The healthiest food options at UK drive-thrus have been revealed – giving calorie-conscious motorists the option to refuel on the road without ruining their diets.
Hungry drivers are often caught out with perilous pit stops that involve scoffing down thousands of extra calories due to convenience or feeling sluggish after hours behind the wheel.
But experts at award-winning leasing broker Select Car Leasing have devoured the nutritional data to discover some of the most waistline-friendly meals at the UK’s nine main drive-thru destinations – and some will definitely surprise you.
With the recommended average daily intake for women being 2,000 calories, and men 2,500, it’s easy to go over these levels in one sitting.
But with more and more people taking their health and wellbeing seriously – carefully tracking calorie intake and levels of macro nutrients in their menu choices – the demand for lighter and healthier eating options is growing.
Graham Conway, managing director of Select Car Leasing, said: “Food choices during journeys have come a long way since greasy spoons and sausage rolls were the only options 40 years ago.
“But it’s fair to say there are still plenty of choices out there that might send diet plans swerving off course.
“Enjoying a fast food treat once in a while is not going to do you any harm, but it’s having the opportunity to select something more nutritious that’s important.”
Select Car Leasing looked at potential main menu items, side, drink and dessert combos, and found one as low as 254 calories.
But what’s even more surprising is you can order items such as a hamburger or chicken nuggets, and still end up below 350 calories if you make other smart choices.
Calorie-conscious
Greggs tops the table with just 254 calories for a full four-course selection – tomato soup, side salad, peppermint tea and a fruit pot.
KFC comes in second at 256, thanks to its side salad, peppermint tea and a Yoyo Bear sweet clocking in at a mere 58 calories, alongside a small portion of popcorn chicken.
Wendy’s and McDonald’s both sit under 315 calories.
The Golden Arches’ combination of a hamburger, cucumber sticks, water and apple slices totals just 313.
Wendy’s manages 309 – four-piece spicy nuggets, apple bites and Coke Zero – while still getting a Jr Chocolate Frosty dessert in there.
Taco Bell and Starbucks both land under 390, with Taco Bell’s black bean crunchy taco proving that fast food can accommodate a plant-based, calorie-conscious approach.
Meanwhile, the Seattle coffee giant offers protein-rich egg white bites with cheese and red pepper that will have the gym fraternity interested at just 162 calories.
Subway is seventh on the list and offers a simple ham salad at only 89 calories. Its baked beans snack pot (109) is another healthy option.
Costa’s selection is higher but you can still eat four courses for under 500 calories – cheese sandwiches, cheese bites, a mint tea and apple slices clocking in at 484.
Only Burger King strays above the 500 mark, its lowest-calorie collective coming in at a combined 615 calories.
But when you bear in mind that it involves a hamburger, six onion rings and a vanilla sundae, it’s still fairly impressive.
Conway said: “Eight of the nine drive-thru brands we looked at dished up a meal, drink and dessert combo for under 500 calories, with six below the 400 mark.
“It just shows that if you want to grab a bite to eat during a journey while keeping your diet in check, there are options out there to achieve this.”
