar, and 18 grams of carbohydrates. Compare that to guacamole, at 230 calories, 22 grams of fat, 375 grams of sodium, 1 gram of sugar, and 8 grams of carbohydrates (with added fiber, protein, vitamins A and C, calcium, and iron). Nutritionally, it's a better, healthier fat and flavor addition.

Without dressing, the sofritas salad comes in at 280 calories, 12 grams of fat, 1605 milligrams of sodium (yikes), 32 grams of carbohydrates, 9.5 grams of fiber (applause), 12.5 grams of sugar, 13 grams of protein (not bad!), and over 100 percent of your daily vitamins C and A with high levels of calcium and iron.

How to order: