Healthiest Fast Food Breakfast • A Sweet Pea Chef

In a morning rush but need to eat? Fast food is often the answer. This post shares the 5 healthiest fast food breakfast options from popular chains so you can be prepared.

Let's talk breakfast. There's nothing like slow mornings where you get to enjoy a hot Healthy Vanilla Latte with Egg White Scramble and Sweet Potato Hash. That is my current obsession!

I tend to try to meal prep my breakfasts to save time, like my Make-Ahead Freezer Breakfast Sandwich, but sometimes you can't avoid a fast food restaurant.

Fear not! It's possible to have a quick breakfast out that won't wreck you clean diet. I'm sharing 5 of the healthiest fast food breakfast options in this post. Plus, plenty of tips on how to identify these healthy options and ways to eat better when you're on the move. Hop in!

What Is A Healthy Breakfast?

A healthy breakfast contains whole foods, including lean protein, fruit, and whole grains. It's also balanced.

I highly recommend making an effort to avoid refined sugars, which is why I share the 10 Easy Breakfasts That Are Low In Sugar and my post on the 10 Healthiest Breakfast Cereals that you may find helpful.

What Fast-Food Restaurant Has The Healthiest Breakfast Sandwich?

While it's technically a wrap, Panera has one of the healthiest breakfast sandwiches. Their Chipotle Chicken, Scrambled Egg & Avocado Wrap is a solid balance of macros. That means it has a good mix of carbs, protein, and healthy fats.

Let's take a closer look at the ingredients...

Smoked, pulled chicken (free of antibiotics)
Scrambled egg
Smoked Gouda cheese
Chipotle aioli
Fresh Peppadew peppers
Avocado
Cilantro
Salt & pepper
Whole grain wrap

In terms of a balanced meal, the Egg McMuffin might be one of the best options. At 310 calories, it has 17 grams of protein, 30 grams of carbohydrates, and 13 grams of fat.

What Is Mcdonald’s Healthiest Breakfast?

When looking for a healthy breakfast at Mcdonald's, I suggest going for their Egg McMuffin. It contains 310 calories, 17 grams of protein, 30 grams of carbohydrates, and 13 grams of fat, making it a relatively balanced option.

If you're looking for something more sweet, I'd try the Fruit and Maple Oatmeal, which contains 320 calories. The only worrisome thing about this option is the fact that it has 31g of added sugar. The good news is, you can order it without the brown sugar topping, which I recommend doing.

What's so bad about processed foods? A lot, honestly. Learn What Happens When You Stop Eating Processed Food? | 10 Things You’ll Notice

Tips To Eat Out And Still Be Healthy

Yes, you can eat out in restaurants (and even fast-food chains) and still be healthy. It may not feel super easy at first and that's not unusual.

I believe this is where education comes in, so I'm happy to address this topic in my blog. Check out this post on 10 Foods That Cause Inflammation because it has a lot to do with what you'll want to avoid at fast food restaurants.

Here are some tips I’ve shared (in a previous post) to help you stick to your clean-approved diet while outside:

Scan the menu and look for healthy keywords such as “grilled,” “steamed,” or “baked.”
Go for Thai, Greek, Indian cuisines instead of Mexican, Italian or Chinese (It’s easier to eat healthy with their ingredients and variety of dishes.)
Don’t be afraid to ask about how a meal is prepared.
Order one dessert for the whole table
Skip the fancy sugary drinks (If you need to order alcohol, go for a glass of wine, a light beer, a vodka and tonic, or a simple martini.)
Drink water throughout your meal

Want to see the whole post? Check out How to Eat At Restaurants.

What Is The Healthiest Fast Food Breakfast?

I’ve rounded up 5 of the healthiest fast-food breakfasts that also deliver a lot of flavor. Whether you’re looking for something with greens, something light, or something protein-packed, there’s an option for ya.

1. Jamba Juice's Vanilla Blue Sky Bowl

When I first saw the color, I was like, "Beautiful!" But then I worried it must use weird food coloring. That is actually not the case, folks! The blue color comes from blue spirulina, a very healthy cyanobacterium. Can I just say that I love this trend of using natural ingredients to deliver interesting colors?

The smoothie part of it is made from banana, pineapple, almond milk, and vanilla coconut milk. So, it already sounds like something I would make at home. A good sign.

Another good sign? No refined sugar! Jamba sweetens this bowl with honey. You can also "boost" it with healthful items like Greek yogurt, whey protein, and matcha (if you'd like a little green with your blue).

*Do keep in mind that sugar is listed at 33g, mostly from the fruit. I would recommend getting it without the honey.

Vanilla Blue Sky Bowl

Serving Size 1 bowl (384 g)

Calories: 330

Fat: 9 g

Protein: 6 g

Carbs: 62 g

Fiber: 8 g

Sodium: 85 mg (for 12 ounces)

2. Panera Bread’s Greek Yogurt With Mixed Berries Parfait

Greek yogurt will always grab my attention so that's likely why this parfait made it to #2. The ingredients also include honey, maple butter pecan granola, whole grain oats, and fresh strawberries and blueberries.

Berries, as you may know, are great antioxidant foods. Plus Greek Yogurt has a plethora of benefits. Nutrition-wise, everything lines up. So I'm happy to recommend this parfait from Panera.

Greek Yogurt with Mixed Berries Parfait

Serving Size: 1 parfait

Calories: 240

Fat: 8 g fat (4.5 g sat, trans fat 0 g)

Protein: 15 g

Carbs: 27 g (2 g fiber)

Sodium: 80 mg

3. Dunkin’s Veggie Egg White Omelet Bites

Nice to see Dunkin expanding into healthy territory! This omelet is a good option if you’re looking for something hearty yet light. With only 180 calories per two omelet bites (a serving size), it's made with egg white, spinach, bell peppers, and onions. All sandwiched between multigrain bread.

Veggie Egg White Omelet Bites

Serving Size: Two "bites"

Calories: 180

Fat: 11 g fat (sat 7 g, trans fat 0 g)

Protein: 13 g

Carbs: 7 g

Sodium: 460 mg

4. Panera’s Steel Cut Oatmeal with Strawberries

I love strawberries and steel-cut oats, so I made my own version! I consider steel-cut oats to be the healthiest type of oatmeal because they are the least processed type of oat. This makes them higher in fiber and that's great news.

Steel Cut Oatmeal with Strawberries

Serving Size: 1 bowl

Calories: 370

Fat: 15 g fat

Protein: 8 g

Carbs: 52 g

Sodium: 150 mg

Healthiest Fast Food Breakfast | Best Choices From 6 Popular Chains

5. Starbucks’ Spinach, Feta & Egg White Wrap

This is another nutritionally balanced meal from fiber (veggies), protein (egg whites), and fat (feta cheese). It actually has the highest amount of protein out of anything we've discussed so far! Protein helps us stay energized for a busy morning ahead. Check out My Fave High Protein Snacks For Weight Loss for some top sources, some of which are very easy to take on the go.

Spinach, Feta & Egg White Wrap

Serving Size: 1 warp

Calories: 290

Fat: 8 g fat (sat 3.5 g, trans fat 0 g)

Protein: 20 g

Carbs: 34 g (3 g fiber, 5 g sugar),

Sodium: 840 mg

More Healthy Breakfasts

You don't have to wait for your next road trip to eat a healthy breakfast! Here are some of my favorite breakfast recipes on the blog that you can make from home:

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