Many fast-food restaurants now offer low-carb or keto-friendly versions of popular meals.
Many fast food staples can also become keto friendly, making some minor changes and removing certain ingredients.
here are some examples:
Hamburgers without bread
Hamburgers are a staple of fast food, although bread and some added spices can make them unsuitable for people on ketone diets.
Many fast-food chains take this into account and offer a less-carbohydrate version of their hamburgers without bread.
They can wrap the ingredients in a lettuce leaf to maintain the hamburger-like structure, or simply pack the ingredients in a bread-free package.
For example, the fast-food chain In-N-Out offers its “protein-style” hamburgers, which means that they replace the bread with a lettuce wrap. Its double-double with onion usually contains 39 gcarbohydrate sheep. Protein style, this same burger contains 11g total carbohydrates.
While removing bread can take a lot of carbs, it is also important to pay attention to the spices added to the burger.
Condiments like ketchup or condiments may contain sugar, which will increase the carbohydrates in your meal.
High-fat mayonnaise tends to be high in fat and low in carbohydrates and can be a great alternative condiment for keto fast food.
Sandwiches and sandwiches without bread
Some fast-food chains may offer other options without bread to help people reduce their carbohydrate intake.
For example, a chain can prepare a “sandwich without bread” using the same ingredients as the sandwich of a normal sandwich, but placing them on a bed of lettuce instead of inside a bagel. This can greatly reduce carbohydrates in a meal.
For example, the Subway network offers many of its exclusive submarines as salads. Subway’s 6-inch black forest ham submarine contains 42g of total carbohydrates. In comparison, a black forest ham salad contains 12g of total carbohydrates.
Again, remember that adding some spices and seasonings will add carbohydrates to these meals, so choose accordingly.
Burrito bowls
Burrito tortillas are richer in carbohydrates than other options. Many fast-food chains offer bowls of burrito. They are bowls that contain the same ingredients as the burrito, without the tortilla.
Chipotle Mexican Grill is an example. The company offers a range of items made without tortillas.
Remember that other ingredients in burritos, like rice and beans, may contain higher levels of carbohydrates than are normally allowed in ketone diets.
El Pollo Loco offers a version of its double bowl of Pollo avocado protein fit as a salad, which contains about 9g liquid carbohydrates.
Some chains may offer specific options suitable for many diets, including the keto diet.
Chipotle offers a Keto salad bowl that uses a super green base instead of beans, rice or a tortilla.
With standard ingredients, the Keto Salad Bowl contains 17g of total carbohydrates. However, 10 g of these are fiber, so liquid carbohydrates are much lower.
Grilled chicken
Many fast food restaurants offer chicken options, although sometimes the chicken found in sandwiches or other meal options comes breaded and fried. This increases the carbohydrates in the meal and can make it unsuitable for ketone diets.
Choosing grilled chicken instead of fried chicken, whenever possible, can help eliminate unnecessary flour and carbohydrates in a meal.
For example, KFC is popular for its fried chicken options, but it also offers a grilled chicken option.
Each piece of grilled chicken KFC contains 0g of carbohydrates.
Egg-based meals
Many fast-food restaurants offer breakfast options. These options usually include foods like eggs, which are simple and keto-friendly foods.
Looking for egg-based options can provide a simple, satisfying meal with a low carbohydrate content.
For example, some breakfast options at Mcdonald’s are friendly to the keto, with some changes. Your Big Breakfast, made without cookies or chips, contains only 3g of carbohydrates.
Nuggets
While typical chicken nuggets may contain breads or flour unsuitable for ketone diets, some restaurants offer nuggets that can fit into a ketone diet.
For example, Chick-fil-A offers grilled chicken nuggets. A 12-piece serving contains only 2g of carbohydrates.
Keep in mind that other ingredients, such as dipping sauces, may contain carbohydrates and sugars, so pay attention to the low-carb options each restaurant has before adding them to a meal.
Salad
Larger salads, the size of main courses, from various fast-food chains may actually be suitable options for some ketone diets and provide enough energy to keep a person satisfied.
Many fast food restaurants offer salads, although some may require adaptations to suit a ketone diet. The ingredients to watch out for include sweetened sauces, as well as complements like croutons or breaded chicken.
With that said, several salads become friends with the keto.
For example, Arby’s offers a starter-sized roasted chicken salad that provides only 8g of total carbohydrates per serving.
Wendy’s offers a southwestern avocado chicken salad that contains 13g of carbohydrates, 7g of this fiber.
Buffalo Wings
Although it is not a traditional choice to eat anywhere, ordering buffalo wings can be a simple and friendly option in some cases.
For example, Buffalo Wild Wings offers original, traditional-style buffalo wings that contain 2g of total carbohydrates per 6-wing portion.
While many common fast-food side dishes, such as French fries and chips, are banned on a ketone diet, there are a number of snack options available for travel that may fit the ketone diet.
Boiled eggs
Eggs are naturally low in carbohydrates and a good source of protein. Boiled eggs are a convenient way to taste eggs and are available at many takeaway restaurants, convenience stores and gas stations.
Boiled eggs contain under 1g carbohydrates per large egg. Adding salt and simple pepper to the egg can add flavor without extra calories.
String cheese is a simple snack that contains only cheese. Cheese sticks tend to be individually wrapped, making them a simple snack option for travel.
The USDA notes that a 24g piece of string cheese contains about 1g carbohydrates.
Packets of nut butter
Single serving peanut butter packages are a packed snack for many people who follow a ketone diet.
For example, Justin’s offers many nut butter options that come in simple 32-gram packages, perfect for snacks on the go.
Each Justin’s Classic almond butter pack contains 5g of carbohydrates in total, with 3g from dietary fiber.
Jerky
Jerky is another option available for people on a ketone diet. Companies can make beef jerky with different foods, such as:
- beef
- Peru
- buffalo
- venison
- salmon
- tuna fish
The meats and jerky themselves are naturally low in carbohydrates.
However, be aware of any added ingredients used in the seasonings.
Popular flavors of dried meat, such as teriyaki, may contain higher levels of sugar than a person might want in their green snacks.
Other snack options
While these are some snack options readily available for a ketone diet, there are other options to choose from.
Other snacks that can be friends with the keto include:
- nuts such as macadamias, walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds or peanuts
- seeds like sunflower or pumpkin seeds
- Crackling
- specific keto-friendly chips made from cheese, nuts or meat
- tuna snacks without cookies
Be aware of any added ingredients and check the label for complete nutritional information
Many corner restaurants and shops offer a selection of keto-friendly drinks. These include:
Coffee or tea with half and half
Black coffee and unsweetened tea are simple drink alternatives in most fast-food restaurants, where sugar-sweetened drinks can add unwanted carbohydrates to a drink.
For an extra taste, opting for a half-and-half cream can make the drink more satisfying without adding too many carbohydrates.
The USDA notes that half-and-half cream contains about 1.3 carbohydrates per fluid ounce.
Tea with lemon
Many fast food restaurants offer hot tea as a drink.
Hot black or green tea is simply tea leaves and water, so it does not contain carbohydrates on its own.
Adding a slice of lemon to hot tea can provide a brighter taste than tea alone, which may be more satisfying for some drinkers.
Sparkling water
Some fast food places offer carbonated water or sparkling water.
This is a carbohydrate-free option that can provide a bubbly sensation similar to that of soda.
Adding citrus fruits, like lemon or lime, to the water can help add extra flavor.
Diet soda
Most diet sodas have little or no sugar and are available at most fast food restaurants.
For example, a 12 fluid ounce can of Diet Coke contains 0g of carbohydrates and 0g of sugar.
The most widely available diet soft drinks are also low in carbohydrates and sugar free.