The Healthy Vegan Drive-Through Ordering Guide

Taco Bell's surprisingly healthy Cantina Power Bowl is one of the better items you can order at the drive-through and offers an impressive amount of vitamins and minerals thanks to all the vegetables.

How to order: no avocado ranch sauce, sour cream, or cheese; add guacamole

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 at under 350 calories. While there are 55 grams of carbohydrates, all the ingredients in a Fresco Bean Burrito are certified vegan.

How to order: Fresco style

This simple side dish of plain black beans is full of protein, fiber, and iron with basically zero sugar and only 80 calories. It's vegan, gluten-free, and nutritious.

How to order: as is

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. Order it Fresco style to make it vegan and you'll also save on calories.

How to order: Fresco style

At 335 calories, the Vegetarian sandwich has the grams of fat (from healthy avocado), 61 grams of carbohydrates, and 13 grams of protein — pretty good for a veggie sandwich! It's also the lowest on the sodium count of all the sandwiches at 620 milligrams.

How to order: no mayo; no cheese; extra tomato, cucumber, lettuce, and sprouts

Making it vegan AND an Unwich (removing the bread, making it basically a salad) puts you at 45 calories, one gram of fat, six grams of carbs, only two grams of protein, and 60 milligrams of sodium. At that point, it's not really a substantial meal anymore but perhaps a refreshing snack.

How to order: no bread; no mayo; no cheese; extra tomato, cucumber, lettuce, and sprouts

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 zero grams of fat, 260 milligrams sodium, two grams of fiber, and one gram of protein.

How to order: as is

Eat fresh with a meat-free meal; Subway's all-veggie sandwich is a great choice for the vegetarian on the go. Get extra spinach for an added dose of iron!

How to order: 6" on nine-grain wheat; no cheese ; add black olives, cucumbers, green peppers, jalapeños, lettuce, red onion, spinach tomatoes; yellow or deli mustard; add avocado

The salad variant of the sandwich is a great gluten-free option. The amalgamation of healthy veggies is super low in sodium, carbohydrates, and sugar, with tons of vitamins C and A and even a good dose of iron. It's also vegan!

How to order: black olives, cucumbers, green peppers, lettuce, red onions, spinach, tomatoes, avocado; olive oil blend and vinegar

McDonald's Fruit and Maple Oatmeal is one of a handful of vegetarian breakfast options and it's also vegan. While it is high in fiber and vitamins, be wary of the sugar content and add your mix-ins accordingly.

How to order: no cranberry-raisin blend

While it may not be particularly filling, you can't really go wrong with plain veggies. This side salad is easy to deconstruct and you know exactly what you're getting when you order.

How to order: as a substitution for fries

Panera offers this low-fat vegetarian soup, which is vegan and full of flavor, fiber, and weight-loss-boosting benefits. Be mindful of the sodium content, because while there are many upsides to this lunchtime option, there are still over 1,000 milligrams of sodium.

How to order: as is

It's hard to go wrong with a 170-calorie classic salad. Raw veggies are naturally low in fat and calories but high in vitamins and minerals.

How to order: as is, dressing on the side

You don't have to eat meat in the morning to get a high dose of protein: Panera's quinoa oatmeal is high in fiber, protein, and nutrients, making for an excellent on-the-go breakfast.

How to order: as is

This bowl is full of protein and healthy fats (thanks, extra virgin olive oil!), has no chicken, and is still full of protein. Yummy almonds, olives, and quinoa bring tons of nutrients.

How to order: dressing on the side

The bonus here and the edge that these wedges have over fries? The potato skins. Loaded with trace minerals, the potato skin is nutritious even though it's fried. Limit your portions, though, as sodium is high.

How to order: as is

Oatmeal is always a great choice, and the Starbucks blueberry variety is no exception. It's low-fat, low-cal, and lower in sugar than most on-the-go oatmeal options, with a great dose of fiber, protein, vitamin C, calcium, and iron.

Pro (vegan) tip: make your oatmeal a little richer and more flavorful by asking them to make it with steamed almond or coconut milk instead of water!

How to order: no dried cranberries

Starbucks has a robust to-go menu, and 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. This bowl is probably one of the healthiest items you can get at a drive through.

How to order: as is

With no fat, low calories, 60 percent of your daily vitamin C, a bit of iron, and a good chunk of fiber, you're in good hands with a plain order of fruit.

How to order: as is

There's no sugar in the classic oatmeal until you start adding toppings, so you're totally in control of your nutrition. The base of oatmeal provides iron and fiber while being low in fat, calories, sugar (literally zero grams!), and sodium.

How to order: all toppings on the side, no dried fruit

The vegetarian fresca bowl has 460 calories, with only 14 grams of fat and 13 grams of fiber. You'll get 40 percent of your iron, 15 percent of your vitamin C, and still a high sodium count at 1,240 mg.

How to order: as is