10 items you can eat at fast-food chains if you’re on the Mediterranean diet

Whenever possible, said Durham, it is best to “opt for grilled instead of fried food.” Chick-fil-A has grilled options on its menu, and Durham recommends the brand’s grilled chicken sandwich.

While bread is included in the Mediterranean diet, Durham recommended having it “as part of balanced meals.” She added that refined carbohydrates, such as white bread and buns, “should be limited as they don’t provide the same nutritional value and fiber” as whole-grain or whole-wheat bread.

So, if only white bread or buns are available at a restaurant, Durham suggested substituting it with a romaine wrap or skipping the bun. Or you could opt for one of the more nutritious and fibrous bread types, if available.

Some other Mediterranean diet-friendly dishes on the menu include grilled chicken nuggets, a fruit bowl, and salads.

Durham told BI that “building your sandwich with vegetables, lighter sauces, and whole-wheat bread ” is a good way to enhance fiber and add whole grains to your meal.

The best way to do this at Subway is by opting for a Veggie Delite sub. It’s packed with salad and vegetables, making it nutritious and filling, Durham said.

Consuming processed deli meats served at the restaurant can make it tricky to manage sodium; Durham said small amounts of naturally occurring sodium from whole foods or moderate salt use are OK, but it’s wise to be mindful of your intake, even in foods like nuts and canned goods.

Wendy’s, best known for its spicy chicken nuggets and hamburgers, also offers salads that can fit into a healthier eating plan.

The apple-pecan salad aligns well with Mediterranean principles, thanks to ingredients like apples, which provide natural sweetness and fiber, and pecans, which provide healthy fats and antioxidants.

However, “be mindful of the dressings,” Durham said, because “store-bought or restaurant dressings are often high in added sugars, unhealthy fats (like trans fats or saturated fats ), or high in sodium.”

Durham said these refined oils and sugars don’t align with the Mediterranean diet’s focus as a whole.

Instead, she recommended opting for fresh lemon wedges or olive oil and balsamic vinegar, which are minimally processed. Alternatively, you could also consider bringing a vetted homemade dressing.

Another option to try at Wendy’s is the Cobb salad, which includes grilled chicken and chopped eggs. While it is traditionally served with applewood smoked bacon, requesting the server remove it aligns it more with the Mediterranean diet.

“Chipotle is a good place to be able to modify things,” said Durham. It is known for its customizable bowls and incorporates Mediterranean-diet elements like beans, rice, and vegetables.

She recommended “asking for brown rice [and] building it with grilled chicken.” They also have a wide variety of beans, so adding those and getting extra vegetables will make it more healthful.

“All of those are good sources of fiber and protein,” said Durham.

Panera is another spot that has lots of salad and sandwich options, Durham said, and the most obvious is its Mediterranean sandwich.

It is a sandwich with feta, hummus, and salad, but you could customize it to add some grilled chicken.

Durham recommended opting for whole-grain bread rather than tomato basil bread, as it better aligns with the Mediterranean diet lifestyle.

Like Chipotle, Taco Bell offers a customizable, protein-packed bowl that can fit into your diet.

While Durham said she favors Chipotle for its variety and the option to swap white rice for brown rice, which is more nutritious, Taco Bell can be a good alternative in moderation, she said.

Avocado toast may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Dunkin’, but it’s part of the brand’s breakfast menu.

Durham said that many fast-food restaurants offer substitutes, “but they’re not always advertised,” so she recommends checking and customizing your meals wherever possible.

At Dunkin’, you can do this by getting avocado toast on multigrain bread. Durham said it “has good mono and saturated fat from the avocado” and is a great on-the-go option.

Made with oven-roasted turkey, tomatoes, lettuce, red onions, Swiss cheese, mayo, and spicy brown honey mustard, the roast turkey and Swiss sandwich isn’t typically Mediterranean diet-friendly because it incorporates mayo and processed meat.

However, with small tweaks, it can be adjusted to fit.

“Ask for mustard instead of mayonnaise,” said Durham, and “get it on whole grain bread; ask for more vegetables, lettuce, and tomato.”

At any fast-food restaurant, she recommends swapping fries for more nutrient-dense sides like a bowl of fruit. Since fruits aren’t available at Arby’s, you could also opt for a baked potato.

Durham said red meat can be eaten as part of the Mediterranean diet, but it should be enjoyed in moderation. Still, it’s OK to have the occasional burger if it’s part of “an overall balanced and whole-food-based diet,” she said.

She also recommended selecting lean cuts and being mindful of portion sizes.

All burgers at In-N-Out can be customized to be “protein style,” so they’re wrapped in lettuce instead of buns. This simple swap lets you make healthier choices while still enjoying your favorite meals.

Similarly to In-N-Out, Durham suggests choosing a little hamburger from Five Guys and swapping the bun with a lettuce wrap instead. And since Five Guys allows you to add multiple toppings, you could take advantage of this and load up on the veggies.

Switching to a lettuce bun would knock off 70 calories from a total of 540, bringing it down to about 463 calories.

“The Mediterranean diet is more about nutrient density and diet quality than calorie restriction,” Durham said, but some substitutions do both: enhance overall nutrient quality while also reducing the calorie count.

The good thing about this diet, said Durham, is that “you’re not sequestered to never going out with anybody or staying at home.”

She added that while it’s fine to indulge in fast food once in a while, it’s equally important to choose options that best align with the Mediterranean lifestyle for better overall health.