Best Fast Food Restaurants for Vegetarians

For meat eaters, fast food restaurants are a dime a dozen. Meat eaters can go to any burger joint and grab something for lunch and get on with their day. But what about vegetarians? They'd like to have a quick meal on the go as much as the next guy. So is there anything other than French fries for a vegetarian to eat at a fast food restaurant?

The answer to that question is "yes." Most meat eaters mistakenly believe that the diet of a vegetarian is limited to tofu and sprouts and that they can only eat out at specialty health food restaurants. However, there are several fast food chains that are adding to their non-meat selections to accommodate the growing population of health conscious individuals.

1) Burger King

Burger King is number one on my list because it is the only fast food restaurant to offer a veggie burger on its menu. The burger is only 260 calories and 6 grams of fat. It's really good and comes with lettuce, tomato, ketchup, and mayonnaise, and costs around $2. Finally, vegetarians have something healthy to eat in a hurry.

2) Subway

Subway is a great option for vegetarians. The Veggie Delight sub is not only delicious; it's healthy -230 calories and 3 grams of fat. The sub rolls at Subway are usually fresh and there is a large assortment of vegetables to choose from. If you eat cheese, Subway also has several varieties to add to your sandwich, and if subs are not to your liking, then you can have the Veggie Delight as a wrap or a salad.

3) Wendy's

Wendy's has several vegetarian items on its menu. The sour cream and chives baked potato only has 320 calories and 4 grams of fat and is quite satisfying if you are in a hurry. Wendy's also offers patrons a garden side salad and a Caesar side salad. If you're in the mood for chocolate, a Junior Frosty is a mere 160 calories and 4 grams of fat.

4) Taco Bell

Taco Bell might be a surprise to some vegetarians, but there are a few ways to make the food meat free even though it doesn't normally come that way. Ask for a regular taco with no meat on it and you will have a healthy vegetarian snack. Bean burritos are another option with or without cheese and the seasoned rice is also vegetarian friendly. Just a warning-the sour cream contains gelatin.

5) McDonald's

McDonald's comes in last on my list because they still don't offer a veggie burger. However, McDonald's does have a nice garden salad, and an Asian salad and a Southwest salad that can be made without chicken. I also like their sundaes because they're made with low-fat ice cream.