Kate Lyman Nutrition

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MACRO-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT SERIES: CHICK FIL A

Kenny Lyman

In an ideal world, we’d all have plenty of time to prepare our nutritious, perfectly portioned meals for the week and feed our families while still staying on top of our own nutrition. But we know life is far from ideal. We are busy, life is chaotic, time is short and there will be days when you’re on the go, hangry, and need to stop for a meal before you have a meltdown.

When it comes to your nutrition goals, breakfast isn’t necessarily any more or less important than any other meal, but it can be used as an opportunity to get a headstart on your nutrition goals for the day.

EATING OUT IS ALWAYS AN ESTIMATION WHEN IT COMES TO TRACKING YOUR MACROS. 

Restaurant nutrition information can be inaccurate at times, but planning ahead and choosing menu options that align with your macro targets can help you work towards your nutrition goals even when on the go and not eating at home.

Today, we’re sharing a few of our favorite options at Chick-fil-A that can help you hit your macros while eating out - whether you’re on the road traveling or just need a quick bite while navigating your busy day.

MACRO-FRIENDLY CHICK FIL A

The main considerations that I take into account when creating macro-friendly lists for a restaurant are to choose foods that are either:

1.High in volume (Meaning they contain fewer calories that come from dressings/condiments/oil/added sugar. It’s a bonus if it’s high in fiber, too!) 

and/or 

2. High in protein 

With these considerations in mind, let’s discover how many macro-friendly, high protein, and calorie-conscious options there are at a fast food restaurant like Chick-fil-A!

ENTREES

  1. Grilled Market Salad WITHOUT nuts and granola (25P/6F/15C)

    • Add Light Italian Dressing (0P/1.5F/3C) OR ½ packet Fat Free Honey Mustard (0P/0F/11.5C)

    • If you need extra protein, add an extra order of Grilled Nuggets on top for 25P/3.5F/2C.

  2. Grilled Chicken Sandwich (28P/12F/44C)

  3. Grilled Chicken Cool Wrap (NO dressing) (37P/14F/30C)

  4. Grilled Nuggets (12 ct macros: 38P/ 4.5 F/ 2C) 

LOW CALORIE SIDES AND SNACKS

  1. Superfood Salad (4P/8F/16C)

  2. Chicken Noodle Soup (9P/3.5F/15C)

  3. Greek Yogurt Parfait (13P/9F/30C)

  4. Fruit cup (1P/ 16C/ 0F)

  5. Kale Crunch Salad (4P/12F/13C; using the dressing sparingly will lower the fat content).

DRINKS

(I can’t write a good Chick-fil-A food recommendation without including their diet lemonade. It’s my favorite!)

  1. Medium Diet Lemonade 600g (0P/0F/16 C)

  2. Medium Diet Soda (It’s not going to give you cancer. Enjoy it! 0P/0F/0C) 

  3. Medium Sunjoy ½ Unsweet tea + ½ diet lemonade (0P/0F/6C)

DIPS AND DRESSINGS

  1. Zesty Buffalo Sauce (0P/2.5F/1C)

  2. Honey Mustard Sauce (0P/0F/11C)

  3. Light Italian Dressing (0P/1F/3C)

  4. Light Balsamic Vinaigrette (0P/4F/10C)

DESSERT

  1. Icedream Cup (4P/ 24C/ 3.5 F)

We actively practice NOT having an all-or-nothing mindset here at KLN, which means we believe you can eat a treat while still having a great nutrition day. This Icedream Cup is a nice balance of eating something sweet and satisfying without consuming hundreds of extra calories.

TRACKING YOUR MACROS IS ALL ABOUT BALANCE AND FLEXIBILITY

That means being able to enjoy a meal out every once in a while or stop and get fast food without feeling guilt or shame surrounding your food choices.

Even if you don’t eat out frequently, sometimes life gets chaotic and a meal on the go is your only option and that’s ok! You shouldn’t ever have to feel stuck or restricted with your food choices for fear it will ruin your macros. There are plenty of great options out there when you need them.Grab our full guide of more macro-friendly restaurants here.

Need more no-nonsense nutrition information in your life? Sign up for Kate’s weekly email each Friday. Get nutritional nuggets, recipes, troubleshooting, and more reasons to ditch restrictive diets and find a flexible (and enjoyable) approach to your nutrition.