In an ideal world, you’re prepping healthy meals daily. Prepping your own meals allows you to know exactly what going into your food and reach your goals.
But, what happens when life often throws you a curve ball and you get extra busy one day or you simply refuse to get past the idea that you hate cooking?
In a city abundant with restaurants, it can sometimes be overwhelming deciding where to eat that won’t set you back on reaching your goals until you can get back in the kitchen. Luckily, there are some great restaurants offering high quality, sustainable food that you can support.
I’ve scoped out Toronto’s healthiest fast food restaurants so you can still eat clean in a hurry.
Where: King St E and Adelaide St W.
What I love about them: They ensure that all their ingredients (fresh, local and organic) be high quality, by working closely with their farmers and suppliers. Their team includes chefs, nutritionists, and fitness experts, so that each item on their menu is nutrient dense and tastes great too.
They also offer gluten free, paleo and vegan options.
My fave dish: Grab yourself a Power Bowl or Slow Cooked Stew. Yum!
Where: 3 locations in the downtown core and 1 in Yorkville
What I love about them: They promote organic and fresh foods and sustainably sourced fish delivered daily. What’s not to like!
My fave dish: The mindful salad bowl is awesome!
Where: 7 locations to serve you (downtown and uptown)
What I love about them: They have an emphasis on cooking what’s in season and local, as well as quality and organic ingredients. They also focus on nutrient density rather than empty calories and they offer options for omnivores and strict plant eaters alike.
My fave dish: Their Bowls! Hard to pick just one, cause they’re all so yummy! Their bowls change according to season and you can also modify ingredients according to your goals; opt for no cheese if you’re skipping the dairy, double the protein if you’re trying to build muscle, or skip out on the grains if you’re trying to go low carb.
Where: Dupont St. The Annex. You can also order online and find their prepared meals at lots of supermarkets around the city.
What I love about them: They are all about plants and are committed to sustainable organic farming. The entire menu is wheat free and gluten free, gmo free, with no refined sugars.
My fave dish: The raw soft shell taco is pretty amazing. But it’s a really hard choice choosing!
Where: 5 locations around TO, including downtown and uptown
What I love about them: Love the focus on fresh nourishing plant based ingredients.
They also have quite a varied menu, offering fresh juices, smoothies, salads and mains.
While this restaurant is vegan and may not appeal to the omnivore type, it is a much better option that most fast food restaurants out there. Hec it won’t kill you to get some extra veggies in you 🙂
My fave dish: Their salads are amazing, my personal favourite is the tangles thai. As someone who stays away from soy, I opt for nuts, seeds and legumes as my protein choices.
Where: 5 locations in the downtown area
What I love about them: They believe in sustainable farming is the best way to help not only our environment, but also the local farming industry. So they only source chicken that is raised hormone free and in a stress free environment.
My fave dish: Since their menu centres around rotisserie chicken with a side of greens you really can’t go wrong.
Where: 6 locations in the downtown core
What I love about them: Their focus on loads of organic veggies!
Like many vegan restaurants, many of their dishes contain tofu, but if you’re soy free like me, you can opt for sprouted beans and seeds as your protein source.
My fave dish: The K&K Paleo bowl is awesome, and all their lunch and dinner bowls sound great.
Where: 3 locations close to the downtown core and many others in TO
What I love about them: They believe in using vegetables grown in healthy soil and meat from animals that that are pasture raised. They’re also working to eliminate all GMO’s from their restaurant
My fave dish: Big fan of their salad bowl
Where: 6 locations in the Toronto area
What I love about them: They are committed to sustainability. Antibiotic and hormone free protein and no artificial flavours or preservatives in their food. They also use seasonal ingredients so that they can support sustainable farming practices.
My fave dish: The power bowl is a pretty great!
Where: Over 10 locations in the GTA
What I love about them: While I’m not quite sure about the quality of their products, fresh food is always a better alternative than processed foods. There are enough location of Freshii around that if you’re really stuck for a healthy salad or bowl, you’re bound to be near one of their locations.
My fave dish: A custom salad with greens, shaved beets and carrots, avocado, cucumbers, and chickpeas, or the Mediterranean Bowl with Chicken is a good and filling bowl.
There you have it. Now go on and support restaurants that are trying to keep you healthy!
Much love
Daniela Nahas
P.S if I’ve missed a healthy fast food restaurant you love, please share it with me!
Image Credit: Naomie Gagnon
