500 calories is a common target for a lighter meal: it is a quarter of a 2,000-calorie day, and about what you get if you split 1,600 to 1,800 calories over three meals and a snack. Here is how to hit it at a fast food restaurant without going hungry.
The best 500-calorie meal at each chain
For every chain, we tried each meal-sized main on its own and with each side, kept the combinations at 500 calories or less, and picked the one with the most protein. Drinks are left out, so have water, unsweetened tea, black coffee or a diet soda. Chipotle is left out because its meals are built from ingredients; use the Chipotle calculator for that.
Each “Open in calculator” link loads the meal so you can swap the side or add a sauce and see the new total.
Four rules that make it easy
- Pick the protein first. A grilled chicken item, a smaller burger or nuggets give you the most to work with.
- Choose the smallest side, or none. Fries are the biggest swing: at McDonald’s a small is 230 calories and a large 480.
- Count the sauce. Creamy sauces and dressings can add 100 calories or more per cup.
- Drink zero-calorie. A medium Coca-Cola at McDonald’s is 270 calories, more than half of this whole meal.
Need a different number?
Find your own daily calories with the calculator in How Many Calories Should You Eat in a Day?, then use What Should I Order? to build orders for any calorie and protein target, or the Day Planner to plan a whole day.
Sources
- Menu figures: each restaurant’s official U.S. nutrition information, as linked on the methodology page.