High-Protein Fast Food Meals Are Everywhere
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A fast-food restaurant might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think about eating healthfully—but they’re so dang convenient for getting a quick bite, sometimes it’s your only option. Still, you don’t have to write off your healthy eating routine just because you need to grab something fast—tons of different restaurant chains now offer quick, healthy, protein-packed bites.
“Protein is the building block of our body,” says Brigitte Zeitlin, MPH, RD, CDN, a health coach and the BZ Nutrition founder. It keeps you full, keeps your energy levels up, helps cell repair, maintains bone health, boosts the metabolism, lowers blood pressure, and helps build lean muscle mass, which is super important for women, especially as they age. “Making sure that we have sustained muscle mass is crucial for our mental health, our cognition, and all the shifts and flows of our hormones,” she adds.
If you’re on the go, it can be hard to fit in meals, but you’ll definitely want to prioritize snacking. “We're looking for foods that have a good source of protein and also a little bit of fiber in them too, because our bodies absorb protein better when it has a little bit of carbohydrate with it,” she says. Think: fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts, and legume-based foods, like chickpeas.
Meet the experts:
Brigitte Zeitlin, MPH, RD, CDN, is a health coach and the BZ Nutrition founder. Melissa Darlow, RDN, CPT, is a New York City-based registered dietitian and certified trainer. Monica Auslander Moreno, RD, is a nutrition consultant for RSP Nutrition. Jessica Ivey, RDN, is an Alabama-based registered dietician and chef. Brittany Michels, RDN, is an integrative and functional dietitian. Rebecca Blakely, RDN, is a registered dietitian.
When traveling, your best bet might be to check out a restaurant’s menu in advance to see what kind of protein options they have, says Melissa Darlow, RDN, CPT, a New York City-based registered dietitian and certified trainer. And always feel free to ask if it’s possible to double up a meal’s protein. As for how much protein to consume per meal, the recommendation from the RDA is 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight, or you can just aim for at least 20 grams per meal, the “sweet spot” amount per meal most people need to maintain muscle mass, per Monica Auslander Moreno, RD, nutrition consultant for RSP Nutrition.
Ahead, check out the 17 best high-protein fast food meals, per registered dietitians.
Panera Teriyaki Chicken & Broccoli Bowl
This Teriyaki Chicken & Broccoli Bowl from Panera has a whopping 46 (!) grams of protein, recommended by Darlow. Along with the teriyaki chicken, the bowl contains cilantro lime brown rice and quinoa, to get in your carbs, broccoli, and sesame seeds, for a balanced and flavorful meal.
Per serving: 600 calories, 16 g fat (3.5 g saturated), 70 g carbs, 27 g sugar, 1,630 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 46 g protein
Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl
That's right—Chipotle bowls have a ton of protein, and by choosing chicken as your topping, you'll add 32 grams of protein to your meal (which is more than their steak or carnitas, BTW). By adding other protein-packed toppings, like brown rice, which has four grams, and black beans, which have eight grams, you can really max out your protein intake with this meal. Doubling your protein sources will "really complement each other in terms of the bioavailability inside your body, how your body absorbs it and utilizes it without it feeling super heavy in your system," Zeitlin explains.
Per serving (for burrito bowl with chicken, brown rice, and cheese): 500 calories, 21 g fat (9 g saturated), 37 g carbs, 0 g sugar, 690 mg sodium, 2 g fiber, 42 g protein
Panera Green Goddess Cobb Salad with Chicken
Panera has really upped their protein game, with a ton of protein-rich bowls and salads, including this one, recommended by Darlow. With 39 grams, this chicken salad comes with boiled eggs and chopped bacon, which will pack in even more protein, as well as pickled red onions and red tomatoes for flavor. Yum!
Per serving: 500 calories, 28 g fat (6 g saturated), 27 g carbs, 13 g sugar, 940 mg sodium, 8 g fiber, 39 g protein
Wendy's Cobb Salad
Don't sleep on Wendy's—believe it or not, this cobb salad has 36 grams of protein. With grilled chicken, a salad blend, bacon, crispy onions, tomatoes, and cheese, it's the total package, containing flavor and multiple food groups. (Psst...the entire dressing packet has 250 calories, so feel free to add just a little if you're watching cals.) Darlow recommends ordering a half-salad with a grilled chicken wrap to mix it up.
Per serving (without dressing): 430 calories, 24 g fat (8 g saturated), 17 g carbs, 4 g sugar, 1,030 mg sodium, 3 g fiber, 36 g protein
Starbucks Smoked Turkey Protein Box
This protein-rich meal includes both fresh fruits and vegetables, which is always a plus, says Jessica Ivey, RDN, an Alabama-based registered dietitian and chef. Just watch out for the sodium, which comes in at 70 percent of your recommended daily value, she notes.
Per serving: 560 calories, 24 g fat (8 g saturated), 53 g carbs, 20 g sugar, 1,610 mg sodium, 7 g fiber, 35 g protein
Chick-Fil-A Egg White Grill
With 300 calories, 28 grams of filling protein, and just 4 grams of saturated fat, this meal is a great pick for breakfast because the chicken is grilled and not fried, says Ivey. To round things out, she recommends adding a fruit cup.
Per serving: 300 calories, 8 g fat (4 g saturated), 31 g carbs, 2 g sugar, 1,020 mg sodium, 2 g fiber, 28 g protein
Chick-fil-A Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Yup, this Chick-fil-A sandwich has 28 grams of protein and is a solid option, Zeitlin says. While the breaded fried chicken is a total winner at CFA, I'd consider their grilled chicken to be just as delicious. If you want to get more veggies out of this meal, you can always ask them to double the lettuce and tomato.
Per serving: 390 calories, 12 g fat (2 g saturated), 44 g carbs, 12 g sugar, 770 mg sodium, 3 g fiber, 28 g protein
Wendy's Grilled Chicken Wrap
For a grab-and-go meal, the Wendy’s Grilled Chicken Wrap—which includes herb-marinated chicken breast, a flour tortilla, spring mix, shredded cheddar cheese and honey mustard—offers a solid amount of protein. It also has reasonable fat, carb, sugar, and sodium counts, says Brittany Michels, RDN. “As with most fast-food restaurants, you’ll want to look out for the sauces and dressings,” she says. “Asking for this wrap without the honey mustard sauce will eliminate soybean oil, sugar, brown sugar and corn syrup.”
Per serving: 420 calories, 16 g fat (5 g saturated), 41 g carbs, 2 g sugar, 1,230 mg sodium, 2 g fiber, 27 g protein
Panera Mediterranean Bowl with Chicken
Zeitlin recommends this bowl from Panera, with 26 grams of protein. With their bowls, "you can get a lot of veggies in for that fiber, for that quality carb that's going to help your body absorb the protein better," she says. The other toppings include kalamata olives, feta, cucumber, and tomatoes—anyone else's stomach growling?
Per serving: 550 calories, 27 g fat (6 g saturated), 52 g carbs, 7 g sugar, 1,270 mg sodium, 7 g fiber, 26 g protein
Chick-fil-A Grilled Nuggets
Nuggets are notoriously high in protein, but all that breading can leave you feeling sluggish. These grilled nuggets have amazing nutritional value with 25 grams of protein, one gram of carbs, and one gram of sugar, says Rebecca Blakely, RDN. While they don’t contain enough calories to be a full meal on their own, she says they pair well with a healthy side like a side salad, Greek yogurt parfait, or fruit cup.
Per serving (eight-count): 130 calories, 3 g fat (0.5 g saturated), 1 g carbs, 1 g sugar, 440 mg sodium, 0 g fiber, 25 g protein
Subway Rotisserie-Style Chicken Sub
Because rotisserie chicken tends to have fewer nitrates than other deli meats or cold cuts at Subway, this high-protein sandwich option reigns supreme. For more fiber and nutrients, load it up with every vegetable offering at the salad bar.
Per serving (six-inch sub): 310 calories, 6 g fat (2 g saturated), 40 g carbs, 6 g sugar, 760 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 25 g protein
Starbucks Eggs & Cheese Protein Box
Picnic for lunch, anyone? “One of the healthiest on-the-go options, this protein box provides 23 grams of protein from eggs, cheese, and peanut butter, while also offering five grams of fiber from whole-grain bread and fresh fruit,” says Blakely. She notes that it’s similar to a lunch you might pack for yourself—and that’s a good thing, as it’s a sign it’s not overly processed.
Per serving: 470 calories, 25 g fat (8 g saturated), 41 g carbs, 21 g sugar, 470 mg sodium, 6 g fiber, 23 g protein
Wendy's Chili Cheese Baked Potato
In the mood for something real savory? That doesn't mean it can't contain protein. This loaded baked potato with chili and cheddar cheese has 20 grams of protein, with a good source of carbs, so it'll keep you full all day. "That's a good way to switch it up from your traditional chicken or hamburger and you could add a Caesar salad for some extra veggies," Darlow says.
Per serving: 500 calories, 14 g fat (7 g saturated), 74 g carbs, 7 g sugar, 840 mg sodium, 9 g fiber, 20 g protein
Starbucks Spinach, Feta, & Egg White Wrap
Both Darlow and Zeitlin recommend the Starbucks Spinach, Feta, & Egg White Wrap, saying it's a good choice for a high-protein option. (Ahem, if you're at the airport...this is an easy meal to scoop up before boarding a flight!) With 20 grams of protein, this meal is low in calories and has a solid amount of carbs so you'll be both satiated and full throughout the day.
Per serving: 290 calories, 8 g fat (3.5 g saturated), 34 g carbs, 5 g sugar, 840 mg sodium, 3 g fiber, 20 g protein
Panera Baja Bowl
Panera's Baja Bowl, recommended by Zeitlin, packs 17 grams of protein, filled with black bean and corn salsa, feta cheese, avocado, and tomatoes, making it a great choice if you're vegetarian. But if you want even more protein, select chicken for an extra $2, and you'll get an extra 11 grams of protein out of this meal.
Per serving: 610 calories, 31 g fat (6 g saturated), 70 g carbs, 11 g sugar, 1,310 mg sodium, 13 g fiber, 17 g protein
McDonald's Egg McMuffin
Mickey D's isn't all burgers and fries—their signature Egg McMuffin contains egg, Canadian bacon, and American cheese sandwiched between an English muffin, and it contains 17 whole grams of protein at a decently low calorie count. It's a great breakfast option, Darlow says, and it's sure to keep you full for a few hours.
Per serving: 310 calories, 13 g fat (6 g saturated), 30 g carbs, 3 g sugar, 770 mg sodium, 2 g fiber, 17 g protein
Starbucks Kale & Mushroom Egg Bites
Last but not least are the Starbucks Kale & Mushroom Egg Bites, containing 15 grams of protein, recommended by Zeitlin. At 230 calories, these egg bites contain kale and portabella mushrooms (hi, veggies) in egg whites with Monterey jack cheese. Honestly, order two servings—that way, you get a whole 30 grams out of this meal!
Per serving: 230 calories, 14 g fat (9 g saturated), 11 g carbs, 1 g sugar, 340 mg sodium, 2 g fiber, 15 g protein
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