Fast Food Calories

Society can shape us both literally and figuratively, and the fast food calories that surround us are doing most of the damage. With so many of us on the go, the convenience of fast food has crept into almost all of our demanding lives. But this “fast food” can quickly put our health and fitness in jeopardy if we’re not careful. If you have started counting calories or are trying to watch what you eat, the tables below can help you make some better choices at some of the more popular fast food restaurants. With just a couple of good decisions, you can avoid the fast food calorie build-up in your diet and be happier and healthier as a result.

The tables below include menu items from McDonalds, KFC, Subway, and Dominos. And while these are just a few of the many fast food restaurants out there, they seem to cover the majority of food-types that you’ll find when you eat out. No matter where you end up eating, here are a few general tips that you can follow to cut fast food calories while you’re out:

• Beverage Choice: The drink that you choose can add a lot of calories to your meal if you’re not careful. The amount of sugar in soda and juices for a large (32 oz.) drink is over 300 calories. That’s substantial! Consider water, coffee, tea, or a diet drink to avoid all of those empty calories. See the table below for calories in your favorite drinks:

Beverages
1% Low Fat Milk Jug	1 carton	100	2.5
1% Low Fat Chocolate Milk Jug	1 carton	170	3
Minute Maid Apple Juice Box	6.8 fl oz	90	0
Orange Juice (Small)	12 fl oz	140	0
Orange Juice (Medium)	16 fl oz	180	0
Orange Juice (Large)	21 fl oz	250	0
Coca-Cola Classic (Child)	12 fl oz	110	0
Coca-Cola Classic (Small)	16 fl oz	150	0
Coca-Cola Classic (Medium)	21 fl oz	210	0
Coca-Cola Classic (Large)	32 fl oz	310	0
Diet Coke (Child)	12 fl oz	0	0
Diet Coke (Small)	16 fl oz	0	0
Diet Coke (Medium)	21 fl oz	0	0
Diet Coke (Large)	32 fl oz	0	0
Sprite (Child)	12 fl oz	110	0
Sprite (Small)	16 fl oz	150	0
Sprite (Medium)	21 fl oz	210	0
Sprite (Large)	32 fl oz	310	0
Hi-C Orange Lavaburst (Child)	12 fl oz	120	0
Hi-C Orange Lavaburst (Small)	16 fl oz	160	0
Hi-C Orange Lavaburst (Medium)	21 fl oz	240	0
Hi-C Orange Lavaburst (Large)	32 fl oz	350	0
POWERade Mountain Blast (Child)	12 fl oz	70	0
POWERade Mountain Blast (Small)	16 fl oz	100	0
POWERade Mountain Blast (Medium)	21 fl oz	150	0
POWERade Mountain Blast (Large)	32 fl oz	220	0
Iced Tea (Child)	12 fl oz	0	0
Iced Tea (Small)	16 fl oz	0	0
Iced Tea (Medium)	21 fl oz	0	0
Iced Tea (Large)	32 fl oz	0	0
Coffee (Small)	12 fl oz	0	0
Coffee (Large)	16 fl oz	0	0

• Side Orders: Most of us stop at a fast food place when we’re really hungry…almost ravenous. That hunger usually has us order all sorts of foods while we wait the 2-3 minutes in line. Fries…onion rings…rolls…cookies…chips…all of this junk adds up and can easily add another 300 calories or more to our meal for each of these items. I’ll admit that most of these things are tasty, but when I’m trying to lose a few pounds, it’s the first thing I cut.
• Salads: Now you’re probably wondering what I could possibly say negative about “salad”. As far as fast food calories are concerned, salad is a great choice. You can get a salad entrée with grilled chicken for less than 300 calories. But if you’re going to add the creamy dressing and croutons, you would have been better off with the quarter pounder! Those tasty salad toppings add up and what can appear like a healthy choice can end up being a high-calorie meal.
• Size Matters!: It may not cost you much money to “Super Size”…but it adds on quite a few calories. The fast food calories from super-sizing alone could take you a few miles of running to burn off! Try to resist the urge for the extra French fries and Coke, and you’ll save yourself much more than just the $0.69!
• Slow Down: Eating fast food slow may seem like an oxymoron, but it gives your stomach time to register with the brain that its full. I usually eat quick and it’s times like that when I go back to the fast food counter and get more of their fatty foods. Eating slow can help you eat less and at a fast food place…that can be a good thing!

The table below shows the fast food calories and fat grams for some of the more popular menu items at McDonalds. As you can see items like salad and snack wraps are the healthier meal choices. Watch out for the fries and beverage, though, and try to avoid the milk shakes and desserts if you want to watch your calories.

The table below shows the fast food calories and fat grams for some of the more popular menu items at Subway. Subway has many menu items that are pretty good meal choices. Skip the chips and cookie if you’re watching your calorie intake, and try choosing water or a diet soda. Compare the calories of these sandwiches to some other fast food restaurants and you’ll see that you really get your “calories worth”!

The table below shows the fast food calories and fat grams for a variety of pizza sizes and topping combinations from Dominos. Overall, pizza is not too bad when it comes to fat and calories assuming that you have a few slices and not the whole pie! But if you start adding fatty, high-calorie toppings like sausage and bacon, you can really raise the calories of your meal. As a rule-of-thumb, the vegetable toppings are much better for you, they’re high in fiber, and the can be pretty tasty. Consider peppers, onions, garlic, or mushrooms instead of the meats and extra cheeses.

This last table below shows the fast food calories and fat grams for some of the more popular menu items at KFC. Like the other restaurants, they have some good choices…some bad choices…and some really bad choices (in terms of healthy / low-calorie options). As a general rule-of-thumb, the more batter, bread and sauces…the more calories. Grilled chicken has fewer calories than breaded chicken. And legs and wings have far fewer calories than breasts and thighs. The fast food calorie tip above about watching out for the side orders is especially important here, as you can really add a lot of calories with the buttered rolls, coleslaw, and potato wedges, and macaroni and cheese.

In summary, if you have to eat on the run and you find yourself at the counter or drive-thru of a fast food restaurant, try to minimize the damage by choosing some healthier menu items. Those fast food calories and fat grams add up over time and can be avoided with some simple choices. Bon Appetite!

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