In This ArticleView AllIn This Article1. Power Menu Chicken Bowl2. Power Menu Veggie Bowl3. Crunchy Tacos4. Burrito Supreme “Fresco Style"5. Bean BurritoOrdering Healthy at Food Chains
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
Power Menu Chicken Bowl
Power Menu Veggie Bowl
Crunchy Tacos
Burrito Supreme “Fresco Style”
Bean Burrito
Ordering Healthy at Food Chains
Craving a late-night crunchy taco? Yes, Taco Bell is a convenient option and a staple when looking for something quick and easy (no matter the time of day) … but did you know the fast-food chain has some pretty healthy options?
Plus, with limited fried food options and tons of menu items featuring fresh vegetables, the menu is surprisingly full of nutritious options for you to choose from—and health experts agree.
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“Taco Bell has a really extensive menu that allows you to easily customize an order to meet your nutrition goals,” saysMackenzie Burgess, RDN, a recipe developer at Cheerful Choices. Specifically, Burgess points out that she’s a “fan of the menu items that contain veggies and beans, as this is a winning combination of healthy protein and fats.”
So what items in particular should hungry Taco Bell customers look for? We asked Burgess and other registered dietitians about the healthiestoptions at Taco Bellthat you can order next time you’re looking to keep mealtime simple and “live más”—while still keeping things relatively healthy. Here are their suggestions.
“The Power Menu Bowl is where it’s at for this dietitian! At its core, succulent grilled chicken reigns supreme, delivering a protein punch of 26 g that helps satisfy your cravings and keep you full,” saysAmy Goodson, M.S., RD, LD, CSSD, owner of The Sports Nutrition Playbook.
Plus, with the added rice, black beans and vegetables, Goodson points out that the bowl is not only full of all kinds of textures and flavors, but it even includes a whopping 8 g of fiber per serving.
“Real Cheddar cheese, fresh lettuce, ripe tomatoes and reduced-fat sour cream combine to keep this tasty and low-calorie,” she continues. “The Avocado Ranch Sauce infuses zesty goodness, and the creamy guacamole elevates it to the next level for less than 500 calories (460 calories to be exact)! A true fiesta on your plate!”
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If you want to keep your diet vegetarian—or even focus on a vegetable-forward approach—the Power Menu Bowl also comes with a veggie-only option.
“The Veggie Power Menu Bowl is filled with black beans, rice, guacamole, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, reduced-fat sour cream and avocado ranch sauce,” says Burgess. “This provides 420 calories, 12 g of protein, 20 g of fat and 11 g of fiber. While this is a great target calorie count for a meal, you could even skip the sour cream and sauce to reduce the total fat in this meal.”
“A Crunchy Taco at Taco Bell is a surprisingly low-calorie, high-protein option that is also relatively low in sodium,” saysCaroline Thomason, RD, CDCES, a dietitian located in Washington, D.C. “With 170 calories, 8 g of protein and 310 milligrams of sodium, this is a well-rounded snack (or double up for a meal!) that will actually keep you full.”
While a burrito may not seem like the healthiest option on the Taco Bell menu for many, there are a few clever ways to enjoy a burrito while keeping things nutritious.
For example,Maggie Michalczyk, RDN, from Once Upon a Pumpkin, suggests ordering the Burrito Supreme, which includes a flour tortilla, refried beans, grilled chicken, red sauce, reduced-fat sour cream, Cheddar cheese and onions.
“I like the option of having a burrito for an on-the-go option, and you can opt for the ‘fresco style’ for more veggies and fewer calorie-dense toppings,” she says. According to the site, the “fresco style” replaces the dairy products (cheese and sour cream) with tomatoes.
Another delicious and easy burrito option is simply ordering Taco Bell’s Bean Burrito.
“Taco Bell’s Bean Burrito is a nutrient-packed option that is easy on the pocket and totally tasty,” saysLauren Manaker, M.S., RDN, LDN, CLEC. “Beans are a source of plant-based protein, fiber and many nutrients. And the cheese addition adds a boost of bone-health-supporting calcium. While this burrito isn’t an everyday food that I choose, in a pinch, it can be a healthy option.”
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How to Order Healthy Food at Chain Restaurants
What to Look For
No matter where you order from—whether at Taco Bell or some other fast-food establishment—Thomason says there are two things you should keep an eye on when glancing at the restaurant’s menu. “People need to look for options that are generally lower in fat and lower in sodium, as those tend to be commonly high in menu items at fast-food restaurants,” she explains.
One easy way to ensure your meal isn’t too high in saturated fat and sodium is to look for baked items instead of fried ones. Sauces also tend to be higher in saturated fat and sodium, so Thomason suggests ordering sauces on the side; that way, you can decide how much goes into your meal.
As for what you should order, she suggests sticking to “the basics” of what to prioritize in a meal, aka menu items that arehigh in proteinand fiber. “See if you can add in a veggie or a fruit for some volume and extra fullness, and then reduce fried foods wherever you can.”
What to Limit
“I would say if you can order a diet soda or a non-sugar-sweetened soda or beverage, then you are going to do yourself a lot of good there as well,” says Thomason.
As mentioned, sauces tend to add in more calories, sometimes even withsneaky added sugars. Reducing the amount of sauce you use on an item can significantly increase the nutritional value of your meal while still tasting delicious.
The Bottom Line
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