Low-Cholesterol Fast Food Entrees

Fast food can be convenient, tasty, and economical. For years there were little to no heart-healthy choices to be found. But thanks to public demand, there are now more lower-cholesterol options to choose from.

We aren't recommending that you frequent fast-food restaurants on a low-cholesterol diet, but if that's where you have to get your meals sometimes, here's how to make a smarter choice. Read on for a list of five low-cholesterol fast-food entrees worth checking out.

Low-Cholesterol Guidelines for Fast Food

• Know Before You Go: Check out the nutrition information on the websites of the restaurants that you visit most. Try to plan what you will order ahead of time.
• Size Matters: Select a small-sized entrée. Did you know that in a fast-food restaurant small hamburgers (3.0 to 3.5 ounces) are usually a lower-cholesterol choice than chicken sandwiches? (They average 5.0 to 5.5 ounces).
• Pick your meat carefully: If you are avoiding red meat, then you may need to opt. for chicken or fish. But keep in mind that fast-food chicken and fish are often breaded and deep-fried.
• Add a Healthy Topping: Add extra vegetables to your entrées, such as lettuce, cucumbers, or tomatoes.
• Skip the Fries; Add a Healthy Side: Try a garden salad with low-calorie dressing (or even better, a squirt of lemon).
• Watch Your Frequency Limit eating at fast-food restaurants to one or two times per month.

Low-cholesterol food is typically considered less than 20mg per serving, but eating a lot of low-cholesterol food adds up.

Some options to check out:

Domino's Pizza "Thin Crust Veggie Pizza" (2 squares of 12" medium pizza, 1/8 pizza) Locations nationwide

• 143 Calories, 63 Calories from Fat, Total Fat 7 grams (g), Saturated Fat 2.5g, Cholesterol 15 milligrams (mg), Sodium 240 mg, Carbohydrate 15g, Fiber 3g, Protein 5g
• Tip: Start your meal with a filling "Garden Fresh Salad" to help limit yourself to just two pizza squares.

McDonald's Small Hamburger Locations nationwide

• (Serving size: 3.5 ounces) 250 Calories, 80 Calories from Fat, Total Fat 9g, Saturated Fat 3.5g, Cholesterol 25mg, Sodium 520mg, Carbohydrate 31g, Fiber 2g, Protein 12g
• Tip: this is not a low-sodium item, and the burger is made with red meat, so plan the rest of your day's meals accordingly.

Taco Bell's "Fresco Crunchy" Taco Locations nationwide 

• (Serving size: 92g) 140 Calories, 70 Calories from Fat, Total Fat 7g, Saturated Fat 2.5g, Cholesterol 13mg, Sodium 300mg, Carbohydrate 14g, Fiber 3g, Protein 6g
• Tip: Ask for extra salsa for an added nutrient bonus.

Subway's "Veggie Delight" Sandwich, 6'' Locations nationwide 

• 200 Calories, Total Fat 2g, Saturated Fat 0g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 280mg, Carbohydrate 39g, Fiber 5g, Protein 9g
• Tip: All 8 varieties of Subway's "Fresh Fit" 6'' subs contain no more than 55mg of cholesterol, 265 calories, and 6g of total fat.

Wendy's "Junior Hamburger" Locations nationwide 

• 90 Calories, Total Fat 10g, Saturated Fat 3.5g, Cholesterol 40mg, Sodium 460mg, Carbohydrate 25g, Fiber 1g, Protein 13g
• Tip: Note: this is not a low-sodium item, and it is red meat, so plan the rest of your day's meals accordingly.

A Word From Verywell

A busy schedule doesn't have to mean sabotaging your low-cholesterol diet plan. Plan ahead and add healthy extras. Getting moderate exercise on a regular basis helps keep your cholesterol at healthy levels. Keep In mind that some people have high cholesterol due to genetics, and even a low-cholesterol diet might not be enough to maintain a healthy cholesterol level. In these situations, it's necessary to take cholesterol-lowering medication.