12 Best & Worst Taco Bell Breakfast Orders, According To Dietitians
If you are looking for a quick breakfast fix, Taco Bell is a popular fast-food option. Not only are they known for their tacos, burritos, and specialty items, but they also offer a decent breakfast menu. On the mornings you're looking for variety or your pantry's looking a bit sparse, a detour to Taco Bell may be in order. But before you hop in line at the drive-thru, know this: not all breakfast offerings are created equal. Sure, they're all bursting with flavor, but you may want to take a longer look at the Taco Bell breakfast menu if you are looking for a healthy fast-food breakfast option.
When choosing a healthier breakfast at Taco Bell, there are a few factors to keep in mind. First, limit the fried items, like hash browns and donuts, in your order. They might be tempting, but they're loaded with fat and calories. Next, skip the combos. An entrée with a side and calorie-containing drink can make for a meal loaded with sugar, salt, and fat. Instead, stick to ordering just the entrée, and if you're still hungry, pair it with some fruit from home. And remember you can customize your items. Request less cheese, skip the high-calorie sauces, and trim down on fatty meats to make for a healthier meal without compromising flavor.
If you're feeling a tad overwhelmed by the options, fear not! We've got you covered with the six best and six worst Taco Bell breakfast choices, according to dietitians. For more on what to order at this popular fast-food chain, don't miss 8 Best&Worst Tacos at Taco Bell, According to a Dietitian.
The 6 Healthiest Orders on Taco Bell's Breakfast Menu
1. Best: Cheesy Toasted Breakfast Burrito Potato
Nutrition (Per order): 340 calories, 14 g fat (3.5 g saturated fat), 770 mg sodium, 44 g carbs (3 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 9 g protein
This simple breakfast burrito is made with eggs, potato, nacho cheese, and tomatoes. The calorie count makes for a reasonable meal and it has decent fiber to start your day. The downside to this option has a relatively low protein count. With only 9 grams, it provides less protein than you should have in a meal. To improve this, ask for an extra egg and skip the nacho cheese. This will keep your calorie count about the same while boosting protein.
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2. Best: Cheesy Toasted Breakfast Burrito Sausage
Nutrition (Per order): 350 calories, 17 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 770 mg sodium, 38 g carbs (2 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 10 g protein
Here's another burrito option for meat lovers seeking a hearty breakfast. However, despite the inclusion of sausage, it falls a bit short on the protein front. To beef up the satisfaction factor, consider forgoing the nacho cheese and adding an extra egg. Toss in some tomatoes for a modest nutrient boost, and if you have calories to spare, add guacamole for some healthy fats.
3. Best: Cheesy Toasted Breakfast Burrito Bacon
Nutrition (Per order): 350 calories, 16 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 880 mg sodium, 38 g carbs (2 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 13 g protein
With a solid 13 grams of protein, this is the highest protein burrito option under 400 calories. Do note, however, that it does boast a slightly higher sodium content compared to other egg burritos. So, when planning your day's meals, factor in this sodium intake and balance it out with lower sodium choices later on.
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4. Best: Breakfast Quesadilla Steak
Nutrition (Per order): 510 calories, 25 g fat (14 g saturated fat), 1310 mg sodium, 41 g carbs (3 g fiber, 4 g sugar), 28 g protein
Although this breakfast quesadilla has a high fat and saturated fat count, it provides 3 grams of fiber and is packed with 28 grams of protein. This will make for a filling meal, and asking them to go "easy" on the cheese will save you 100 calories and several grams of fat and saturated fat. Add fruit from home to create a balanced meal.
5. Best: Grande Toasted Breakfast Burrito Steak
Nutrition (Per order): 570 calories, 28 g fat (10 g saturated fat), 1370 mg sodium, 52 g carbs (4 g fiber, 4 g sugar), 27 g protein
Although 570 calories may be higher than some need in a single meal, easy modifications can bring this burrito under 500 calories. Luckily, it has good protein and fiber content to start with, allowing it to make the "best" list. To reduce fat in this meal, ask for "easy" cheese and steak. This will slightly reduce protein but will bring your meal under 500 calories without reducing fiber.
6. Best: Breakfast Quesadilla Bacon
Nutrition (Per order): 510 calories, 27 g fat (14 g saturated fat), 1250 mg sodium, 41 g carbs (3 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 25 g protein
The breakfast quesadillas are high in fat because of the cheese content, but they are still better than many other items on the Taco Bell breakfast menu. To improve this order, skip the bacon. This will save you about 60 calories and several grams of fat and saturated fat. You'll be left with plenty of cheese and egg to allow for a filling meal. Add tomatoes for some extra nutrients or pack fruit from home to round out your meal.
The 6 Unhealthiest Orders on Taco Bell's Breakfast Menu
1. Worst: Cinnabon Delights® 12 Pack
Nutrition (Per order): 1010 calories, 68 g fat (22 g saturated fat), 430 mg sodium, 88 g carbs (5 g fiber, 52 g sugar), 11 g protein
These bite-size treats may be small, but they pack a shocking number of calories and sugar grams. This single order provides more sugar than you should have in an entire day! If you can just have one and share the rest, these can be part of a reasonable breakfast. However, if they are tempting to overeat, skip ordering them all together.
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2. Worst: Breakfast Crunchwrap Sausage
Nutrition (Per order): 750 calories, 49 g fat (16 g saturated fat), 1220 mg sodium, 53 g carbs (4 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 21 g protein
Although this option provides plenty of protein for a meal, it also packs a high fat content. Skipping the sausage patty or going easy on the cheese will cut quite a bit of fat. You could also skip the hashbrowns to save 160 calories. If you aren't up for those modifications, you are better off skipping this breakfast item.
3. Worst: Breakfast Crunchwrap Bacon
Nutrition (Per order): 670 calories, 40 g fat (13 g saturated fat), 1300 mg sodium, 52 g carbs (4 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 21 g protein
Although this Crunchwrap provides 80 fewer calories than the sausage variety, it still has high calorie, fat, and saturated fat counts. Skipping the creamy jalapeno sauce and hash browns will save you over 200 calories and numerous fat grams. With those modifications, you are pretty much left with a bacon breakfast quesadilla, so you are better off going with that order to start with.
4. Worst: Cinnabon® Delights™ Coffee-Iced
Nutrition (Per order): 160 calories, 2 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat), 85 mg sodium, 34 g carbs (0 g fiber, 22 g sugar), 1 g protein
Both of the Cinnabon coffee drinks on the breakfast menu are items you are better off skipping. This iced coffee packs 22 grams of added sugar and can turn a reasonable breakfast into one loaded with empty calories. If you are craving iced coffee, go with the regular option with creamer that provides only 45 calories and 7 grams of sugar.
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5. Worst: Breakfast California Crunchwrap
Nutrition (Per order): 630 calories, 37 g fat (12 g saturated fat), 1340 mg sodium, 53 g carbs (5 g fiber, 3 g sugar), 21 g protein
Although a healthier option than the other Crunchwraps on the menu, this meatless variety still packs a high calorie count. It is also one of the highest sodium items on the breakfast menu. Skipping the hashbrown makes this a much more reasonable breakfast and allows it to keep a good protein content and healthy fats from the avocado. With these modifications, you've got a good breakfast option.
6. Worst: Hash Brown
Nutrition (Per order): 160 calories, 11 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 280 mg sodium, 14 g carbs (1 g fiber, 0 g sugar), 1 g protein
The hash brown may be made from a vegetable, but don't let that convince you that it's a healthy option. With only 1 gram of fiber and the majority of its calories coming from fat in the frying oil, this side order is a source of empty calories and doesn't add much nutritional value to your meal. If you are craving potatoes, choose the breakfast burrito that includes potatoes for a fraction of the calories and fat grams.
