Healthy McDonald’s Breakfast: 3 Best Dietitian-Approved Items

Fruit and Maple Oatmeal

Selected by Harris-Pincus since it’s “the only item with fruit,” this oatmeal cup covers two of your daily servings of whole grains and clocks in at a very reasonable 150 milligrams of sodium.

“When choosing breakfast items, I would consider four things: fiber, protein, carbohydrates and fat,” Bremer says. “If the oatmeal looks good to you, add some nuts or milk and fruit on the side for a satisfying and nutritious breakfast.”

Since this item only offers 6 grams of protein, consider reaching for a hard-boiled egg or carton of Greek yogurt when you reach your final destination to ensure this day-starter has some staying power. Or tote along a single-serving pack of nuts to stir into your oats.

Egg McMuffin

“The old standby Egg McMuffin is probably the most balanced choice of all. The biscuit sandwiches have nearly double the saturated fat and sodium,” Harris-Pincus says.

The Egg McMuffin with Canadian bacon and cheese will stoke you with 17 g of protein per 310-calorie sandwich. Just be sure to keep tabs on your sodium and saturated fat intake for the rest of the day, and aim to prioritize fruits and veggies in the rest of your meals and snacks to fill in the fiber gap.

“The McMuffin offers more protein than the oatmeal bowl option—and contains nearly 17 g less added sugar—so I feel more satiated with the meal and don’t experience the spike then crash in my blood sugars as I would with eating the oatmeal or any of the bakery options,” Shaw says.

Shaw recommends asking for no butter and cheese to slash a bit of saturated fat and sodium.

Sausage Burrito

This compact breakfast option that you can enjoy on the go delivers a savory mix of scrambled eggs, sausage, cheese and peppers, all wrapped in a soft tortilla. It’s a hearty choice for those looking for a protein boost, with 13 g of protein per burrito.

However, with 800 mg of sodium and 7 g of saturated fat, it’s important to balance this with lighter, nutrient-dense meals throughout the day. Consider pairing the burrito with a side of fresh fruit or yogurt for added fiber and vitamins. To cut back on sodium and fat, you can also request the burrito without cheese.

Optional Sides

“Would you like fries with that?” Not this time, but depending on your macronutrient and calorie needs, we recommend adding a smart side to any or all of the above to check a few more nutrition boxes. Shaw swears by the side of the kids’ sliced apples (the staff won’t know the consumer is over age 12!) and the skim-milk latte, when available, she says, “to add 7 more grams of protein to my breakfast meal. At just 100 calories or so, it also gives me my caffeine fix. Order it with the skim-milk modification, since it usually comes with whole milk, if you’re trying to keep your saturated fat intake to a minimum,” she suggests.

How to Choose a Healthy Breakfast

One meal will not make or break you when it comes to your health, the dietitians we spoke to agree. Balance, moderation and what you do over time—not just one time here and there—is what influences your overall health outcomes.

There’s no one right answer for what the “best” healthy fast-food breakfast is for all, as “food and nutrition are so nuanced, and different items are great depending on what the rest of your day looks like. If you know that you’ll be sitting at work all day, then I would really focus on protein and fiber (like eggs, toast and fruit). If you plan on going on a run after breakfast, focus on quick carbohydrates (like pancakes or oatmeal with fruit),” says Bremer.

We propose using the advice below to help you find a savvy day-starter at McDonald’s, any other fast-food establishment or even at home. As you savor what you selected, don’t forget to listen to your body’s cues, Bremer adds.

“How do you feel when you eat fast food? Is there a quantity of fast food during a meal that feels good in your body? Is there an amount that makes your stomach hurt? Our bodies are so smart! Check in with your cues to see how you feel,” she explains.

What to Look For

Every body is different, but ideally, a fast-food breakfast should meet these criteria; Shaw and Harris-Pincus agree:

• Calories: Aim for 400 to 700, depending on your individual needs.
• Protein: Shoot for 15 to 20 g, if possible.
• Fiber: 5 to 8 g is a good goal.

These are the building blocks of a breakfast meal that should keep you full for at least a few hours and won’t leave you behind on your overall fiber and protein goals for the day if you consume two more meals and a snack or two.

What to Limit

When possible, Harris-Pincus advises aiming to limit added sugars, sodium and saturated fat intake to one-third or less of the daily recommended amounts. This means that your best McDonald’s breakfast options would have:

• Added sugars: Less than 8 g of added sugar (for females) and less than 12 g of added sugar (for males)
• Sodium: Less than 800 mg
• Saturated fat: Less than 7 g as part of a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet

Limiting processed meats like bacon, sausage and ham should help keep these factors in check—and may also lower your risk for certain chronic diseases, such as dementia.

Our Expert Take

A home-cooked breakfast, like one of these make-ahead breakfasts for busy weeks, is our recommendation on the regular. But no need to sweat if you’re short on time or on the road and need sustenance at a fair price. The McDonald’s breakfast menu has a few dietitian-approved options that are tasty, easy and “can certainly provide you the fuel you need to fill your tank for a long day ahead,” Shaw says.

Nearly all fast-food breakfasts usually lack dietary fiber, though, and they tend to be higher in saturated fat, sodium and added sugars than nearly all homemade breakfast ideas.

If you’re in need of a low-fuss option that’s even more affordable than fast food yet requires next-to-no prep, Shaw wants to remind you of the convenience and nutrient density of a bowl of cereal and milk.

“Not only is this combo meal less than 50 cents per serving, making it highly affordable, depending on the brand and type of milk you choose, but it also contains nutrients you may not be eating enough of, like vitamin D, calcium and fiber,” Shaw says.