America's Top 5 Healthiest Fast Food Restaurants

Who hasn’t unwrapped a sandwich while driving down the highway orpulled a hard U-turn into a fast-food joint on the way home from alate meeting or soccer game? We practically live in our cars, so weneed quick food, and please, we’d like it to be healthy.
Well, guess what: We surveyed the nation’s 100 largest fast-foodchains, as defined by the number of locations, and found many arecreating menus that look more and more like what we’d cookourselves (if we had the time)—from nutritious soups and healthysalads to fresh whole grains and sensible desserts. Even better:They’re offering good-news Mexican, Asian, and Mediterraneanfare.
Using criteria that was created with the help of our expert panel, ball mill wescored the chains on such factors as the use of healthy fats andpreparations, healthy sodium counts in entrees, availability ofnutritional information, and the use of organic produce todetermine the 10 highest-ranking restaurants.
One big surprise: A traditional fast-food chain, McDonald’s,cracked our top 10. Sure, it’s the home of the Big Mac, but did youknow it also serves a mean yogurt-and-granola parfait? Here, thestandouts that are making grabbed food healthy food.
1. Panera Bread
Over 1,230 locations nationwide (and in Canada)
This bakery-cafe-based eatery wowed our judges with a comprehensivemenu of healthy choices for every meal. “Variety makes it easy foreveryone to choose healthy,” praises registered dietitian andpanelist Marisa Moore. What does that mean for you? For starters,you can pick from two whole-grain breads for your sandwich and havean apple with it instead of chips (though the chips are fine,too—they can be baked!). Half-size soups, salads, and sandwichesmake it a cinch to control portion size. Also, most of the chickenis antibiotic- and hormone-free, a rarity for large chains.
Panera also won top honors for kid fare, dishing out RD-approvedcrowd-pleasers like squeezable organic yogurt, PB&J (withall-natural peanut butter), and grilled organic cheese on whitewhole-grain bread.
We love: Delicious, nutrient-packed combos like ahalf–Turkey Artichoke on focaccia bread with a bowl of black beanor garden vegetable soup.
Danger zone: Sticky buns and cheese danishes areon display at the counter.
Health.com: The 50 fattiest foods in thestates
2. Jason’s Deli
206 locations in the West, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic,South
How did this up-and-comer snag second place? Largely because of itsdevotion to organic food: About one-fifth of all its ingredientsare organic, from blue-corn tortilla chips and whole-wheat wraps tofield greens and spinach. Plus, its creative salads—like the NuttyMixed-Up Salad with organic field greens, grapes, chicken breast,feta cheese, walnuts, dried cranberries, pumpkinseeds, raisins, andorganic apples—make you actually want to order the greens.
Our judges applauded the portion-control option:Reduced sizes of, say, a stuffed baked potato, are $1 less. Jason’smenu also highlights ultrahealthy sandwiches and provides thenutitional info.
We love: Being able to build any sandwich on anorganic whole-wheat wrap.
Danger zone: High-sodium counts on somesandwiches; if sodium is a concern, stick to the ultrahealthychoices.
3. Au BonPain
280 locations nationwide
A pioneer in healthy fast food, Au Bon Pain serves up sandwiches,soups, salads, and hot entrees made with whole grains, veggies, andhormone-free chicken.
New this year: Portions, a 14-item menu ofnutritious small plates—from appetizers like apples, blue cheese,and cranberries to salads like chickpea and tomato—all of which areless than 200 calories. Another impressivefeature: Au Bon Pain provides on-site nutritionalinformation via computer kiosks, so before you even order you knoweach option’s calories, fat, and sodium. “It’s a great way toempower customers,” praises judge Amy Jamieson-Petonic.
We love: Yummy low-cal soups, from Jamaican BlackBean to Fire Roasted Exotic Grains and Vegetables.
Danger zone: The sodium counts can get high if youdon’t pay attention.
Health.com: 25 diet-busting foods you should nevereat
4. Noodlesand Company
204 locations in West, Midwest, South
Noodles and Company isn’t your typical greasy Asian food-courtjoint. In fact, it goes beyond Asian fare and cuts out the grease(only healthy soybean oil is used in sauteing). Here, you choosefrom three food types: Asian, Mediterranean, or American, thenwithin each style, pick from four noodle bowl options. Leanproteins—hormone- and antibiotic-free chicken, beef, shrimp, andorganic tofu—can be added, too.
The result? Tasty combos like Japanese Pan Noodles with broccoli,carrots, shiitake mushrooms, Asian sprouts, and sauteed beef. Alsokey: “You don’t have to chow down on a giant bowl of noodles. Youcan opt for a small portion,” says judge Frances Largeman-Roth, RD,Health’s Senior Food and Nutrition Editor. The smallBangkok Curry bowl has just 250 calories.
We love: The whole-grain linguine—usually hard tofind when eating out.
Danger zone: The desserts. The only options aretwo kinds of cookies and a Rice Krispy Treat bar that checks in at530 calories and 19 grams of fat!
5. Corner BakeryCafe
111 locations in West, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, South
What sets Corner Bakery apart? A fantastic breakfast menu, which israre in the quick-serve world. We love the Farmer’s Scrambler: eggsscrambled with red and green bell peppers, red onion, mushrooms,potatoes, and Cheddar cheese. (It’s only 260 calories when orderedwith egg whites.) There’s also Swiss oatmeal, a chilled Europeanbreakfast cereal made with rolled oats, green apples, bananas,currants, dried cranberries, low-fat yogurt, and skim milk.
But Corner Bakery also has healthy salads, sandwiches, and soupsmade with whole grains, fresh, lean meats, and vegetables, as wellas great portion-controlled combinations that make limitingcalories a no-brainer.