Fancy something sweet on the go? A drive-thru run can satisfy your sugar cravings quickly and easily. Although fast food restaurants are best known for their main dishes such as burgers, tacos and pizza, most chains offer at least a few desserts.
Of course, many fast food dessert offerings mimic their entrees in terms of high calories and large portions. If you want something lighter, avoid large shakes, large cinnamon rolls, and large ice cream sundaes. Instead, try choosing from this list of dietitian-recommended fast-food desserts that offer smaller portions and better overall nutrition.
1. McDonald’s Vanilla Soft Serve Cone
Nutrition (Per 1 cone):
Calories: 200
Fat: 5 g (Saturated fat: 3 g)
Sodium: 80 mg
Carbohydrates: 33 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 17 g)
Egg white: 5 gr
The McDonald’s Vanilla Soft Serve Cone is the original ode to dessert in the fast food world, and it’s surprisingly delicious for you! “It contains 200 calories and 17 grams of added sugar, which is less than the American Heart Association’s recommended amount of daily sugar,” says Amy Beney, MS, RDN, CDCES. “It also contains 180 mg of calcium, an important nutrient for bone health.”
RELATED: The full McDonald’s menu, listed by nutritional value
2. White Castle Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake
Nutrition (Per 1 cake):
Calories: 150
Fat: 8 g (Saturated fat: 4 g)
Sodium: 105 mg
Carbohydrates: 20 g (fiber: 0 g, sugar: 9 g)
Egg white: 2 gr
Is a cheesecake on the list of healthiest desserts? Yes! This little strawberry swirled treat at White Castle contains just 150 calories and 9 grams of sugar. The real question is whether you’ll crave it after a meal of sliders and chicken rings.
3. Chick Fil-A Icedream cup
Nutrition (Per 1 cup):
Calories: 140
Fat: 3.5 g (Saturated fat: 2.5 g)
Sodium: 90 mg
Carbohydrates: 32 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 25 g)
Egg white: 4 gr
Karolin Saweres, MS, RDN, LD, from My Nutrition&Me is a fan of Chick-fil-A’s signature Icedream cup. As far as ice cream options go, it is quite low in calories at only 140 calories. And if you want to add some extra flavor and extra nutrients to the pure vanilla, just add the fruit cup!
4. Dairy Queen Small Strawberry Sundae
Nutrition (Per 1 sundae):
Calories: 240
Fat: 7 g (Saturated fat: 4.5 g)
Sodium: 95 mg
Carbohydrates: 39 g (fiber: 0 g, sugar: 34 g)
Egg white: 6 gr
What’s the healthiest treat at the one fast food restaurant we all go to for dessert? Dairy Queen’s strawberry sundae takes the cake – er, ice cream – in this category. The small size contains only 240 calories and 7 grams of fat. It also boasts a nice protein boost of 6 grams.
5. Carl’s Jr. chocolate cookie
Nutrition (per 1 cookie):
Calories: 170
Fat: 9 g (Saturated fat: 5 g)
Sodium: 160 mg
Carbohydrates: 22 g (fiber: 1 g, sugar: 13 g)
Egg white: 1 gr
Some fast food cookies are quite large, but Carl’s Jr’s Chocolate Chip Cookie manages to keep the portions in check. At 170 calories and 13 grams of sugar per cookie, it’s a smarter choice for a small sweet treat.
6. Taco Bell Cinnamon Twists
Nutrition (per 1 portion):
Calories: 170
Fat: 6 g (Saturated fat: 0.5 g)
Sodium: 115 mg
Carbohydrates: 27 g (fiber: <1 g, sugar: 10 g)
Egg white: 1 gr
Crispy, popped corn is dusted with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar in these iconic Taco Bell twists. It is a combination that does not overload you with calories or fats. “Their 170 calories and no saturated fat fit easily into a healthy eating plan,” says Heidi McIndoo, MS, RD, from Foodie Mom RD. “Plus, a dessert with the equivalent of just 2.5 teaspoons of sugar isn’t bad.”
7. Wendy’s Jr. Chocolate Frosty
Nutrition (per 1 portion):
Calories: 174
Fat: 4.6 g (Saturated fat: 0.5 g)
Sodium: 200 mg
Carbohydrates: 28 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 23 g)
Egg white: 5.2 gr
Wendy’s has pretty much cornered the market with the cold, creamy, chocolatey fast food dessert. The Frosty has been around for more than 50 years! To this day, the junior size is a good choice for portion and calorie control.
8. McDonald’s baked apple pie
Nutrition (Per 1 cake):
Calories: 230
Fat: 11 g (Saturated fat: 6 g)
Sodium: 100 mg
Carbohydrates: 33 g (fiber: 1 g, sugar: 14 g)
Egg white: 2 gr
“McDonald’s Baked Apple Pie is a relatively healthy choice compared to many other fast food desserts,” says Wan Na Chun, MPH, RD, CPT. She notes that it has less added sugar (13 grams) than many other drive-thru options, and that the fruit-based filling may have some redeeming health benefits.
9. Starbucks Birthday Cake Pop
Nutrition (Per 1 cake pop):
Calories: 160
Fat: 8 g (Saturated fat: 4.5 g)
Sodium: 95 mg
Carbohydrates: 21 g (fiber: 0 g, sugar: 16 g)
Egg white: 2 gr
You don’t have to have a birthday to enjoy this mini dessert at Starbucks. Amid the many larger pastries and sweet drinks at the coffee shop, the birthday cake pop stands out as a more moderate choice. Choose this one for an everyday party.
RELATED: 8 Best Starbucks Menu Hacks, According to Baristas
10. Tim Hortons Greek yogurt with mixed berries and almond granola
Nutrition (per 1 parfait):
Calories: 270
Fat: 5 g (Saturated fat: 0.3 g)
Sodium: 90 mg
Carbohydrates: 40 g (fiber: 3 g, sugar: 25 g)
Egg white: 15 gr
For a sweet treat that will keep you satisfied (and won’t send your blood sugar into a tizzy), try this fruity parfait from Tim Hortons. “With 15 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber, it will help you feel full and prevent your blood sugar levels from dropping later,” says certified fertility and prenatal dietitian Elena Usdenski, RD, MScFN. “Greek yogurt is also packed with calcium to keep your bones strong, and berries are packed with antioxidants to help fight inflammation.”
RELATED: 9 Healthiest Frozen Yogurts at the Grocery Store – and 3 to Avoid
11. Chick-fil-A fruit cup
Nutrition (Per 1 cup):
Calories: 70
Fat: 0 g (Saturated fat: 0 g)
Sodium: 0 mg
Carbohydrates: 16 g (fiber: 2 g, sugar: 12 g)
Egg white: 1 gr
Fruit is a healthy dessert option, especially after a fast food meal. Saweres recommends the fruit cup at Chick-fil-A. “It is a nutritious fruit blend made with chopped pieces of red and green apples, tangerine segments, fresh strawberry slices and blueberries.” We challenge you to find another fast food dessert with this many antioxidants.
12. Jamba Juice Peach Perfection Smoothie
Nutrition (Per 1 smoothie):
Calories: 200
Fat: 0 g (Saturated fat: 0 g)
Sodium: 25 mg
Carbohydrates: 51 g (fiber: 3 g, sugar: 44 g)
Egg white: 2 gr
Stop by Jamba Juice for a cold and creamy dessert that will be a hit this summer (or anytime!). The Small Peach Perfection Smoothie combines real peaches with several other fruits and a juice blend, providing 60% of your daily vitamin A and 70% of your vitamin C. We’d say it’s just peachy.
13. Chick Fil-A Frosted Lemonade
Nutrition (Per small lemonade):
Calories: 320
Fat: 6 g (Saturated fat: 3.5 g)
Sodium: 120 mg
Carbohydrates: 65 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 63 g)
Egg white: 6 gr
At Chick-fil-A, you can wash down fried chicken (or, better yet, a healthier choice like the market salad or a grilled chicken sandwich) with a sweet frozen lemonade. “It’s the perfect creamy texture and just the right amount of flavor from the lemons,” says Courtney Vickery, MS, RD, LD.
Plus, you can shave calories and carbs if you opt for diet lemonade instead of regular. “If you choose the diet version, you will have about 70 calories less than the regular one, but the real savings is the 20 grams of carbohydrates you save! While I am not a dietitian who encourages calorie counting, I think it is important is to know carbohydrates, especially for diabetes,” says Vickery.
14. Panera Greek Yogurt with Mixed Berries
Nutrition (Per 1 parfait):
Calories: 250
Fat: 9 g (Saturated fat: 4.5 g)
Sodium: 80 mg
Carbohydrates: 29 g (fiber: 2 g, sugar: 18 g)
Egg white: 16 gr
Panera may be known for its pastries, but here you’ll find another dairy treat winner. “This parfait features fresh strawberries and blueberries, as well as granola made with whole-grain oats,” says Mandy Tyler, RD, CSSD, LD. The 16 grams of protein are also hard to beat!
RELATED: I’ve tried every new Panera salad and the best was bold and tasty
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