27 Healthiest Fast-Food Breakfast Options Even if you lack the time or energy, there are ways to start the day right with these healthiest fast-food breakfast items. You love breakfast. You love breakfast so much, you eat hard-boiled eggs with the shells. But what if you’re out and about and can’t prepare the best if not most important meal of the day? What would you do? What would you do? If you’re smart, you would consider one of these (mostly) healthy fast-food breakfast items — all of which are fewer than 500 calories. 27. Panera Bread: Bacon, Scrambled Egg and Cheese on Ciabatta JKMCraveTV / Panera Bread / YouTube Calories: 440 Nutrition facts: 21 grams fat, 9 grams saturated fat, 24 grams protein Key ingredients: Bacon, eggs, white cheddar, artisan ciabatta Why the Bacon, Scrambled Egg and Cheese Sandwich Is Worth a Try Miosotis Jade / Wikimedia Commons OK, the first few items on our list aren’t exactly healthy, but this Panera breakfast sandwich is still less than 500 calories, and it doesn’t skimp on flavor or protein for that matter. Yes, there are items with fewer calories on fast-food menus, but this one is sure to fill you up. 26. Wendy’s: Bacon, Egg and Swiss Croissant Michael P. / Yelp Calories: 403 Nutrition facts: 25 grams fat, 10 grams saturated fat, 17 grams protein Key ingredients: Egg, smoked bacon, cheese sauce, croissant bun Why the Bacon, Egg and Swiss Croissant Is Worth a Try Rick Obst / Wikimedia Commons Think of fast-food breakfast, and the image of a freckle-face redhead named Wendy probably doesn’t come immediately to mind. That said, here’s one item that is not only quite edible but also has the lowest combination of fat and sodium levels on the menu. Hold the cheese, and it’s better yet. 25. Whataburger: Sausage Taquito Whataburger Calories: 390 Nutrition facts: 22 grams fat, 9 grams saturated fat, 20 grams protein Key ingredients: Scrambled eggs, chopped sausage pieces, American cheese, flour tortilla Why the Sausage Taquito Is Worth a Try Jonesdr77 / Wikimedia Commons These egg wraps ooze protein. If you’re a calorie counter, then chuck the cheese and/or meat. And drink plenty of water to negate the salt content. Alas, Whataburger is available in only 10 states at present. What a shame. 24. Panera: Steel Cut Oatmeal With Strawberries and Pecans Julia F / Yelp Calories: 370 Nutrition facts: 15 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 8 grams protein Key ingredients: Steel cut oats, strawberries, pecans Why the Steel Cut Oatmeal With Strawberries Is Worth a Try RiverNorthPhotography / Getty Images For our money, oatmeal is the best item on the Panera menu. The problem is that the sinful cinnamon-crunch topper can be too good for your own good. Reduce it to a few sprinkles, though, and this breakfast dish will still be sweet, nutty and very berry good. 23. Wendy’s: Artisan Egg Sandwich April S. / Yelp Calories: 360 Nutrition facts: 19 grams fat, 8 grams saturated fat, 20 grams protein Key ingredients: Freshly cracked eggs, asiago cheese, hollandaise sauce, toasted honey wheat artisan muffin Why the Artisan Egg Sandwich Is Worth a Try Michael Dwyer / AP Photo Want somethin’ different? Well, try this for starters. Rather than the S.O.S. (Same Old Sandwich), Wendy’s replaced the American cheese with asiago and paired it with cooked applewood smoked bacon and Hollandaise sauce. Some believe the honey-wheat artisan muffin is a tad much — but not that much to diminish the overall product. 21. Panera: Avocado, Egg White and Spinach Sandwich (Tie) Panera Bread / Twitter Calories: 350 Nutrition facts: 14 grams fat, 5 grams saturated fat, 19 grams protein Key ingredients: Egg whites, cheddar, avocado, spinach, tomato, grain bagel Why the Avocado, Egg White and Spinach Sandwich Is Worth a Try Steven Senne / AP Photo True, the fat numbers are on the beefy side. But so are the fiber (5 grams) and protein, which more than make up for it. The basic version includes scrambled eggs, which we swapped out here for egg whites for an added nutrition boost. 21. Subway: Black Forest Ham, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Wrap (Tie) Naya B. / Yelp Calories: 350 Nutrition facts: 13 grams fat, 4 grams saturated fat, 24 grams protein Key ingredients: Egg, black forest ham, cheese Why the Black Forest Ham, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Wrap Is Worth a Try Mark Lennihan / AP Photo Don’t let the fat numbers scare ya. Consider that a 6-incher can fill your belly until dinner, then it’s not nearly as bad as it looks. (Just hold the mayo.) And check out all that protein. 19. Panera Bread: Ham, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich (Tie) JKMCraveTV / Panera Bread / YouTube Calories: 340 Nutrition facts: 15 grams fat, 7 grams saturated fat, 23 grams protein Key ingredients: Ham, scrambled egg, cheese, asiago bagel Why the Ham, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich Is Worth a Try J. Michael Jones / Getty Images This one’s just too darn good to pass up, but all that protein doesn’t come without a price — 390 milligrams of sodium in this case. In other words, this should not be a staple in your breakfast plans. 19. Taco Bell: Cheesy Toasted Breakfast Burrito with Potato Bites and Cheddar Cheese (Tie) Taco Bell / RestaurantNews.com Calories: 340 Nutrition facts: 14 grams fat, 3.5 grams saturated fat, 6 grams protein Key ingredients: Egg, potatoes, tomatoes, cheese sauce Why the Cheesy Toasted Breakfast Burrito with Potato Bites and Cheddar Cheese Are Worth a Try Michael Rivera / Wikimedia Commons These burritos are bueno, but what to order exactly? Keep it simple, people. Go meatless with light potatoes (40 calories), cheddar cheese (30) and a packet or two of salsa to satisfy the cravings and waistline alike. 18. Subway: Veggie Delite Wrap Rennee R. / Yelp Calories: 330 Nutrition facts: 8 grams fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 10 grams protein Key ingredients: Wheat bread, cucumbers, green peppers, lettuce, red onions, spinach, tomatoes Why the Veggie Elite Wrap Is Worth a Try TAC PlazaMaster / Wikimedia Commons This veggie wrap may be a bit outside the box, but it offers fewer carbs than bread and more fiber (4 grams) than most options. Sub out the cheese in favor of guacamole (big fans here), and you’ll get more fiber yet. Hey, there’s more to breakfast than eggs and bacon, you know. 16. Starbucks: Rolled and Steel-Cut Oatmeal With Blueberries (Tie) DebbiSmirnoff / Getty Images Calories: 320 Nutrition facts: 12 grams fat, 1.5 grams saturated fat, 8 grams protein Key ingredients: Whole grain oats, almonds, blueberries, pecans, walnuts, syrup Why Rolled & Steel-Cut Oatmeal With Blueberries Is Worth a Try martinrlee / Getty Images Is there a more versatile, protein-packed, fiberlicious alternative than oatmeal? Well, this steel-cut recipe is even better — higher fiber, lower glycemia — especially if you reduce the brown sugar and syrup sweeteners (as hard as that may be). 16. McDonald’s: Fruit and Maple Oatmeal (Tie) carolmellema / Getty Images Calories: 320 Nutrition facts: 4.5 grams fat, 1.5 grams saturated fat, 6 grams protein Key ingredients: Whole grain oats, brown sugar, apples, cranberries, raisins Why Fruit & Maple Oatmeal Is Worth a Try RiverNorthPhotography / Getty Images With few exceptions, McDonald’s is a no-go for the health-conscious, but here’s one item that may change your mind. While high in sugar, this product scores high in fiber, iron, potassium and protein. Note: Brown sugar is included already, so there’s no need to load on sweeteners. 13. Au Bon Pain: Two Eggs and Turkey Sausage on Skinny Wheat Bagel (Tie) Au Bon Pain / Boon Y. / Yelp Calories: 310 Nutrition facts: 16 grams fat, 25 grams saturated fat, 23 grams protein Key ingredients: Eggs, turkey sausage, wheat bagel Why This Breakfast Sandwich Is Worth a Try KHellon / Getty Images Feeling indecisive? This egg sandwich from Au Bon Pain checks all the boxes when it comes to a satisfying breakfast. And it does so without packing in too many calories. 13. McDonald’s: Sausage Burrito (Tie) Willis Lam / Flickr Calories: 310 Nutrition facts: 17grams fat, 7 grams saturated fat, 13 grams protein Key ingredients: Scrambled eggs, sausage, cheese, tortilla Why the Sausage Burrito Is Worth a Try ermingut / Getty Images As previously stated, Mickey D’s isn’t the place for health nuts. But while high in saturated fat and cholesterol, the fast-food chain’s signature breakfast burrito offers a good balance of protein, carbohydrates and taste. 13. McDonald’s: Egg McMuffin (Tie) McDonald’s / RestaurantNews.ccom Calories: 310 Nutrition facts: 13 grams fat, 6 grams saturated fat, 17 grams protein Key ingredients: Egg, Canadian bacon, American cheese, English muffin Why the Egg McMuffin Is Worth a Try yaoinlove / Getty Images When choosing between the sausage burrito and Egg McMuffin at McDonald’s, the latter is actually the healthier choice, with fewer grams of fat and more protein. Hold the cheese and butter, and you can take another 90 calories off the listed total as well as 200 milligrams of sodium. Best of all, you only have to drive a few blocks to find one. 11. Jamba Juice: Protein Berry Workout Smoothie (Tie) Jamba Juice / RestaurantNews.com Calories: 300 Nutrition facts: 1 grams fat, 0 grams saturated fat, 19 grams protein Key ingredients: Bananas, strawberries, whey protein, soy milk Why the Protein Berry Workout Smoothie Is Worth a Try NoDerog / Getty Images While a tad high in carbs (52 grams) and natural sugars (41 grams) — fruit and soy milk, you know — this smoothie’s robust protein and taste more than outweigh the negatives. Bonus: For those on plant-based diets, it can be ordered with either whey or pea protein. 11. Burger King: Egg and Cheese Croissantwich (Tie) Willis Lam / Flickr Calories: 300 Nutrition facts: 15 grams fat, 7 grams saturated fat, 11 grams protein Key ingredients: Eggs, sausage, American cheese, croissant Why the Egg and Cheese Croissantwich Is Worth a Try Roger Utting Photography / Getty Images Admit it. The ample croissant gives you pause, doesn’t it? Well, don’t be fooled. The taste is even bigger, while the calorie intake is in the ballpark. And 1 gram of fiber won’t hurt one bit. 8. Chick-fil-A: Egg White Grill (Tie) Chick-fil-A Calories: 290 Nutrition facts: 8 grams fat, 3.5 grams saturated fat, 26 grams protein Key ingredients: Egg whites, grilled chicken, American cheese, English muffin Why the Egg White Grill Is Worth a Try ivanastar / Getty Images This scrumptious mix of egg whites and American cheese with a touch of citrus on an English muffin will fill you up but not out. Pro tip: You won’t regret one of these after a trip to the gym. Trust us. 8. Starbucks: Spinach, Feta and Egg White Wrap (Tie) The Girl on Bloor / YouTube Calories: 290 Nutrition facts: 8 grams fat, 3.5 grams saturated fat, 20 grams protein Key ingredients: Egg whites, spinach, feta cheese, tomato cream cheese, whole-wheat wrap Why the Spinach, Feta and Egg White Wrap Is Worth a Try minemero / Getty Images For sheer taste, calories and protein, this morning delight is off the charts. Three grams of fiber help offset its high sodium content (840 milligrams). Is it any wonder that vegans especially have this one in their Herbaceous Hall of Fames? 8. Sonic: Jr. Sausage, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Burrito (Tie) RestaurantNews.com Calories: 290 Nutrition facts: 17 grams fat, 7 grams saturated fat, 12 grams protein Key ingredients: Eggs, cheddar cheese, sausage, flour tortilla Why the Sausage, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Burrito Is Worth a Try Wolterk / Getty Images If you’re in a hurry, behind the wheel and gotta have something to tide you over, this is one way to go. The Sonic breakfast menu is known for its high fat and sodium contents, but the scaled-down junior version offers fewer carbs and calories at no loss in taste. What’s more, the wrap is easy to handle. 7. White Castle: Bacon, Egg & Cheese Slider White Castle / MrMoneyAD Food Reviews / YouTube Calories: 260 Nutrition facts: 17 grams fat, 6 grams saturated fat, 12 grams protein Key ingredients: Bacon, eggs, cheese Why the Bacon, Egg & Cheese Slider Is Worth a Try patty_c / Getty Images White Castle is known for its sliders, and its breakfast version upholds the standard with a twist. It’s especially low on carbs and sugar. Downside: Like the original, it’s hard to stop at one or two or three or … 6. Jamba Juice: Fruit and Greek Yogurt Bowl Jamba Juice / RestaurantNews.com Calories: 250 Nutrition facts: 4 grams fat, 0.5 grams saturated fat, 31 grams protein Key ingredients: Bananas, blueberries, strawberries, Greek yogurt Why the Fruit and Greek Yogurt Bowl Is Worth a Try Colleen Michaels / Getty Images Smoothies and acai bowls tend to be too sweet for their own good. But order this one sans granola and honey, however grudgingly, and the sugar content becomes more reasonable at no expense to its high protein level. 4. Smoothie King: Lean1 Vanilla (Tie) Smoothie King / Facebook Calories: 240 Nutrition facts: 14 grams fat, 6 grams saturated fat, 21 grams protein Key ingredients: Almonds, bananas, vanilla protein Why the Lean1 Vanilla Is Worth a Try Smoothie King / RestaurantNews.com High in protein, low in carbs (22 grams) and calories, this smoothie checks a lot of boxes. If you prefer chocolate or strawberry, both are in the same nutritional zip code as this one. 4. Chick-fil-A: Greek Yogurt Parfait (Tie) Chick-fil-A / RestaurantNews.com Calories: 240 Nutrition facts: 8 grams fat, 3.5 grams saturated fat, 12 grams protein Key ingredients: Vanilla bean Greek yogurt, berries Why the Greek Yogurt Parfait Is Worth a Try RLWPhotos / Getty Images For those with modest appetites, this low-cal, low-fat treat will silence the growl in your stomach. Better yet, the yogurt provides protein and calcium, while berries are big on antioxidants. 2. Starbucks: Kale and Portabella Mushroom Sous Vide Bites (Tie) Azurita / Getty Images Calories: 230 Nutrition facts: 14 grams fat, 9 grams saturated fat, 15 grams protein Key ingredients: Eggs, kale, Monterey Jack cheese, mushrooms Why Kale and Portabella Mushroom Sous Vide Bites Are Worth a Try anouchka / Getty Images If you want a gluten-free alternative without the carbs, sodium and gluten, you can start the day with one of these egg bites. Note: The calorie count is just for one, but it does pack a lot in a small package. 2. Starbucks: Turkey Bacon, Cheddar and Egg White Sandwich (Tie) Starbucks Calories: 230 Nutrition facts: 5 grams fat, 2.5 grams saturated fat, 17 grams protein Key ingredients: Turkey bacon, egg whites, white cheddar cheese, wheat English muffin Why the Turkey Bacon, Cheddar and Egg White Sandwich Is Worth a Try Anton Novikov / Getty Images Meat, cheese and egg. High protein, low calories. Taste and convenience — what’s not to like here? 1. Dunkin’: Wake-Up Wrap Dunkin’ Calories: 180 Nutrition facts: 10 grams fat, 4 grams saturated fat, 7 grams protein Key ingredients: Eggs, American cheese, flour tortilla Why the Wake-Up Wrap Is Worth a Try JHVEPhoto / Getty Images Dunkin’ is darn good … once you get past those deliciously bad donuts. Better to start with this Wake-Up Wrap instead, which is simply egg and cheese wrapped in a tortilla. But you can also order it with bacon, sausage or turkey sausage for a few extra calories. Call it a slam Dunkin’.
