Kate Lyman Nutrition

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MACRO-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT SERIES: MCDONALDS, WENDY’S, BURGER KING

Kenny Lyman

In an ideal world, we'd all have time to cook tupperware meals with perfect macros, but life is rarely ideal and sometimes, grabbing a quick bite is all we can manage. Eating out, even at fast-food burger places like McDonald's, Wendy’s, and Burger King, might seem like it goes against our health goals, but here's the thing: fast food can be a practical option when time is tight and cooking seems impossible, and believe it or not, there are some macro friendly choices at Mcdonalds, Wendy’s, and Burger King that can help you eat for your nutrition goals. 

The main considerations that I take into account when picking macro-friendly foods at a restaurant are to choose foods that are:

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

and/or 

  1. High in protein: relative to the other options that are on the menu

Of the three fast food burger options, Wendy’s is the most macro-friendly, while Mcdonald’s and Burger King have fewer macro-friendly meals available. There are still some decent options in here though!

MACRO-FRIENDLY WENDY’S

ENTREES

  1. Parmesan Caesar Salad (WITHOUT dressing; 31P/12F/13C)

  2. Cobb Salad (WITHOUT dressing; 36P/23F/16C)

    -The fat content could be lowered further by ordering this salad without bacon

  1. Apple Pecan Salad (WITHOUT dressing) 29P/21F/28C

  2. Grilled Chicken Ranch Wrap (27P/16F/42C)

  3. Spicy Chicken/Classic Chicken Sandwich (28P/20F/49C)

SIDES AND SNACKS

  1. Chili (small) 16P/11F/22C)

  2. Chili (large) 22P/15F/31C)

  3. Sour Cream & Chive Baked Potato (8P/2.5F/63C)

    • For a cheap, very filling meal that’s high in protein, fiber, and micronutrients, order the chili and baked potato and eat them together. This used to be a go to fast food meal for me, especially during chili winters when I lived in Utah.

  4. Apple Bites (0P/0F/8C)

DRINKS

  1. Diet Soda (0P/0F/0C)

  2. Coffee (0P/0F/1C)

  3. Cold Brew Coffee (1P/0F/3C)

  4. Minute Maid Light Lemonade (0P/0F/3C)

DESSERT

  1. Classic Frosty (JR size) (6P/6F/31C)

  2. Orange Dreamsicle Frost (JR size) (5P/5F/31C) 

We believe in flexibility, which means we believe you can have a treat while still having a great nutrition day, which means you can go Wendy’s and treat yourself to a Frosty while still having a balanced day!

MACRO-FRIENDLY MCDONALDS

ENTREES

  1. McCrispy Chicken Sandwich (26P/20F/46C)

  2. Egg McMuffin (17P/13F/30C)

  3. McDouble (22P/20F/33C)

SIDES AND SNACKS

  1. Apple Slices (0P/0F/4C) 

    • Fair warning, this side is only about ¼ of an apple, which is not enough food for most people. Pretty stingy McDonalds. Give the people a whole apple.

DRINKS

  1. Diet Soda (0P/0F/0C)

  2. Coffee (0P/0F/1C)

  3. Unsweetened Ice Tea (0P/0F/0C)

  4. Bottled Water (0P/0F/0C)

  5. Hot Tea (2P/0F/0C)

DIPS AND DRESSINGS

  1. Spicy Buffalo Sauce (0P/3F/1C)

DESSERT

  1. Vanilla Ice Cream Cone (5P/5F/33C)

Mcdonalds’ soft serve ice cream cone is one of the best sweet treats around. 

MACRO-FRIENDLY BURGER KING

ENTREES

  1. Hamburger (13P/10F/29C)

  2. Honey Mustard Royal Crispy Wrap (15P/14F/30C)

  3. Royal Crispy Wrap (15P/17F/28C)

SIDES AND SNACKS

  1. 9 Pc. Chicken Fries (15P/13F/20C)

  2. Mott’s Applesauce (0P/0F/13C)

DRINKS

  1. Diet Soda (0P/0F/0C)

  2. Coffee (0P/0F/1C)

  3. Unsweetened Ice Tea (0P/0F/0C)

  4. Powerade Zero (0P/0F/2C)

DIPS AND DRESSINGS

  1. None listed on the website 🙁

DESSERT

  1. Soft Serve Ice Cream Cone (5P/5F/33C)


A soft-serve ice cream cone is again the best way to go here. It’s a sweet treat that hits the spot without being too high in overall 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.

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