For a quick breakfast, you may consider stopping at a drive-thru as you head out to start your day. Many fast-food restaurants offer a breakfast menu, but not all are created equally. You’ll find plenty of fried items, treats loaded with sugar, and coffee drinks that pack more calories than an entire meal! With options like these, it can be tough to navigate a breakfast menu with weight loss in mind. The good news is that there are plenty of McDonald’s breakfast orders for weight loss that will help you work toward your goals.
When ordering McDonald’s breakfast, there are a few tips to keep in mind. First, check out the calories. This is a perk of chain restaurants, and you’ll find the calorie count available for every food and drink item. This can help you separate the better items on the menu and provide you with the information you need to make modifications to better suit your goals. Next, limit added sugar. Coffee drinks especially are notorious for containing empty calories, but the McGriddle sandwiches here also contain upwards of 10 grams. Lastly, pack your own produce. Adding a piece of fruit from home can incorporate fiber into your breakfast, helping it to be a more filling meal.
To simplify your next morning drive-thru experience, here are the 10 best McDonald’s breakfast orders for weight loss. Take a look at the suggestions to create a balanced meal, along with the additions and modifications you can make to turn a fast-food breakfast into a healthier option. Keep reading to learn more, and when you’re done, don’t miss the 7 Best Ways To Burn 500 Calories, According To Personal Trainers.
Egg McMuffin
The Egg McMuffin may be one of the most well-known breakfast items at McDonald’s, and for good reason. With 17 grams of protein and only 310 calories, you have a well-balanced meal that meets the energy budget of many individuals. This sandwich also provides 2 grams of fiber, helping to promote satiety. Add a side of Greek yogurt from home for an easy protein boost, and top it with some fruit for a serving of produce.
Sausage Burrito
The Sausage Burrito comes in at only 310 calories. You’ll get 13 grams of protein and 1 gram of fiber in this breakfast option. Although lower in protein and fiber compared to the Egg McMuffin, this burrito has a healthier profile of fat, calories, and sugar compared to many other McDonald’s menu items. Pair your burrito with yogurt and fruit for a heartier meal, or dip it in mashed avocado from home for a serving of produce and a fiber boost.
Fruit & Maple Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a great source of fiber, and this Fruit & Maple Oatmeal from McDonald’s packs 4 grams per serving. Unfortunately, it also contains 18 grams of added sugar, but you can reduce this by several grams by skipping the dried fruit. This will also bring down the calories to 250 without cutting fiber. This breakfast option is on the low end for protein, so add some nuts or nut butter from home for a boost of healthy fats and protein that will make this a more filling, well-balanced meal.
Sausage McMuffin
Sausage is a fattier source of protein, although the portion on this Sausage McMuffin helps keep calories reasonable. A 400-calorie sandwich makes for a decent breakfast, and with a single modification, you’ll have room to add some fruit from home for an even healthier meal. Skipping the cheese will save you 50 calories and several grams of fat. It will also reduce protein a bit, but that’s a healthy trade for less saturated fat. Pair this breakfast sandwich with a banana and nut butter to incorporate fiber, protein, and healthy fats for a meal that’s under 500 calories.
Sausage McMuffin with Egg
The egg in the Sausage McMuffin with Egg option brings your calorie count up to 480, but also contributes several grams of protein. To make this a healthier option, you should still consider skipping the cheese, and instead use those calories for a healthier side. There are only 2 grams of fiber in this sandwich, so adding a serving of fruit or a few avocado slices on top goes a long way in making this a more filling meal. You can also ask them to skip the clarified and salted butter to save 20 calories and a couple of grams of fat without changing to flavor of the sandwich too much.
Latte
Although coffee doesn’t constitute a full meal, a latte that includes milk contributes several essential nutrients. In fact, the small latte at McDonald’s provides 7 grams of protein. Bump that to a medium, and you’ll get 10 grams of this filling nutrient. If you prefer to eat light in the morning, a latte is a good compromise between skipping a meal and getting some important nutrients to start your day. To turn your coffee drink into a full meal, simply add an apple or banana with nut butter on the side for a boost of carb, fiber, fat, and protein. In addition, consider asking for nonfat milk to maintain protein in your drink with far fewer grams of fat.
Cappuccino
Just like the latte, the milk in a cappuccino creates a decent source of calories to start your day. The medium option will get you 9 grams of protein, and swapping the whole milk for non-fat will save you about 30 calories. Pair your cappuccino with yogurt, fruit, and nuts from home, or the simple fruit and nut butter option previously suggested. The small cappuccino with nonfat milk will come in at under 100 calories, allowing it to be paired with the sausage burrito for a breakfast that’s around 400 calories.
Premium Roast Coffee
McDonald’s Premium Roast Coffee can be added to any breakfast on this list for as few as 5 calories. Black coffee is a source of antioxidants and is a reasonable addition to your meal. However, to make it work for your weight loss goals, make sure to skip the added sugar, and use minimal added cream. These are sources of empty calories that won’t contribute to your feeling of fullness. One serving of cream will add about 20 calories to your drink and only 1.5 grams of fat, making this a dietitian-approved coffee drink.
Hotcakes and Sausage
Although the Hotcakes and Sausage are 770 calories when ordered as is, two modifications will drastically cut the calories and grams of sugar in this meal. Skipping just the syrup saves 180 calories, and foregoing the butter can save another 70. This brings your meal to around 520 calories. While this may be too much for some, it could work well for others. To further bring down calories, have only two of the pancakes. Share the other one, or dip it in Greek yogurt for a balanced snack later in the day.
Egg McMuffin Meal
The McDonald’s breakfast meals can get high in calories pretty fast, but the Egg McMuffin Meal only comes in at 455 calories. This helps support your weight loss goals while providing a hearty breakfast. Your meal comes with an egg McMuffin, a small coffee, and hash browns. You’ll get 4 grams of fiber and 19 grams of protein in this meal, making for a filling breakfast. Have only half the hashbrown to save 70 calories without taking away much fiber or protein.
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Melissa Rifkin, MS, RDN, CDN