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Cuisine TrendsFood & Grocery

Keto Fast Food: The Ultimate Guide

Jacky Chou

How can I eat fast food while I am on a keto diet? Well, you can. Just try the keto fast food!

Keto fast food is getting more and more popular these days. If you are in a hurry, you could end up at a fast-food store to add to the task.

There are hundreds of alternatives for on-the-go food. However, you need to pay attention to the nutritional information and the quantity of your food.

This article will show you how to eat keto fast food properly. Let’s read on to discover!

Can You Eat Fast Food on a Diet Keto?

Yes. You totally can eat fast food while staying on the ketogenic diet! It is feasible to follow a ketogenic diet while eating fast food. It just needs a bit more planning.

One thing we’d want to make clear: the keto diet is not about restriction or a list of forbidden items. Instead, it is a way of life that emphasizes eating whole, unadulterated foods. These foods help people lose weight and improve their health.

That is why, even in a fast-food restaurant, you can consume keto-friendly alternatives.

All you have to do is order menu items that are entire and unprocessed. It may limit your options and require some creativity. However, sticking to your net carbohydrates limit is still achievable.

Keto Fast Food That You Can Order

A variety of typical fast food may be appropriate as keto fast meals. Of course, it only works when you consider their nutritional value.

The following is a list of keto fast meals. You may find them at a variety of prominent restaurants.

It’s worth noting that certain items may not be suitable for all keto diets. Some are more restrictive than others.

Be careful to read the label and nutritional information on each item. You can determine whether it fits within your diet.

Many fast-food businesses already have keto-friendly options for popular dishes. They turn original fast food into keto-friendly with a few tweaks and the removal of a few components.

Let’s look at some examples below.

Main dish

Burgers without buns

Burgers are a fast-food classic. Yet, the bread and certain additional toppings may make them unsuitable for keto dieters.

Bunless burgers are available in many fast food stores
Bunless burgers are available in many fast food stores

Many fast-food restaurants recognize this. They decide to provide a low-carb alternative to their burgers without all the bun.

To retain the structure comparable to a burger, they can wrap the contents in a lettuce leaf. Another method is to put the contents in a wrapper without a bun.

In-N-Out Burger serves its famous burgers “protein style.” It means a lettuce wrap will replace the bun. This identical burger has only 11g total carbs.

Eliminating the bread removes many carbs. It is also vital to consider the burger’s other ingredients. Sugar may raise the carbohydrate content of the meal.

Mayonnaise is strong in fat and low in carbs. So, it becomes an excellent sauce for keto fast meals.

Breadless sandwiches

Some fast-food restaurants may provide alternatives to cut down on carbohydrate intake.

A chain may make a “breadless sub”, They put the same sandwich components on a layer of lettuce rather than within a roll. This can drastically cut the number of carbs in a meal.

Remember that adding various sauces and condiments to these meals can add carbs. Remember to pick wisely.

Breadless sandwiches use lettuce to wrap
Breadless sandwiches use lettuce to wrap

Burrito

Burrito tortillas have more carbohydrates than regular tortillas. Burrito bowls are available at many fast-food restaurants. These are bowls that have the same contents as a burrito but don’t include the tortilla.

An outstanding example is Chipotle Mexican Grill. The firm sells a variety of things that do not include tortillas.

Remember that other components in burritos may include more carbs than keto diets typically allow.

Some chains may provide some selections. They may be suitable for a variety of diets, including the ketogenic diet.

Burrito bowls have the same contents as a burrito
Burrito bowls have the same contents as a burrito

Chicken

Many fast-food chains include chicken. However, the chicken in sandwiches and other options is frequently breaded and fried. This raises the carbohydrate content of the meal. Hence, it does not fit keto diets.

When feasible, choose grilled chicken over fried chicken. It can help reduce the amount of flour and carbs in a meal.

KFC, for example, is famous for its fried chicken. Meanwhile, they also provide a grilled chicken choice. There are no carbohydrates in each serving of KFC grilled chicken.

KFC grilled chicken
KFC grilled chicken

Dishes with eggs

Breakfast is available at many fast-food establishments. Foods like eggs are a basic, keto-friendly meal. They are often available in these selections.

Looking for egg-based choices might result in a low-carbohydrate dinner. This option is easy and satisfying.

Some McDonald’s breakfast selections, for example, may include keto-friendly dishes with a few tweaks. There are just 3 grams of carbs in their Big Breakfast meal.

Nuggets

Most chicken nuggets have flour or bread. They are not good for keto diets. However, some restaurants provide keto-friendly nuggets.

Keep in mind that additional components, like dipping sauces, might include carbs and sugars. Remember to check each restaurant’s low-carb alternatives before putting those to a meal.

Salad

Several salads are keto-friendly. Larger-sized salads from a variety of fast-food restaurants may be acceptable for some keto diets. They provide enough energy to make a person satisfied.

Salads are available at many fast food places. However, some may need to change to fit within a keto diet. Sweetened condiments are all things to keep an eye out for.

Salad is keto-friendly
Salad is keto-friendly

Wings of buffalo

Buffalo wings are not a conventional choice for on-the-go dining. However, they could be an easy keto-friendly alternative in some situations.

Buffalo Wings only serves traditional-style wings with 2g of total carbohydrates in each 6-wing serving.

Buffalo wings may be an easy keto-friendly alternative
Buffalo wings may be an easy keto-friendly alternative

Snacks

There are a variety of to-go snack choices that may suit the bill.

Boiled eggs

Eggs are normally low in carbohydrates and high in protein. Hard-boiled eggs are a quick and easy method to eat eggs. They are accessible at a variety of takeout restaurants and convenience stores.

They provide less than 1 gram of carbs per big egg. Simply seasoning the egg with pepper and salt can enhance taste without extra calories.

Cheese

Cheese is a straightforward snack. Cheese sticks are a convenient on-the-go food as well.

According to the USDA, one 24-gram stick of cheese has around 1 gram of carbohydrates.

Nut butter

Many people on the keto diet find that nut butter packs are a satisfying snack.

For example, Justin’s sells a variety of nut butter in convenient 32-gram squeezing packets. This is ideal for on-the-go eating.

Nut butter is a satisfying snack
Nut butter is a satisfying snack

Important Rules for Ordering Keto Fast Food

There are a few things to bear in mind before enjoying your keto fast food.

  • Planning: Anything successfully done needs forethought. If you’re dining out, particularly at a fast-food chain, utilize a food tracker app. You can also check out their nutritional information online. This is to make a decision that fits your goals.
  • Avocado: When avocado is available, ask for it. Is there any avocado on the menu? Order an avocado side to go with whatever you’re having.
  • Notes about meat: Some individuals frequently designate keto by putting a large piece of meat on their dish.

Simple math can assist you in making the correct decision. Just cut a standard protein amount in half and top it with a fatty sauce.

Rather than focusing on meat, always consider how to bring fat to your meal. You might lose your ketosis if you consume far too much protein.

  • Always stock keto food: If you plan to go out, take extras like olives packs in your luggage. It helps to provide healthy fats in your meal.
  • Balancing: What you eat throughout the day is more important than what you consume at one meal. Change up your fat.

If you have a fast-food meal, make up for it later with unsaturated fats. You can try avocado or omega-3s. Some foods like tuna or salmon may also work.

Similarly, if you ate salad for lunch and had a higher carb intake, consume more protein and fat for supper.

Conclusion

Keto fast food is possible. You can choose from tons of options for eating fast food while keeping your keto diet. Remember to balance the nutritional value. You can go keto as long as you want.

If you need any further information, please let us know by commenting. We will be right back to assist you.

Hopefully, you find this article helpful. Thank you for reading.

Jacky Chou