Brenda Khan
It is possible to eat at McDonald's while on the keto diet, even for a cheat meal. While it is much easier to follow the keto diet when cooking at home, there are options available at McDonald's that can be made keto-friendly with a few modifications. For example, removing the bun/muffin/biscuit and any sauces, including ketchup, can make a meal keto-friendly. McDonald's offers a customizable nutrition guide, and there are several keto-friendly options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Eating keto at McDonald's | Possible |
| McDonald's keto meals | Breakfast, lunch, and dinner |
| Modifications | Remove bun/muffin/biscuit and sauces, including ketchup |
| Keto-friendly options | Salads, eggs, meat, fish, vegetables, nuts, and seeds |
| Drinks | Water, black coffee, unsweetened iced tea, Diet Coke, Coke Zero |
| McDonald's keto breakfast options | Scrambled eggs, sausage patty, bacon, Egg McMuffin without the muffin |
| McDonald's keto burgers | Big Mac, McDouble without the bun and ketchup, bunless burgers |
| McDonald's keto sides | Sauces: mustard, mayonnaise, ranch dressing |
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What You'll Learn
Keto-friendly McDonald's meals
If you're on the keto diet, you can still eat at McDonald's, as long as you know what modifications to ask for. The keto diet is about minimizing your carb intake to get your body to burn fat for energy, a state known as ketosis. Typically, this means getting 60 to 75 percent of your calories from fat, 15 to 30 percent from protein, and 5 to 10 percent from carbs, which usually translates to consuming no more than 50 grams of carbs a day.
- Burgers and sandwiches: You can order bunless burgers and sandwiches at McDonald's. For example, a Big Mac without the bun, ketchup, or Big Mac sauce has 5 grams of net carbs, 25 grams of fat, and 18 grams of protein. Similarly, a Quarter Pounder with Cheese without the bun or ketchup has 3 grams of net carbs, 25 grams of fat, and 25 grams of protein. You can also bring your own keto-friendly bun or tortilla to make the meal more sandwich-like.
- Breakfast: The standard "Big Breakfast" at McDonald's contains hash browns, a biscuit, scrambled eggs, and a sausage patty. To make it keto-friendly, skip the biscuit and hash browns, leaving you with a scrambled eggs and sausage meal. You can also order the Sausage McMuffin without the muffin, which only has 3 grams of net carbs. Another option is the Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit without the biscuit, which has 4 grams of net carbs.
- Salads: Salads are a good low-carb and keto-friendly option. You can add a side salad to your meal, and use a low-carb dressing like creamy ranch sauce, which has only 1 gram of carbs.
- Drinks: Avoid regular soft drinks, milkshakes, and ice cream treats, which are high in carbs. Instead, opt for unsweetened iced tea, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, or water. If you want coffee, stick to hot black coffee or iced coffee without cream or milk.
Remember that not all McDonald's locations will offer the same options, and some modifications may incur an extra cost. It's always a good idea to check the nutritional information and make adjustments to fit your specific keto plan.
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Customising orders to make them keto-friendly
It is possible to eat at McDonald's while adhering to a keto diet, but it requires careful customisation of orders to minimise carbohydrate intake. Here are some tips for customising your McDonald's order to make it keto-friendly:
Breakfast Options
- The standard "Big Breakfast" typically comes with hash browns, a biscuit, scrambled eggs, and a sausage patty. To make it keto-friendly, remove the hash browns and biscuit, leaving you with a keto-friendly scrambled egg and sausage meal.
- The Egg McMuffin can be made keto-friendly by removing the muffin. You can also add extra bacon and cheese for flavour and satiety.
- The Sausage McMuffin can also be customised by removing the muffin. Request to have the items served on a platter instead, and add extra bacon and cheese if desired.
- Bacon, cheese, and egg can be ordered on a platter without the biscuit, resulting in only 3g net carbs.
- The sausage burrito can be made keto-friendly by removing the tortilla, turning it into an egg and veggie scramble with cheese.
Lunch and Dinner Options
- Salads are a good option for keto dieters, but be mindful of high-carb ingredients and dressings. Use low-carb dressings like mustard, mayonnaise, or creamy ranch dressing, which has only 1 gram of carb.
- Bunless burgers are a keto-friendly option. You can add extra shredded lettuce and onions to any burger to make it more like a burger salad.
- The McDouble fits most keto diets when you remove the bun and ketchup.
- The Big Mac can be ordered on a keto diet, but it is not the healthiest option. To make it more keto-friendly, avoid adding ketchup.
- Chicken sandwiches can be made keto-friendly by removing the bun. Avoid the crispy chicken sandwich and buttermilk chicken tenders, as they have a higher carb count.
Beverage Options
- When ordering beverages, stick to options like water, black coffee, unsweetened iced tea, Diet Coke, or Coke Zero.
- Avoid adding cream or sugar to coffee or tea to keep them keto-friendly.
Remember, when in doubt, it is best to leave out condiments and sauces, as they may add unnecessary carbs to your meal. Always check the nutrition information and make modifications to suit your specific keto diet plan.
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Recommended keto-friendly toppings and condiments
When ordering keto-friendly meals at McDonald's, it is important to stick to low-carb options and avoid sauces and condiments that are high in sugar and starch.
Some recommended keto-friendly toppings and condiments include:
- Lettuce: Add shredded lettuce to your burger to make it more like a burger salad. Lettuce has zero net carbs, making it a perfect keto-friendly option.
- Onions: Onions have one gram of total carbs per serving, so they can be a great way to add flavour to your burger without increasing your carb intake.
- Pickles: Like lettuce and onions, pickles have zero net carbs, so feel free to add some pickle slices to your burger for a tangy crunch.
- Mustard: Mustard is another zero-carb condiment option. It adds a nice kick to your burger without the added sugar or starch of other condiments.
- Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise is also a keto-friendly option with ten grams of fat and zero grams of total carbs.
- Creamy ranch dressing: While ranch dressing has one gram of carbs, it is still a better option than ketchup or other high-sugar sauces.
When ordering keto-friendly meals at McDonald's, it is generally a good idea to avoid buns, wraps, biscuits, and other high-carb ingredients. You can also ask for extra lettuce and onions to bulk up your meal and make it more filling without adding extra carbs.
Remember, the key to staying keto at McDonald's is to be mindful of your carb intake and make smart choices when customising your order.
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Breakfast options
If you're on the keto diet and looking for breakfast options at McDonald's, you're in luck! While it's best to stick to meals you've prepared yourself, there are some McDonald's breakfasts that can be made keto-friendly with a few adjustments.
First, it's important to know what to avoid. The keto diet is all about minimising your carb intake, so you'll want to steer clear of bread, buns, biscuits, wraps, bagels, pancakes, breading, and fries. You should also be careful with sauces, as these can add unnecessary carbs to your meal. Instead, stick to condiments like mustard and mayonnaise, or a low-carb dressing if you're having a salad.
Now, let's look at some specific McDonald's breakfast options that can be made keto-friendly. One popular choice is the Egg McMuffin. If you remove the muffin, you're left with only 3g of net carbs. You can also order the Sausage McMuffin without the muffin, which has the same amount of net carbs. Add extra bacon and cheese for flavour and to increase satiety.
Another option is to order bacon, cheese, and egg on a platter, which also has 3g of net carbs. You can add extra flavour with sausage or more bacon. Just remember to skip the biscuit!
If you're craving a sandwich, you can try the Sausage Burrito without the tortilla. This becomes more of an egg and veggie scramble with cheese, and the Canadian bacon will provide plenty of protein while being lower in saturated fat than bacon or sausage.
For a simple option, stick with eggs. McDonald's standard "Big Breakfast" comes with hash browns, a biscuit, scrambled eggs, and a sausage patty. You can customise this meal by removing the hash browns and biscuit to lower the carb count, leaving you with a scrambled egg and sausage meal.
Remember, it's always a good idea to check the nutrition information to ensure that your chosen meal aligns with your keto lifestyle.
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Lunch and dinner options
It is possible to eat at McDonald's while adhering to a keto diet, even for lunch and dinner. However, it is important to remember that keto-friendly fast food may not be the healthiest option. Here are some tips and options for lunch and dinner:
Firstly, it is important to understand what constitutes a keto meal. A keto diet typically involves minimizing carbohydrate intake and increasing the proportion of calories derived from fats and proteins. Therefore, a keto meal generally includes foods such as lean meats, fish, eggs, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, while avoiding high-carb ingredients like bread, buns, pasta, sweets, and starchy vegetables.
At McDonald's, one of the easiest ways to create a keto-friendly meal is to opt for a bunless burger or sandwich. You can order a Big Mac or a McDouble without the bun and ketchup to significantly reduce the carb count. Another option is to ask for extra shredded lettuce and onions to turn your burger into a burger salad. You can also add certain toppings and sauces, such as mayonnaise, mustard, pickles, onions, lettuce, and tomato slices, as long as you monitor the net carbs in your total meal.
If you're looking for a more substantial meal, consider ordering two Quarter Pounders with extra patties and bacon, skipping the buns and sauces. This option provides a hearty serving of protein and fat, essential for a keto diet.
Salads are also a good choice at McDonald's for keto dieters. While the options may be limited, you can customize your salad by choosing non-starchy vegetables and a low-carb dressing, such as creamy ranch. Just be mindful of the carb content in fruits, sauces, and dressings.
Additionally, McDonald's offers a customizable nutrition guide that can help you make informed choices. When in doubt, it's best to stick to simple, keto-friendly beverages like water, black coffee, unsweetened iced tea, Diet Coke, or Coke Zero.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can eat at McDonald's while on a keto diet. However, you must be mindful of your meal choices and make some modifications.
You can order a Sausage McMuffin without the muffin, or a bacon, egg, and cheese platter with extra bacon or sausage. You can also order a Big Breakfast without the biscuit and hash browns, which will leave you with scrambled eggs and a sausage patty.
You can order a bunless burger like a Big Mac or McDouble, and add extra lettuce and onions to make it more like a burger salad. Salads are also a good option, but be mindful of high-carb ingredients and dressings.
Stick to drinks like water, black coffee, unsweetened iced tea, Diet Coke, or Coke Zero. For toppings, you can add mayonnaise, mustard, pickles, onions, lettuce, and tomato slices to your burger.
Yes, avoid high-carb options like buns, wraps, bagels, biscuits, pancakes, breaded items, fries, sweets, and sweet beverages. Be cautious with sauces and condiments as they can add extra carbs to your meal.
