It’s no secret that I follow a pretty healthy diet when it comes to my meals.

What you probably aren’t aware of is the fact that in an effort to add variety to my diet, I allow 20% of my calories to come from foods I don’t cook myself.

This 20% can come in the form of snacks, tacos, pizza and well fast food.

Which begs the question: can fast food be healthy?

Now don’t get me wrong; fast food isn’t a great choice for your health, or your wallet.

If anything, many options are high in calories and sodium and low in nutrients like vitamins and minerals.

What’s more, most fast-food chains don’t offer many options for vegetarians or vegans—and if you’re trying to eat less meat or dairy products, those items are even harder to come by at your local drive-thru!

The good news is that many fast food chains are changing the way they serve food, and there are now healthier options available at almost every chain restaurant.

Which is why in this article I would like to share with you my 5 golden rules of eating out as well as highlight a couple of meals I personally would recommend.

Golden Rule #1: Sharing is Caring

By far the easiest way to cut calories, saturated fat and everything else in half is to do just that.

Cut your meal in half by sharing it with the people you’re with.

Eating alone?

Then simply share with yourself by only eating half and saving the rest for later.

Golden Rule #2: Avoid the avoidable

Condiments, dressings and sauces add flavor; but also add in a lot of unnecessary calories and added sugars like high fructose corn syrup.

With some packets containing more than 100 calories per packet, do yourself a favor and skip the flavor.

The same holds true for deserts loaded with unnecessary calories and sugars.

I mean ask yourself do you really need that extra apple pie?

Chances are you don’t.

Golden Rule #3: Don’t drink your calories

Avoid adding any additional calories to your meal by simply asking for a diet version of your favorite soft drink.

An even better alternative is simply asking for a bottle of water instead.

Golden Rule #4: Allow yourself to be a kid again

If your favorite fast food chain doesn’t have age restrictions on their kids menu, go ahead and order off it.

More often than not, they’re the appropriate portion size calorically for adults.

If your favorite fast food chain doesn't have age restrictions on their kids menu, go ahead and order off it. More often than not, they're the appropriate portion size calorically for adults. Share on X

Golden Rule #5: Slash or swap the sides

This rule can save you hundreds of calories over the year.

Simply ask for a smaller version of a side or better yet swap it out entirely for a healthier option.

Many chains now offer salads but be sure to follow rule #2 when ordering the dressing.

If you do want an unhealthier dressing, just remember you can control how much you actually pour onto the salad.

So to answer the question of “can fast food be healthy?” my honest answer would be yes.

Overall, I think fast food can be a healthy option if you’re mindful of what you’re eating.

And the best way to enjoy yourself while eating healthy is by planning ahead.

Which is why in an effort to make this decision process easier, I recently put together the HART SMART™ menu.

Comprised of 60 meals at 20 of the most popular fast food chains, the HART SMART™ menu followed the following 3 guidelines:

1. The meal had to include a main item, a side (when possible) and a beverage
2. The meal couldn’t have more than 600 calories
3. The meal couldn’t have more than 5 grams of saturated fat

Now I want to make it clear that the objective of the HART SMART™ menu is to empower you with the knowledge to make better choices when you do decide to eat out at these fast food restaurants.

Eating out is not just for special occasions anymore but between the HART SMART™ menu and my 5 golden rules, I know you now have the knowledge to make better choices at these restaurants.

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