Make Your Own Healthy Versions Of These 10 Fast-Food Classics Slideshow
A quarter-pound Whopper has a distinct "grilled" flavor, but you can replicate this taste at home by using a cast-iron skillet. Fast food burgers always come with extra fats and sodium, so although this recipe calls for an egg and grilled-cheese buns, it is still the better option.
Click here for the Egg in a Hole Grilled Cheese Breakfast Burger recipe.
Substitute: Spicy Chicken Sandwiches With Cilantro-Lime Mayo for Chick-fil-A Spicy Chicken Sandwich
Chick-fil-A's chicken sandwiches are legendary: A perfectly fried chicken breast is served on a lightly-buttered, toasted bun with pickle chips. But this simple combination of ingredients is far from a healthy dish. This sandwich packs more than half a day's recommended allowance of sodium, and the butter oil used on the bun is definitely questionable. This spicy chicken sandwich recipe bypasses the fryer, and instead of butter oil, calls for a flavorful cilantro-lime mayonnaise.
Click here for the Spicy Chicken Sandwiches With Cilantro-Lime Mayo recipe.
Substitute: Parmesan Steak Fries for KFC Potato Wedges
The potato wedges at KFC are crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, but they're also super salty and deep fried. These Parmesan steak fries are dipped in egg whites before being baked, making them extra crispy. When they come out of the oven, they're dusted with Parmesan cheese and ancho chili powder for a little kick.
Substitute: Honey BBQ Chicken Nuggets for McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets
McDonald's Chicken Nuggets won't harm you, but their ingredient list is still questionable. Chicken parts are blended together, sliced into oddly nuggets, and deep fried. If you don't feel like eating mysterious poultry meat, then opt for this healthier honey barbecue chicken nugget recipe. Chicken breast is diced into nugget-sized portions and dipped into a homemade honey barbecue sauce, dredged in crispy panko bread crumbs, and baked to a golden-brown.
Substitute: Herbed Parmesan Hash Browns for McDonald’s Hash Brown
Now that McDonald's serves breakfast all day, you can get their hash browns at any hour of the day — but this may not be a good thing if you're watching your diet. Besides being greasy and salty, these hash browns don't offer anything from a nutritional standpoint, and also include the vague and mysterious "natural beef flavor" (which is surprisingly vegetarian). Hash browns are easy to make at home, and taste even better when they're whipped up in a waffle iron. An egg and some Parmesan cheese make the hash browns extra crispy.
Substitute: Panko-Crusted Tilapia Sandwich With Garlic-Dill Mayonnaise for McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish
On their website, McDonald's makes it appear as if their Filet-O-Fish sandwich is only four components: a fish filet patty, regular bun, tartar sauce, and processed American cheese — but each of these items contains a laundry list of additional additives and preservatives. A fish sandwich should be clean, fresh, and simple, so try making this crispy, panko-crusted tilapia sandwich. The topping of garlic-dill mayonnaise really puts it over the edge.
Click here for the Panko-Crusted Tilapia Sandwich With Garlic-Dill Mayonnaise recipe.
Substitute: Honey-Mustard Chicken Tenders for Popeye’s Chicken Tenders
Chicken tenders don't need to be deep fried to be crispy and delicious. Save on some of the sodium and frying oil with these honey-mustard chicken tenders. Good for children, adults, and adults that act like children, these tenders require only four ingredients and get a distinct taste from their pretzel crust.
Substitute: Vegetarian Mushroom Tacos for Taco Bell Soft Taco
Taco Bell uses a perplexing ground beef mixture that doesn't resemble meat in any fashion. Bypass the animal products and make some vegetarian-inspired tacos. Because of their firm yet chewy texture, mushrooms are an ideal substitute for meat. These spicy and citrusy tacos are only 150 calories each. Pair them with a side of wild rice and some freshly made guacamole, and you will forget all about Taco Bell.
Substitute: Mango Turkey Sliders for White Castle Sliders
I know that nothing can truly replicate the taste and texture of a fluffy White Castle slider, but sometimes when making food choices you have to consider how your future self will feel. A sack of sliders isn't the lightest fare, and it has no place in any healthy eating regimen. But this recipe does, and the addition of mango lends moisture and a pleasant sweetness to otherwise dry turkey burgers. Serve these up at your next barbecue.
Substitute: Chocolate-Almond Smoothie for Wendy’s Frosty
A small Wendy's Chocolate Frosty is 340 calories and contains 46 grams of sugar — more than a can of Coca-Cola. Don't get me wrong, they're tasty, but you can replicate that creamy texture and chocolatey flavor with a nutritious smoothie. Simply blend together a frozen banana, chocolate almond milk, cocoa powder, almond butter, and a little bit of honey in a concoction that you can proudly drink for breakfast.