Seven Best Fast-food Meals Under 350 Calories

Of all the questions I get, this is by far the most common. There are many reasons: We’ve added extra calories to basic foods, everything from pasta sauce to ketchup. We’re drinking more calories than ever—450 a day, on average. And, of course, we’ve been trained to supersize it. Those “value” meals we order through the clown’s mouth cost us only 17 percent more money, but 73 percent more calories. That’s dummy economics—you wouldn’t buy a new Blu-Ray Disc and then pay the electronics store to throw in some old, worn-out videotapes, would you? And so, everytime we eat out, we add 134 calories to our daily intake.

I understand that life is hectic and fast-food meals are inevitable. That’s why we created the runaway bestseller Eat This, Not That! back in 2007. It’s also why we’ve taken all of the principles we’ve laid out over the past few years and distilled them down to a brand-new, complete nutrition plan: The Eat This, Not That! No-Diet Diet.You can eat all the foods you love, at all the restaurants you love, without condemning yourself to massive portions and coma-inducing calorie counts, and lose tons of weight—without ever dieting again. (Which is why we gave it the “No-Diet Diet!” twist!) Want proof? Here are 7 fast-food meals with fewer than 350 calories. Next time you’re in a bind, opt for one of these meals and banish excess calories for good.

Best Chinese Meal Under 350 Calories 
Panda Express Mongolian Beef and Mixed Veggies  
235 calories
7 g fat (1.5 g saturated) 
1,260 mg sodium 

Panda actually has several options that come in below the 350-calorie mark. As with any Chinese meal, the key is skipping the greasy mound of fried rice and the oily tangle of noodles. Pair a low-calorie entrée such as the Mongolian Beef or Green Bean Chicken with a side of veggies and you wind up with a fairly nutritious meal with plenty of protein to keep you full. Entrees to avoid: Beijing Beef, Orange Chicken, Sweet and Sour Chicken, and anything with pork.

NOT THAT 
Beijing Beef w/ Fried Rice 
1,260 calories 
59 g fat (12 g saturated, 0.5 g trans) 
1,830 mg sodium