Healthy Fast Food at Mexican Chains

Mexican quick meals eating places could be a good choice for locating wholesome quick meals. However they may also be caloric minefields—particularly relating to burritos, nachos, and different cheese-heavy objects. Portion management can also be necessary, for the reason that serving dimension on many Mexican quick meals objects is big. As a way to take pleasure in what you need with out blowing your food plan, merely eat half and take the remainder dwelling on your subsequent meal.


A number of Mexican chains, together with Taco Bell and Baja Contemporary, have “wholesome” menu choices which might be decrease in fats and energy. You may as well discover more healthy selections at chains equivalent to Chipotle and Taco Del Mar, together with entire-wheat tortillas and recent greens. However parts are nonetheless big, so limiting the quantity you eat in a single sitting is vital.

Suggestions for making smarter selections at Mexican quick meals eating places:


  • Go simple on the rice and beans (together with in your burrito). These starches add tons of of energy to your meal.
  • Skip the bitter cream, which may add a hundred-200 energy. For a more healthy possibility, add avocado or guacamole.
  • Say no to chips. They add tons of of energy (570 energy for an order from Chipotle) together with a lot of added sugar and sodium you don’t want.
  • Search for Baja-type fish dishes. Fish is normally the healthiest meat selection—so long as it’s not fried.
  • Go for delicate tortillas. Whether or not fabricated from flour or corn, gentle tortillas are decrease in fats and energy than crispy, deep-fried shells. Delicate corn tortillas are normally more healthy than delicate flour tortillas.
  • Strive holding the cheese. You might be shocked how little you miss it in your burrito or taco, and it may prevent over one hundred energy.
  • Load up on fajita veggies. Including them to your burrito or burrito bowl is a straightforward means so as to add tons of taste and coronary heart-wholesome nutritional vitamins and phytochemicals with out including lots of energy.

More healthy Mexican quick meals choices
INSTEAD OF…TRY…
Crispy shell tacoTender taco
Floor beef or fried rooster or meatGrilled fish or hen
Refried beans or pinto beansBlack beans
Crunch wraps or gordita-sort burritosGrilled “fresco” fashion steak burrito
Beef burritoVeggie and bean burrito

Greatest selections on the prime Mexican chains


  • Baja Contemporary Unique Baja Taco: 200-230 energy, 5-eight grams fats (1-2 grams saturated fats), 230-280 mg sodium OR Baja Contemporary Grilled Mahi Mahi Taco: 230 energy, 9 grams fats (1.5 grams saturated fats), 300 mg sodium (sugar not specified)
  • Chipotle Rooster Burrito Bowl with Black Beans, Fajita Veggies, and Tomato Salsa: 340 energy, eight.5 grams fats (three grams saturated fats), 950 mg sodium, 6 grams sugar
  • Del Taco Taco al Carbon with Hen: one hundred fifty energy, four grams fats (zero grams saturated fats), 300 mg sodium, zero grams sugar
  • El Pollo Loco Avocado Rooster Taco: 310 cal, 17g complete fats, 870mg sodium, 2g fiber, 20g protein, 6g sugar
  • Freebirds two gentle tacos with corn tortillas, chicken hen, cilantro, corn relish and tomatoes: 364 energy and 616 mg of sodium
  • Qdoba Mexican Grill Bare Burrito (with black beans, pico de gallo, cilantro-lime rice, lettuce, grilled veggies, and ranchera sauce): 460 energy, 7 grams fats, 1,220 mg sodium, (plus 18 grams of protein and 20 grams of fiber)
  • Moe’s Southwest Grill The Full Monty taco with fish (6-inch flour tortilla, black beans, shredded cheese, salsa, and lettuce): 172 energy, 6 grams fats
  • Taco Bell Fresco Grilled Steak Tender Taco: a hundred and sixty energy, four.5g fats (1.5g saturated fats), 11g protein, 430mg sodium, 2 grams sugar
  • Taco John’s Tremendous Burrito with Hen: 420 energy, 14 grams fats (5 grams saturated fats), 1020 mg sodium, 2 grams sugar
  • Taco Time Gentle Pork Burrito: 460 energy, 690 mg sodium, 6 grams fiber

Worst selections on the high Mexican chains


  • Baja Contemporary Burrito Ultimo (Steak or Carnitas), Enchilado Type (served with nachos, pico de gallo and bitter cream): 1,550-1,580 energy, eighty four grams fats (forty grams saturated fats), three,760-three,789 mg sodium (sugar not specified)
  • Chevy’s Tostada Salad (not together with dressing) : 1,500-1,560 energy, ninety one-one hundred grams fats (34-38 grams saturated fats), 2,220-2,550 mg sodium
  • Chipotle Mexican Grilled Hen Burrito: 1,179 energy, 7 grams fats, one hundred twenty five g carbs, 2,656 mg sodium
  • Del Taco Macho Nachos (Steak): 1,040 energy, fifty three grams fats (14 grams saturated fats), 2,380 mg sodium, eleven grams sugar
  • Moe’s Southwest Grill Closetalker Salad with crispy shell, floor beef, beans, cheese, olives, cucumbers, lettuce, chipotle ranch sauce and bacon: 1,215 energy, eighty four grams fats (21.three grams saturated fats), 2,103 mg sodium
  • On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina Dos XX Fish Tacos w/ Creamy Crimson Chile Sauce: 2,a hundred and fifty energy, a hundred and forty four grams fats (31 grams saturated fats), three,740 mg sodium OR On the Border Grande Taco Salad with Taco Beef: 1,450 energy, 102 grams fats, seventy eight g carbs, 2,410 mg sodium (sugar not specified)
  • Taco Bell XXL Grilled Stuft Burrito Beef: 880 energy, three grams saturated fats, 2130 mg sodium, 6 grams sugar
  • Taco John’s Baja Boneless Wings (Honey Habanero sauce) ½ lb.: 630 energy, 25 grams fats (four grams saturated fats), 1440 mg sodium, 26 grams sugar
  • Taco Time Chimichanga, Floor Beef: 650 energy, 27 grams fats (thirteen grams saturated fats), 2520 mg sodium