The pandemic has proven that the age-old concept of drive-thru is not only practical, but sometimes necessary. However … unless you want a stacked high beef burger or a crispy chicken sandwich with something fried on the side (like McDonald’s fries), the idea of grabbing fast food might still make you think twice. Fortunately (finally!) At least five major chains have been making great strides since this week introducing menu items that won’t fill you with fat, calories, and remorse.
Some of the largest fast food chains in the world are introducing exciting alternatives to their traditional burger menus. Because cutting red meat greatly reduces the amount of saturated fat you eat and can improve your overall health, menu options like the ones on our list can aid weight loss efforts and help you feel healthier in general.
Check out the top five new fast food items for your waistline and check out The # 1 Worst Burrito to Order at Chipotle. Also sign up for the Eat This, Not That! Newsletter for the food news to keep you up to date.
Courtesy Taco Bell
Taco Bell set out to test some vegetarian products. His new pea protein-based vegetarian chalupa is only available at a Taco Bell in Irvine, California. But a long-term foray by Taco Bell toward plant-based would give us options beyond the high-fat vegetarian options they currently offer … and that would probably inspire more of us to “push the envelope” more often. Read more about the vegan chalupa from Taco Bell here.
Courtesy of Dunkin ‘
This week, Dunkin ‘unveiled its official new summer coffee beverages. For nutritional values, the electric brewing with cream was the winner, but the list (hello, smoked vanilla) is well worth browsing here.
Just like Bethenny Frankel said when she recently introduced Skinnygirl Pizza, California Pizza Kitchen knows we crave modern options for the classic wheat flour pizza crust. Enter CPK’s new chickpea pizza crust, which “is made from chickpeas, chia seeds and a touch of honey and creates a pizza base with fewer carbohydrates, more protein and fiber, gluten-free and vegetarian-friendly”. (Noteworthy: A test order on the CPK website provides a warning that “this is not a validated gluten-free pizza.”)
California Pizza Kitchen’s chickpea crust is currently available as the base for any CPK pizza, but only in Southern California and Florida. This bold menu change made CPK the first national pizza chain to introduce a chickpea crust – we just hope this will soon be offered in more CPK locations.
When in any other part of the country there is an amazing summer pizza trend that you can easily try at home: meet salad pizza.
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Wendy’s has been doing some serious innovation lately, like their new serverless strategy for some regions. They announced this week that they are getting started on a plant-based basis while clearly moving away from the “meat alternatives” products that other fast food chains have embraced for meatless burgers. (Although we’re fans of these burgers too!)
Wendy’s new black bean burger will be available in Columbus, Ohio, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Florida starting June 28, Delish reports. They also describe the patty as “made from a mixture of black beans, chickpeas, and spices,” which comes in the typical square shape Wendy’s burgers are known for. They continue: “It comes with chipotle jalapeños for texture, melting pepper, hot chipotle sauce, tomatoes, sweet onion slices, and romaine lettuce in a toasted bun. The sandwich is supposed to be a little less spicy than Wendy’s spicy nuggets or spicy chicken sandwiches. “Juhu for modern menu movements, if you’re someone who likes a little kick.
RELATED: Replacing Red Meat For This Food Can Make Your Life Long, Says A New Study
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The famous Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4th is just around the corner. While their new meatless hot dogs are unlikely to be on the competition’s menu, select Nathan’s locations have started offering this new vegan hot dog.
Hungry for more? Check out the No. 1 healthiest order at McDonald’s, according to a nutritionist, and read on:
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