How to eat a fast-food breakfast without completely wrecking your diet
In an ideal world, we'd all have time to prepare a balanced breakfast each morning. The reality? The most important meal of the day often gets demoted to a cup of coffee or nothing at all.
Don't stress, though. You can grab tomorrow's breakfast from several fast-food restaurants without completely ruining your diet, BuzzFeed's Carolyn Kylstra reports.
Here are some suggestions for what to order on those hurried mornings.
If you're heading past a McDonald's...
At only 300 calories, the Egg McMuffin is a solid choice. The sandwich offers 17 grams of protein and 13 grams of fat. Compared to McDonald's Sausage Biscuit, which has 11 grams of protein but a startling 27 grams of fat, we're lovin' the Egg McMuffin for a grab-and-go breakfast.
If Taco Bell is on your way...
Getty Images/Jonathan Liebson
It's important to watch out for salt when making fast-food choices, Carolyn Kylstra points out, so ordering breakfast at Taco Bell can be particularly challenging. Consider getting a Sausage and Cheese Biscuit Taco. It has 14 grams of protein, which helps make up for its 640 milligrams of sodium.
When you're craving something from Dunkin' Donuts...
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Though it might be hard to resist the temptation of a sprinkle covered donut, consider something that packs a bit more protein. The Egg White Sausage Wraps provide 9 grams of protein, which will help keep you feeling full longer. The individual wraps are only 150 calories, so you can order two.
When Quizno's is calling your name...
The Ham and Egg Grilled Flatbread offers a smarter alternative to traditional breakfast sandwiches. Similar to the Egg McMuffin, the Flatbread is only 300 calories.
If a colleague suggests a stroll to Panera Bread...
Panera's Avocado, Egg White & Spinach Breakfast Power Sandwich is a smart pick to start your day. For 400 calories, you get 15 grams of protein and no trans fat. Plus, avocado and spinach are superfoods and the sandwich is vegetarian friendly.
If you can't resist Burger King...
Getty Images/Scott Olson
Finding a sensible choice is tricky at Burger King. The Sausage Breakfast Burrito is only 310 calories, but it also comes with a 820 milligrams of sodium. The FDA recommends a max of 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, so be sure to watch what you eat after breakfast.
If it's time for pick-me-up at Starbucks...
Starbucks
The Spinach and Feta breakfast wrap is a convenient way to get 19 grams of protein with only 10 grams of fat. Ringing in at 290 calories, the wrap is a great choice for breakfast in a rush. If you find yourself needing a caffeine fix, black coffee is the best way to go, avoiding the sugar that can often be hidden in blended coffee drinks. Another tip? Teach yourself how to love good old black coffee - a cup is only one calorie.