McDonald’s Keto Menu 2024 | Best Keto Options Explained

Craving McDonald’s burgers and sandwiches while on a keto diet? Then, my friend, you are at the right place. With more people choosing keto diets to maintain their health, choosing what to order from McDonald’s can be tricky.

Does McDonald’s have a keto menu or any such items which can be enjoyed during a keto diet?

When it comes to McDonald’s menu items, there is no such specific item or a separate menu dedicated to those on a keto diet.

However, you can enjoy McDonald’s burgers and sandwiches by customizing them according to your calorie requirement. Simply skip the buns from burgers, and you will have low-carb burger options.

Simply remove high-calorie buns and muffins from burgers and other items, and you can cut down a big chunk of fat and carbs. You can also use McDonald’s nutrition calculator to analyze the menu item’s calories, carbs, fats, and protein.

Let’s look at all the items you can try, even when on a keto diet, with little tips and tricks. We will also go through some items which should be completely avoided if you do not want extra calories.

By the end of this conversion, you will no longer miss your McDoanld’s classic items during your keto diet.

McDonald’s Keto Options

Next time you visit McDonald’s but resist your urge to stuff your mouth with delicious burgers and sandwiches because of the keto diet, try some customisation options below.

You will be able to enjoy McDonald’s without worrying about the carbs if you know the right way to do it. So let’s get into the McDonald’s keto options.

Sausage, Egg and Cheese McGriddle (no griddle cake)	$5.59
Sausage, Egg and Cheese McMuffin (no english muffin)	$5.29
Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit (no biscuit)	$5.39
The Big Breakfast (no hash browns or biscuit, add bacon and cheese)	$6.89
Egg McMuffin (no English muffin)	$5.89
Medium Premium Roast Coffee	$2.59
iced coffee with no cream or milk	$3.49
McDoubles (no bun or sauce)	$4.29
Big Mac (no bun, no ketchup or Big Mac sauce)	$7.49
Quarter Pounder with Cheese (no bun, no ketchup)	$7.29
Double Cheeseburger (no bun, no ketchup)	$4.49
Bacon McDouble (no bun, no ketchup)	$4.99
Sausage McMuffin	$3.59
Sausage Biscuit	$2.92
Sausage Biscuit With Eggs	$5.59
Spicy Buffalo Sauce	$0.15
Creamy Ranch Sauce	$0.15
Sausage McMuffin with egg	$5.29
Unsweetened iced tea (MEDIUM)	$2.99
Diet Coke (MEDIUM)	$2.79
Bacon Egg and Cheese McGriddles	$5.59
Bacon Quarter pounder with cheese	$9.19
Sausage Burrito	2.99
Apple Slices	$2.29
Mayonnaise	$0.10
Mustard	$0.00
Americano (Medium)	$3.49
Sausage McGriddles	$4.69
3 half strips of bacon	$2.79

All McDonald’s Best Keto Options Explained

In a keto diet, one has to lower their calorie and carbs intake to maintain the daily calorie count. At McDonald’s, most calories are in the burgers or sandwiches’ buns, muffins, or biscuits. 

As they contain high calories and count, you can consider eliminating them and enjoy McDonald’s menu items even on your keto diet. You can try other items as well. Check out the list below for more options.

Less or near to zero calories items

1. Americano (Medium)

Starting with the least or zero calorie item of McDonald’s, we definitely know it’s their Americano from McCafe Menu. Made with an espresso shot and hot water, it is a great way to start your day, as it will give the right flavors and energy. 

The best thing is, obviously, there are no calories or carbs, so you can enjoy it without any doubt, even when you are on a keto diet. Skip adding sugar and get this amazing cup of americano from McDonald’s at $3.49.

2. Medium Premium Roast Coffee 

Next, McDonald’s item with the least calories is again from the McCafe menu. If you start your morning with McDonald’s premium Coffee, you don’t have to worry much about calorie intake.

The medium cup of premium roast coffee contains only 10 calories and has the perfect taste and aroma of Arabica coffee beans.

Also, coffee helps in losing weight. So if you are on a keto diet and love Coffee, this is your right choice. Get a medium cup of premium Coffee for $2.29. Skip adding sugar or any kind of sweetener.

3. Apple Slices 

Ordering apple slices from McDonald’s may sound weird when you can buy them separately from grocery stores, but if you order other items, add them as well, especially during breakfast.

It will help to meet your nutrient requirement as well as hunger. McDonald’s serves four apple slices with around 15 calories; you can get them for $1.49. 

4. Diet Coke (Medium)

While ordering burgers or sandwiches, many of us love to add cold drinks. This time go for a diet coke in case you are on a keto diet. It tastes similar to your regular coke but has no sugar, carbs, or calories.

Obviously, a great option when you are looking for some healthy yet flavorful drinks. Diet coke at McDonald’s costs $2.49. 

5. Unsweetened iced tea (Medium)

If you are craving some tea but are doubtful about the sugar content, try McDonald’s unsweetened iced tea for a refreshing feel. It has brewed tea with lots of ice and water.

Skip adding any sweetener, and you will have a cold brewed tea with zero or no calories.

It also has 15 mg of calcium and around 1 g of protein. The McDonald’s unsweetened iced tea will only cost you $1.79. 

6. Iced Coffee with no cream or milk 

If you are not a fan of hot Coffee, try McDonald’s Iced Coffee. McDonald’s iced Coffee has Arabica beans and light cream, sugar, and ice, which makes the calorie count 190. 

If you are on a keto diet, skip the light cream and sugar or any other sweet flavor, and the calorie count goes down to 5 kcal. From 190 kcal to 5 kcal is a great fall. 

The well-brewed arabica beans will have the same authentic flavor as premium-roast coffee but will be cold. You can purchase McDonald’s medium iced Coffee for $2.99.

Low Calorie McDonald’s Items

1. Three half-strips Of Bacon

For a light and easy breakfast option, go for McDonald’s bacon strips. Half strips of bacon contain around 110 calories and only 10 g of fats. 

You can obviously add other low-calorie items. The three strips of bacon will cost you around $2.19. Bacon strips will give you fulfillment without hampering your keto diet. Order this during breakfast, and have a good day ahead.

2. Egg McMuffin (No English Muffin) 

When it comes to breakfast, McDonald’s Egg McMuffins are the best option available at McDonald’s to start your day with.

If you are on a keto diet, an Egg McMuffin can be a good idea if you love Egg and cheese (because you need to get rid of the muffins). 

McDonald’s Egg McMuffin has freshly cracked eggs, Canadian bacon, and American cheese placed on good butter-toasted muffins.

Don’t focus on the muffins, as the total calorie count of a McMuffin is around 310 kcal, but if you simply remove the muffins, the calorie count will come down to 170 kcal. You can get McDonald’s yummy Egg McMuffin for $5.49. 

3. Sausage Burrito (No Tortilla wrap)

The sausage burrito is another delightful menu item from McDonald’s. I love to have them now and then. It consists of a mixture of eggs, sausage, and vegetables with a slice of American cheese. All of these are rolled in a tortilla wrap.

You will hesitate to order this as the wrap is made from high-calorie wheat.

The good news is that you can enjoy the McDonald’s sausage burrito by replacing the tortilla wrap with a lettuce wrap. By this, you will eliminate around 150 calories out of the total calorie in the sausage burrito, which is around 310 kcal.

A healthy switch without much change in ingredients. 

You can even bring your own low carbs wrap and ask McDonald’s employees to fill the wrap with sausage burrito fillings. You can get this sausage burrito from McDonald’s for $2.99. 

4. Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit / McGriddle (no biscuit/ no griddle)

You can enjoy McDonald’s Bacon, egg, and cheese biscuits even if you are on a keto diet. Simply skip the biscuit, and you can reduce a lot of calories and carbs. A nice hack when you are craving McDonlad’s juicy bacon strips with eggs and cheese. 

You will get to enjoy two strips of bacon which have 70 calories, along with folded Egg and American cheese containing 120 calories. This adds up to a total of 190 calories which is quite nice if you are looking for something low in calories and carbs.

The price of regular Bacon, Egg, and Cheese biscuits is around $5.39. 

Now you may think that bacon, Egg, and cheese biscuits differ from the Bacon, Egg, and cheese Mcgriddle. The only difference is the type of bread.

If you are on a keto diet, you can order any one of them and remove the biscuit or griddle, and you will have the same ingredients, which are – 2 strips of bacon, folded Egg, and American cheese, and the same amount of calories.

McGriddle is more expensive than the biscuit, so you know which one to order.

6. Sausage, Egg, and Cheese McGriddle (no griddle cake) 

If you love McDonald’s breakfast, Sausage, Egg, and cheese McGriddle is a great option. You might wonder if this single item will add up to 550 calories alone, but I have a solution for you.

While ordering Sausage, Egg, and Cheese McGriddle, skip the griddle cake, and then you can enjoy the flavors of McDonald’s even on a keto diet. 

By removing griddles, you can eliminate around 120 calories. Eggs will add to your protein intake, and savory sausage will give you enough energy to function the whole day.

Get the regular Sausage, Egg, and Cheese McGriddle for $5.59 at McDonald’s.

7. Sausage, Egg, and Cheese McMuffin (no English muffin)

Similar to McGriddle, you can skip the McMuffin in Sausage, Egg, and Cheese McMuffin and enjoy fewer carbs. You will get a sausage patty, a round egg, and American cheese without the muffin.

Through this, you can directly eliminate 140-150 calories out of the total 480 calories.

 I mean, this is a great way to consume protein with low carbs. You can buy the Sausage, Egg, and Cheese McMuffin for $5.29 and skip the muffins.

8. The Big Breakfast (no hash browns or biscuits, add bacon and cheese) 

You might say that adding the big breakfast to the keto menu options is very stupid, but just hear me out once. Simply follow my less-calorie big breakfast hack, which has everything except the hash browns and biscuits. 

This can help you directly skip 400-450 calories, and you will still have delicious sausages and scrambled eggs to start your day with. The big breakfast costs around $6.89.

Check with the McDonald’s outlets employee if you could get a rebate if skipping the hash brown and biscuits. However, if ordering online, it is difficult to get a discount but try your luck.

Also, add bacon and cheese to make it more healthy without adding many calories. 

9. McDoubles 

Start your day with two stacks of delicious beef patties with American cheese, pickles, onions, and mustard. Here we will remove the buns and ketchup, bringing 400 calories to 240 calories. 

McDoubles, even without the bun, contain 17 g of protein and only 3 g of carbs. It is a great option if you love beef patties with American cheese and pickles. Add a medium cup of premium roast coffee, and you are good to go.

The McDonald’s McDouble will cost you $3.49 only.

10. Big Mac (no bun, no ketchup, or Big Mac sauce) 

I am sure that the majority of people will agree that McDonald’s Big Mac is indeed a fulfilling and delicious burger. Big mac has not one but two beef patties, but it is not the same as McDoubles. 

The difference is that along with two beef patties, it has three buns (one is placed in the center), one slice of American cheese, big mac sauce, pickles, onions, and shredded lettuce. 

All these ingredients make up to 550 calories, but if you remove the buns, ketchup, and big mac sauce, you can cut down to around 300 calories. A huge downfall in the calories and carbs.

You still get the beef patties with shredded lettuce, onions, pickles, and obviously American cheese. Sounds healthy and fulfilling. Buy the most loved McDonald’s Big Mac and enjoy it with premium roast coffee. 

11. Quarter Pounder with Cheese (no bun, no ketchup)

Quarter pounder with cheese carries around 520 kcal calories, consisting of sesame buns, beef patty, ketchup, pickles, onions, mustard, and American cheese.

However, you can still enjoy the delicious quarter pounder with cheese even if you are on a keto diet by eliminating the high-calorie buns and ketchup.

Without these two, your Quarter-Pounder with cheese will carry only 280 calories. A quarter pounder with cheese at McDonald’s is $6.99.

A useful tip if you want to have a little heavy breakfast without increasing the calorie count is to order a Double quarter with cheese which comes with two beef patties, and repeat the step of eliminating buns and ketchup.

The calorie count will be around 280-300 kcal, costing you around $8.69.

12. Bacon Quarter pounder with cheese 

If you don’t want a beef patty but are craving a quarter-pounder with cheese, try replacing the beef patty with bacon.

This burger consists of sesame buns, thick-cut applewood smoked bacon, American cheese, ketchup, pickles, onions, mustard, and a beef patty. 

You can simply eliminate the beef patty, buns, and ketchup if you are on a keto diet and enjoy the bacon strips with cheese, onions, and pickles.

Bacon quarter pounder with cheese has around 630 calories, but eliminating the mentioned items will decrease it to 210 calories. You can get this for $8.49 and enjoy it without compromising your diet. 

13. Cheeseburger/ Double Cheeseburger (no buns)

Cheeseburger is the soul of all cheese lovers. Don’t worry if you are on a keto diet. Order a cheeseburger or a double cheeseburger, and while placing the order, simply discard the buns and ketchup.

What you will be left without buns and ketchup is also close to heaven – cheese and beef patty.

Cheeseburger has a single beef patty, and a double cheeseburger has two beef patties. The total calorie count of a cheeseburger is 300 kcal, whereas a double cheeseburger has 450 calories.

After eliminating the buns and ketchup, the cheeseburger will have only 150 calories, and the double cheeseburger will contain 290 kcal. You can get yourself a cheeseburger or a double cheeseburger for $2.99 and $3.79, respectively.

14. Bacon McDouble (no bun, no ketchup) 

If you love McDonald’s McDouble, then try adding strips of bacon to it. McDonald’s Bacon McDouble is another tasteful burger option. It has everything the same as a McDouble, but the bacon strips are additional.

Consider removing the buns and ketchup and enjoy the rest of the stuff with only 280-290 calories in it. You can get McDonald’s bacon McDouble for $4.19.

You can also skip the beef patty and enjoy the bacon strips with American cheese, pickles, and onions.

15. Sausage McMuffin (no muffins)

Sausage McMuffin but without muffins can be a solid option from McDonald’s during breakfast. In this, you will get a savory sausage patty and American cheese. Enjoy this with premium roast coffee, and you are good to go for the day.

A regular sausage McMuffin has around 400 calories, but eliminating muffins will decrease the calories to 260 kcal. McDonald’s sausage McMuffin will cost you $2.99.

16. Sausage Biscuit/ McGriddle (no biscuit/ McGriddle)

If you want a savory sausage biscuit or McGriddle but are worried about 460 calories in it, discard the biscuit/McGriddle, and you can enjoy the sausage patty with only 200 calories.

Having a sausage is a very simple yet delicious breakfast option; if you love Sausage, it is a plus point.

A sausage biscuit will cost you around $2.89. Instead of sausage, you can also ask for an egg biscuit, but again skip the biscuit, and you will have McDonald’s folded Egg which is quite a good option for breakfast.

17. Sausage biscuit with Egg (no biscuit)

Improvise your sausage by adding McDonald’s folded eggs and eliminating the biscuit. The regular sausage biscuit with eggs has around 530 calories, but without the biscuit, it will only have 270 calories. 

You get your Sausage with folded eggs which can make your start of the day really tasteful. Buy McDonald’s sausage biscuit with eggs for $4.79.

You can also add a slice of American cheese and enjoy the cheesy sausage and egg.

Does McDonald’s Have Breakfast Keto Options?

There is no such breakfast keto menu, but you can still eat many McDonald’s breakfast menu items in your keto diet.

We saw the complete menu list, which can be qualified for the keto diet, and many options are from the breakfast menu mentioned below.

• Egg McMuffins
• Big Breakfast (no hash browns or biscuits, add bacon and cheese)
• Apple Slices
• Premium Roast Coffee
• Iced Coffee (no sugar and cream)
• Sausage, Egg, and Cheese McGriddle (no griddle cake)
• Sausage, Egg, and Cheese McMuffin (no English muffin)
• Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit (no biscuit)
• Sausage McMuffin (No Muffins)
• Sausage Biscuit (No biscuit)
• Sausage Biscuit With Eggs (No Biscuit)
• Sausage McMuffin With Egg ( No Muffin)
• Bacon Egg and Cheese McGriddles (No Griddles and ketchup)
• Sausage McGriddles (No Griddles)
• Sausage Burrito (No Tortilla wrap)

You can try a sausage McMuffin without the English muffins. Try adding eggs and cheese to it, and you will also get a good amount of protein.

Apart from this, you can try Egg McMuffin without the English muffins. Bacon, Egg, and cheese McMuffin or McGriddles without English muffin and griddles.  

Also, Try Sausage biscuit or sausage biscuit egg without the biscuit for a lower-carb food. Sausage McGriddles and Sausage, Egg, and cheese McGriddles without griddles are also quite tempting options for a keto diet.

You can enjoy Coffee and other beverages added to the Keto menu list above.

What not to eat from McDonald’s on a keto diet?

Even though we have so many options which we can modify and consume when we are on a keto diet, some McDonald’s items are a big NO to eat as they carry a lot of carbs.

1. World-famous fries

No matter how much you love McDonald’s fries, avoid them if you are on a keto diet. McDonald’s medium fries can alone add up to 300-320 calories to your diet, with 43 g of carbs and 15 g of fats.

So, if you don’t want to add extra calories with a good amount of fat, skip the fries.

2. Hash Browns

McDonald’s hash browns are so delicious that everybody, from kids to adults, enjoys them. However, adding hashbrowns is a bad idea when you are on a keto diet.

The calorie intake from hashbrowns is 150 kcal which may not sound too much but remember they are deep-fried potatoes, so they have 18 g of carbs and 8 g of fats. Simply skip adding hash browns while ordering a meal combo and maintain your keto diet.

3. Chicken Nuggets

I know avoiding chicken items from McDonald’s is tough, but you must be mindful if you are on a keto diet. McDonald’s chicken nuggets must be avoided as they are deep fried, and even four pieces contain 170 calories. 

4. Sweet Beverages

Another McDonald’s menu item that should be strictly avoided during the keto diet is sweet beverages. Even though you go for sugar-free drinks and beverages, they still have a few ingredients already high in sugar and carbs.

Before placing the order, check the ingredients carefully to avoid extra sugar and carbs.

5. Ketchup and condiments

Even if you are ordering bun-less burgers and sandwiches, you still need to check the ketchup or sauces options to avoid extra sugar carbs. Ketchup has high sugar and fructose, which should be avoided during the keto diet.

6. Hotcakes

McDonald’s hotcakes are so tempting and warm, but they contain around 580 calories. They are high in carbs, with 101 g, 45 g of which consists of sugar alone.

The melted butter and maple syrup are also a reason behind the high level of carbs and sugar. So it is advised to skip McDonald’s hotcakes blindly.

On a good note, you can also enjoy a big breakfast without hotcakes. Simply order a big breakfast with only sausages and scrambled eggs.

7. Fruit and maple oatmeal

This can be a good breakfast idea, but it contains around 320 calories. Oatmeal is high in calories and contains around 64 g of carbs; out of 64 g, 31 g is sugar content from fruits and raisins.

So avoid it if you are keeping a check on your calorie intake during the keto diet. 

Tips for Enjoying Low Carbs Food Items At McDonald’s

1. Simply skip the buns, biscuits, griddles, and muffins from your burgers and sandwiches.
2. Ask for extra lettuce, which you can wrap around the patties and enjoy without the buns or muffins.
3. Skip ketchup and sweet and sour sauce, and such condiments, which are high in sugar levels.
4. Check the menu items and ingredients through McDonald’s website or other delivery platforms and eliminate high carbs ingredients.
5. You can also visit McDonald’s website and check for nutrient contents like calories, fat, carbs, and protein. Also, you can calculate the nutrient content using the nutrient calculator option available on the website.

Other Diet-Specific Options At McDonald’s

With the change in time, food choices and styles have also changed. Nowadays, people are very concerned about the food they are eating. Whether you prefer gluten-free or vegan, you can still enjoy McDonald’s food. 

Check the ingredients used in any menu item, and you can easily determine what to eat and what not to eat. In case you or your loved one is a diabetic and struggling to decide what to eat from McDonald’s, then check out our detailed blog here.

McDonald’s Gluten-free options

McDonald’s does not have any specific gluten-free items, but you can try some items with no gluten content. You can try the following things : 

• Sausages
• Apple slices
• Oatmeal 
• 2 half bacon strips
• Beef patty

You can check more items by following the link and ordering some gluten-free items from your most loved fast food chain McDonald’s. 

McDonald’s Vegan Options

In the world of fast food, it is very difficult to identify and order something vegan. Worry not, as we’ve got you covered. You can try the following items from McDonald’s if you are looking for vegan options, or try checking our dedicated blog on the same.

• Apple slices 
• Apple Pie
• Premium roast coffee
• Sweet Iced Tea
• Sweet and sour dipping sauce

McDonald’s Diabetic Options

If you are a diabetic person and always confused about what to order from McDonald’s, check out the link and let all the food stress blow away in the thin air. You can try the following items as well.

• Hamburger
• Chicken McNuggets
• Small fries
• Egg McMuffin
• Sausage Burrito

Conclusion 

Now I am sure you will not have a hard time finding what to eat and what not to as per your calorie requirement. McDonald’s has a long list of menu items you can enjoy if you improvise it accordingly. 

I have always done this occasionally whenever I feel that I need to reduce the carbs but don’t want to compromise on the taste. I hope this is helpful for those who are looking for some good McDonald’s menu items that many of us can easily add to our keto diet. 

We will be back with more information. Until then, order a medium Americano and bacon strips and enjoy without calories or worries.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)