{"id":295063,"date":"2026-01-21T02:45:07","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T02:45:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/295063\/"},"modified":"2026-01-21T02:45:07","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T02:45:07","slug":"the-healthiest-fast-food-burgers-you-can-order-right-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/295063\/","title":{"rendered":"The Healthiest Fast Food Burgers You Can Order Right Now"},"content":{"rendered":"<ul data-node-id=\"0\" class=\"css-kw9lqy emevuu60\">\n<li data-node-id=\"0.0\">Spoiler: A fast food burger can fit into a well-balanced diet. According to registered dietitian Lauren Manaker, burgers can still deliver protein and nutrients\u2014especially when ordered strategically with veggie toppings and fewer high-fat additions. <\/li>\n<li data-node-id=\"0.1\">Sodium and saturated fat are the biggest red flags to look out for when choosing a burger. Yes, even more so than calories or carbs, which can be controlled by meal balancing and portion sizes. <\/li>\n<li data-node-id=\"0.2\">McDonald\u2019s, Wendy\u2019s, and Burger King topped the list for the healthiest fast food burgers. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"2\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Even if you\u2019ve been laser-focused on your health and wellness goals in the new year, there\u2019s a time and a place to treat yourself. Yes, you can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.delish.com\/food\/g69936027\/healthiest-fast-food-chain-breakfast-orders\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.delish.com\/food\/g69936027\/healthiest-fast-food-chain-breakfast-orders\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"feel good and order the occasional fast food\" data-node-id=\"2.3\" class=\"body-link css-1i7jlb0 emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">feel good and order the occasional fast food<\/a> cheeseburger. Life is all about balance, and that means treating yourself, too. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.delish.com\/food\/a70025260\/healthiest-fast-food-chain-french-fries\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-vars-ga-outbound-link=\"https:\/\/www.delish.com\/food\/a70025260\/healthiest-fast-food-chain-french-fries\/\" data-vars-ga-ux-element=\"Hyperlink\" data-vars-ga-call-to-action=\"Toss in a side of fries while you\u2019re at it. \" data-node-id=\"2.5\" class=\"body-link css-1i7jlb0 emevuu60\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Toss in a side of fries while you\u2019re at it. <\/a><\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"3\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">As registered dietitian and nutritionist Lauren Manaker points out, a burger can even offer some serious protein and valuable nutrients, too, \u201cdepending on the toppings and preparations.\u201d It&#8217;s just a matter of where you\u2019re ordering from\u2014some are better, and some are worse\u2014and how you\u2019re ordering.<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"4\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">\u201cChoosing a burger with more veggie toppings, skipping high-fat extras like bacon or mayonnaise, and possibly opting for a smaller patty can make it a smarter choice. And add lots of veggies to the mix,\u201d Manaker tells Delish.<\/p>\n<p>Related Story<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"7\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Though there\u2019s a lot to consider when studying the nutritional facts, she names sodium as the biggest red flag due to its impact on heart health. She also says to watch out for saturated fat, which can raise cholesterol levels, and to understand calories, though everyone\u2019s needs and goals are different in that department.<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"8\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">It all depends \u201con your age, activity level, and health goals, but general recommendations include limiting saturated fat to less than 10% of your daily calories, keeping sodium to below 2,300 mg per day, and managing your total calories to align with your energy needs,\u201d Manaker says. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"9\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">To save you the time and hassle of studying the nutritional facts yourself, we scoured 15+ menus to find the healthiest (or&#8230;least unhealthy) fast food burgers out there based on Manaker\u2019s tips. With her warnings about sodium and saturated fats\u2014and the understanding that carbs and calories can be controlled through portion sizes and meal balancing\u2014we narrowed the list to seven finalists.   <\/p>\n<p>#7: Shake Shack Hamburger<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"11\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">While Shake Shack\u2019s signature Shackburger\u2014which comes piled with toppings and special sauce\u2014isn\u2019t your best option, the chain\u2019s classic hamburger is a healthier choice. For a fast food burger, it\u2019s relatively low in calories (370), and has 24 grams of carbs, 8 grams of saturated fat, and a whopping 850 milligrams of sodium. This makes it the seventh-healthiest option we found at fast food chains. However, there is a silver lining: It has the most protein of all our picks, with a whopping 25 grams.<br data-node-id=\"11.1\"\/><\/p>\n<p>#6: Culver\u2019s ButterBurger <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"13\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">The Culver\u2019s ButterBurger has the highest calorie count (390 for a single without extra toppings) on our list, but the rest of its nutritional stats help balance it out. It has 38 grams of carbs,  7 grams of saturated fat, and 480 milligrams of sodium (way less than the Shake Shack option). It also offers an impressive 20 grams of protein. <\/p>\n<p>#5: Whataburger Jr. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"15\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">If you\u2019re a fan of cult-favorite fast food joint Whataburger, good news: The Whataburger Jr. is among the healthiest options we found, at 310 calories and 36 grams of carbs. While the sodium content\u2014at 580 mg\u2014is similar to that of other burgers on our list (excluding Shake Shack, which ranked higher), it has just 3 grams of saturated fat. That\u2019s the lowest we found! A win is a win. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"16\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Considering it is a Jr., the protein content is a little less than Shake Shack and Culver\u2019s, but hey, 14 grams is not nothing.<\/p>\n<p>#4: In-N-Out Hamburger <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"18\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\"> In-N-Out fans rejoice. The classic hamburger has 16 grams of protein, just 360 calories, 37 grams of carbs, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, and 660 mg of sodium, which, for us, gives it a slight edge over the Whataburger Jr.  If you want to make it even \u201chealthier,\u201d you can opt for it protein style. The lettuce-wrapped version is a common customization and gets you down to just 200 calories, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 390 milligrams of sodium, and 8 carbs. (We\u2019re not including the bunless version in our official ranking, because, well, buns!) <\/p>\n<p>#3: The Classic McDonald\u2019s Burger  <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"20\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">McDonald\u2019s landed in the number three spot for healthiest fries and burgers. The golden-arched fast food joint\u2019s classic burger has 12 grams of protein, 250 calories, 30 grams of carbs, just 3.5 grams of saturated fat, and 510 milligrams of sodium. Impressive stats all around and a perfect pick if you\u2019re looking for a lower-cal option.  <\/p>\n<p>#2: Burger King\u2019s Whopper Jr. <\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"22\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\">Our number two, you ask? Burger King\u2019s beloved Whopper Jr., which is the same as a classic Whopper, just slightly smaller (it\u2019s still a totally normal burger size). This option comes with slightly more protein than Micky D\u2019s (15.2 grams), 310 calories, 27 grams of carbs, and 5 grams of saturated fat. Plus, it has the lowest sodium content on our entire list at 390 mg. When we say it\u2019s the second healthiest burger, we mean that it\u2019s barely the second.<\/p>\n<p>The #1 Most Healthy: Wendy\u2019s Jr. Hamburger<\/p>\n<p data-journey-content=\"true\" data-node-id=\"24\" class=\"css-6wxqfj emevuu60\"> And we have a winner! While Wendy\u2019s was pretty much neck and neck with Burger King, it has a slight edge thanks to its impressively low calorie count (230) and lower saturated fat (4 grams). At 470 milligrams, the sodium level is still pretty low, and this burger comes with 12 grams of protein and just 24 grams of carbs. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Spoiler: A fast food burger can fit into a well-balanced diet. According to registered dietitian Lauren Manaker, burgers&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":295064,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[277],"tags":[18,146649,146650,135,146648,146647,19,17,508,73862],"class_list":{"0":"post-295063","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-eire","9":"tag-fast-food-burgers","10":"tag-fast-food-menus","11":"tag-health","12":"tag-healthiest-fast-food","13":"tag-healthiest-fast-food-burger","14":"tag-ie","15":"tag-ireland","16":"tag-nutrition","17":"tag-wendy"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/115930799972009253","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/295063","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=295063"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/295063\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/295064"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=295063"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=295063"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=295063"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}