Healthiest fast-food breakfasts: 10 good picks
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Choose wisely
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1. Spinach florentine breakfast wrap (Cosi)
Calories 334; Fat 21 g (sat 8 g); Protein 24 g; Carbohydrate 21 g; Fiber 11 g; Sodium 516 mg
Room for improvement: The fat content is on the high side (since the wrap is made with eggs), so eat low-fat fare throughout the day - or split this hearty pick with a friend.
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2. Protein artisan snack plate (Starbucks)
Calories 370; Fat 19 g (sat 6 g); Protein 13 g; Carbohydrate 36 g; Fiber 4 g; Sodium 470 mg
Room for improvement: Along with all that protein and fiber, you get 19 g of fat. Tip: Eat half of either the honey peanut butter spread or the cheese.
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3. Berry topper ideal meal (Jamba Juice)
Calories 300; Fat 4.5 g (sat 0.5 g); Protein 9 g; Carbohydrate 59 g; Fiber 7 g; Sodium 85 mg (for 12 ounces)
Room for improvement: Stick to the small (12-ounce) size - larger serving sizes load on the calories.
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4. Apple cinnamon oatmeal (Au Bon Pain)
Calories 280; Fat 4 g (sat 1 g); Protein 8 g; Carbohydrate 56 g; Fiber 7 g; Sodium 10 mg
Room for improvement: The protein content is a bit low: Make it more filling by eating a few nuts or yogurt on the side.
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5. Scrambled egg whites, chicken sausage, and fruit (Denny's)
Calories 230; Fat 9 g (sat 0 g); Protein 19 g; Carbohydrate 19 g; Fiber 3 g; Sodium 447mg
Room for improvement: Order a piece of whole-grain toast (without butter or margarine) to increase the fiber factor, adding about 100 more calories.
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6. Fruit & maple oatmeal (McDonald's)
Calories 260; Fat 4.5 g (sat 1.5 g); Protein 7 g; Carbohydrate 48 g; Fiber 5 g; Sodium 115 mg (for oatmeal without brown sugar)
Room for improvement: Watching calories? Order it without the brown sugar to save 30 calories.
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7. Simple & fit veggie omelette (IHOP)
Calories 320; Fat 10 g (sat 1 g); Protein 21 g; Carbohydrate 40 g; Fiber 8 g; Sodium 420 mg
Room for improvement: This omelette is made with "egg substitute" (which contains mostly egg whites); if you prefer the real thing, ask your server to substitute egg whites instead.
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8. Western egg white & cheese muffin melt (Subway)
Calories 160; Fat 4 g (sat 1.5 g); Protein 15 g; Carbohydrate 19 g; Fiber 5 g; Sodium 680 mg
Room for improvement: This pick didn't show up higher on our list because the sodium count is high.
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9. Egg white turkey sausage wake-up wrap (Dunkin' Donuts)
Calories 150; Fat 5 g (sat 2.5 g); Protein 11 g; Carbohydrate 14 g; Fiber 1 g; Sodium 400 mg
Room for improvement: This pick tastes rich, but it's small, so it may not keep you full for as long as the egg options higher on our list, Largeman-Roth explains. It's also low in filling fiber, so pair it with a piece of fruit for more fuel.
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10. Breakfast power sandwich (Panera Bread)
Calories 330; Fat 14 g (sat 6 g); Protein 22 g; Carbohydrate 31 g; Fiber 4 g; Sodium 830 mg.
Room for improvement: "This sandwich has a lot of sodium," Largeman-Roth notes. But you can slash 300 mg simply by ordering it without the smoked ham.
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Best quick at-home picks
This blend of crispy flakes and clusters give you almost a full day's serving of whole grains in one bowl-impressive, Dr. Gerbstadt says. Also exceptional: One serving has as much protein as a large egg.
Calories 210; Fat 1.5 g; Protein 6 g; Carbohydrate 49 g; Fiber 5 g; Sodium 180 mg (for a 1 1/4-cup serving)
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Best quick at-home picks
"I'm so thrilled that there's now an organic 2% Greek yogurt," Largeman-Roth says. "Low-fat yogurt is more satisfying than fat-free varieties, and the fat will also help you better absorb the fat-soluble vitamin D." Eat it solo or mix with 1/4 cup of granola and a small, sliced banana for a heartier meal.
Calories 180; Fat 3.5 g (sat 2 g); Protein 10 g; Carbohydrate 27 g; Fiber 0 g; Sodium 160 mg (for 6-ounce cherry flavor)
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Best quick at-home picks
"I love the 9 grams of fiber for just 160 calories," Miller says. Raise the protein in a waffle breakfast by smearing them with a tablespoon of peanut butter instead of sugary syrup.
Calories 160; Fat 6 g (sat 1.5 g); Protein 3 g; Carbohydrate 29 g; Fiber 9 g; Sodium 390 mg (for 2 waffles)
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Fast-food breakfasts to skip
Scrambled eggs, crispy hash browns, sausage, biscuit, and three pancakes with syrup (Burger King)
Calories 1,310; Fat 72 g (sat 26 g, trans 1 g); Sodium 2,490 mg Yes, you read that right: 1,310 calories and 72 grams of fat.
Double Chocolate Chunk Muffin (Au Bon Pain)
Calories 620; Fat 25 g (sat 8 g); Sodium 540 mg
This muffin has more calories than two Egg McMuffins.
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