Here’s the Ultimate Ranking of Fast-Food Kids’ Meals by Calories

This might come as a shock, especially to those who still think that the worst thing for your health is having fast food for dinner, but these fast-food kids’ meals are actually perfectly healthy for your little ones. Insider “calculated the calorie counts of every possible meal combination on each kids’ menu and then averaged them” to give us this handy list that you can use the next time your kids whine that they want fast food.

The Top Three

Right at the top, we have Subway, with the healthiest kids’ combo of a three-inch sandwich, milk, and apples averaging 372 calories. Next, we Have Burger King’s chicken tenders, apple fries, and low-fat milk. They also have the healthiest breakfast food for kids, apparently. Taco Bell has a pretty good option too, with its crunchy taco, cinnamon twists, and juice at just under 400 calories.

Not the Best, Not the Worst

Surprisingly, Chick-fil-A comes in only fourth. The ranking also pointed out that their portion sizes were a lot larger yet still higher in calories. At about the same amount, KFC also clocks in at about 450 calories. It did, however, offer the most options. Wendy’s also isn’t great, with an average of 500 calories. The kid-favorite and extremely popular McDonald’s is next, with about 527 calories on average for chicken nuggets/a burger, fries/apple dippers, and whatever drink they choose. Surprising, considering how much the chain has attempted to place itself as a healthier option.

Better to Avoid

Sonic really isn’t a great option, with 740 calories for a Texas toast grilled cheese, a side, and a drink. Quizno’s might seem healthier, but it really isn’t, with an average kid’s meal going over 600 calories. But the worst, according to Insider, is Dairy Queen! The average meal there will be about 730 for a kids’ meal! That’s going to be a lot for anyone!

Keep in mind, though, that if eating at a fast-food joint isn’t an everyday occurrence for your family, it might be perfectly okay to splurge on the calories a couple of times a year. In fact, it might just be a part of a healthy relationship with food!