The road to healthy eating takes a whole lot of baby steps. One good, small action begets another, you know! Sometimes that baby step means ordering a slightly healthier food at a fast-food restaurant before forgoing fast food in its entirety. We're not judging! Maybe you're even on a road trip, looking for a quick bite, and not left with a lot of options — here's your cheat sheet for eating a little lighter at Del Taco.
Street Tacos
Whether you choose a chicken or carne asada street taco [2], they're 170-180 calories each, providing 10-11 grams of protein, with only 1 gram of sugar, 20 carbohydrates, and 7 grams of fat. The carne asada is slightly higher in iron (thanks, steak), but nutritionally they are almost identical.
Pollo Asado Bowl With Avocado
The pollo asado bowl [3] is a tortilla-free alternative to a burrito; it has 570 calories coming from 23 grams of fat [4], 61 carbohydrates, and 31 grams of protein, with 8 grams of fiber and only 5 grams of sugar. It also brings in 30 percent of your daily vitamin C and 25 percent of your iron, but a whopping 1,370 mg of sodium (which is even less than the green chile chicken version of this meal, actually).
Chicken Soft Tacos
At 220 calories with 12 grams of fat and 16 carbohydrates, the chicken soft taco [5] delivers 12 grams of protein. Ask for the "savory secret sauce" on the side, and you'll just have a flour tortilla, lettuce, cheese, and grilled chicken — simple ingredients.
Mexican Chopped Chicken Salad
Salsa takes the place of dressing in the Mexican chopped chicken salad [6], which is topped with avocado, black beans, cheese, and pico de gallo. The lightest of the salad fare at Del Taco, this salad still packs a substantial amount of calories and sodium — 510 calories and 1,340 mg sodium. With 23 grams of fat, 31 grams of protein, and 39 carbohydrates, it also brings in 70 percent of your vitamin A, 60 percent of your vitamin C, 50 percent of your calcium, 30 percent of your iron, and 11 grams of fiber. To cut down on fat and calories, you can always skip the cheese.
Avocado Veggie Fresca Bowl
The vegetarian fresca bowl [7] has 460 calories, with only 14 grams of fat and 13 grams of fiber. However, you lose out on protein, with only 14 grams, and the carbohydrate count is higher at 70. You'll get 40 percent of your iron, 15 percent of your vitamin C, and still a high sodium count at 1,240 mg.