19+ Keto At McDonalds Menu Items Under 5 NET CARBS (2024)

Whether you’re traveling, in a hurry, or just don’t want to give up the beloved fast-food chain, there are many ways you can order low carb and keto at McDonald’s! So, I taste-tested and compiled a list of all the keto options you can have at McDonald’s for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! All of these ideas are all below 5 net carbs and cost less than $7.

Low Carb Keto Menu Items at McDonald’s

So, I know what you’re thinking about coming into this article:

“Keto options atMcDonald’s, Joe? Really?”

But hear me out!

Though McDonald’s isn’t everyone’s first choice when it comes to great low carb fast food, it can come in handy for sticking to your keto diet when you’retravelingor arein a hurry.

Plus, not everyone has access to quality ingredients (especially in these times) or the free time to cook at home, so this can be aquick & convenientoption for when you need it!

Also, McDonald’s can be supernostalgic!

So if you’re anything like me, you might enjoy a little taste of thatclassicMcDonald’s sausage patty while still maintaining your low carb diet.

So, have I convinced you yet?

Good.

Now let’s get into the list!

What to Avoid for Keto at McDonald’s

Drinks and Desserts

The first thing you want to avoid is thesoft drinkssince these are loaded with sugar and unnecessary carbs and calories.

However, you can opt for adiet sodasince those have0 net carbs.

Some more sugary menu items on the McDonald’s menu are theice creamsandmilkshakes- those are another no-go.

Lastly, you’ll want to stay away from thesugar-free coffeeoptions.

They may be sugar-free, but they aren’t carb-free.

Instead, you can orderblack coffeeand bring yourlow carb sweeteners like Stevia, Swerve, Or Monk Fruit.

Breads & Breaded Items

Of course, breads, andbreadeditems are totally out of the question.

That meansbuns,biscuits,muffins,wraps,bagels, or anything else breaded like thechicken nuggetsandcrispy chicken sandwiches.

That said, you can easily substitute any buns or wraps with myketo cloud bread,keto sandwich bread, orketo tortillas!

You can make them ahead of time – you’ll only need a few pantry staples, plus, they’re superquick & easy!

Sauces & Dressings

You’ll also obviously want to avoid thefrench friesandketchup.And ketchup comes on almost EVERY SANDWICH so make sure to ALWAYS ASK FOR NO KETCHUP!

Instead of ketchup on your burger, you can ordermustardormayo,which both have0 net carbs!

Oh, and if you’ve made some of my recipes like myketo BBQ chickenor mylow carb meatloaf, you probably already have keto-friendlyketchup lying around! So, just bring your own.

Along the same lines as the ketchup are thesalad dressingoptions - those add a lot of unnecessary carbs and calories.

I recommendmaking your ownusing the available dipping sauces.

Thecreamy ranch dipping sauceand thebuffalo dipping sauceboth have only1 net carb.

You can mix them to make an deliciouslow carb spicy ranch dressingto add to your burgers or salads!

Using the McDonald’s App for Keto Orders

My biggest pro-tip for anyone on the keto diet is to order through theMcDonald’s mobile appas I did.

It’s the best way to get all the details of your – let’s be honest – kind of complicated keto order right, and it’ssuper convenientsince you just have to pick it up!

Plus, there are usually somedealson the app that can save you a little extra money that you wouldn’t know if you’re just using the drive-thru.

Keto Breakfast Options on the McDonald’s Menu

McDonald’sbreakfast menuis so popular that it’s become an all-day thing in many places. So, here are some of the breakfast items you can order and how to make them keto!

1. Sausage McMuffin

To make the classic McMuffin keto, you just have to order itwithout the muffin.

What you end up with is asausage pattytopped with aslice of cheese.

The price comes out to$1.89and only has2 net carbs! And, in terms of calories, you’re looking at about 260 calories

By the way, I think this would be the perfect time to whip out yourketo cloud bread!

2. Egg McMuffin

To make the Egg McMuffin keto, order it without the muffin. You'll end up getting a rounded egg,cheese, and someCanadian bacon.

Though it’s a little more expensive at$4.00, you’re getting somemore proteinfrom that rounded egg.

By the way, the rounded egg only has1 carb, which makes it thelowest carb egg optionin McDonald’s!

Plus, it’s the only egg item at McDonald’s that’scooked fresh on-site!

All told, if you order your Egg McMuffin like this, it will end up having just 3 net carbsand260 calories.

Pro-tip, try pairing this Egg McMuffin order with one of these keto yogurts to round out your breakfast.

3. Sausage, Egg, & Cheese McMuffin

Next up is the ultimate McMuffin order, the Sausage, Egg, & Cheese McMuffin.

When you order this with no muffin, you get the classic McDonald’ssausage patty, arounded egg, and aslice of cheese.

At$2.00, you’re getting thebest valueout of this one compared to the other McMuffin options.

And the whole thing has just3 net carbsand340 calories.

Honestly, this beats the Egg McMuffin, in my opinion. I just love the sausage patty–flavorfulandtasty!

Also, this keto McMuffin pairs perfectly with this keto smoothie recipe. So if you want to make yourself the ultimate keto breakfast, give that combo a shot.

4. Egg Biscuit

So another trendy breakfast menu item at McDonald’s has got to be the biscuit sandwiches.

And you can make any of the biscuit sandwiches low carb and keto by simply ordering them without the biscuit.

If you order the Egg biscuit like this, you’ll get a McDonald’s folded egg– I call it thefluffy egg. Anyways, this keto McDonald's order will have just2 net carbsand just70 calories.

Also, it's worth mentioning, this is priced at $2.29.

So, honestly, a little steep for an egg.

Between you and me, I would go for the other biscuit varieties I talk about below for a better value.

However, if you’re trying to go aslow carbandlow calorieas possible, this is your best bet from the McDonald’s breakfast menu!

By the way, for more keto breakfast ideas, check out this list of healthy cereal options. There's a ton of great low carb options on it.

5. Sausage Biscuit

This low-carb breakfast option is actually from thedollar menu, so it’ll only cost you$1.00!

Once again, you’ll want to order it withno biscuitso you get a plain McDonald’ssausage patty– which you can sandwich between some pieces ofketo bread– at just1 net carband190 calories.

If you want, you can also order aslice of cheeseto add on top (you can also do this for the first biscuit) for anadditional carb.

6. Bacon, Egg, & Cheese Biscuit

For this McDonald’s biscuit orderedwithout a biscuit, you’ll receive afluffy folded egg, somebacon, and somemelted cheesefor a total of$3.99.

All told, the whole thing is just 2 net carbsand just180 calories.

Not too shabby for a keto bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit, eh?!

What I loved about this Bacon, Egg, & Cheese combo was thatawesome bacon– itssmoky & saltyflavor paired wonderfully with thatrich cheeseandsoft, fluffy egg.

It hits the spot!

7. Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Biscuit

Like the previous biscuit, withno biscuit, you’re getting somefluffy eggandmelted cheese here.

The main difference is the McDonald’ssausage patty, which bumps the total price up to$4.39.

Honestly, even though the price point is a little high, I enjoyed the nostalgiafrom thisflavorful McDonald’s breakfast sausage. When it's combined with thefluffy & delicious egg, and the soft melted cheese, it reminds me of my childhood. My grandma used to take me to McDonald’s when I was a kid, and this was always my order.

Anyways, when comparing this to the Bacon, Egg, & Cheese combo, both are absolute winners– but the sausage version gets a couple of extra points for nostalgia.

By the way, this menu item comes out to 3 net carbsand270 calories.

8. Bacon, Egg, & Cheese McGriddle

Of course, no McDonald’s breakfast list would be complete without the McGriddle!

But obviously, we’ll be ordering them with no griddle cakes.

Basically, you’re getting some of thatdelicious bacon, afluffy folded egg, and somecheese.

And the price comes out to$3.99with3 net carbsand270 calories– pretty much the same thing as the biscuit!

9. Sausage Burrito

So McDonald’s didn’t have this when I went, but I know that if you order thiswithout the tortilla shell(use myketo tortillasinstead!), it comes out to4 net carbs.

And if you order it withno cheese, you can bring that down to just3 net carbs!

That said, as far as the price goes it's $1.29.

Keto Burger Options at McDonald’s

Of course, we’ll also be talking about the McDonald’s burgers, and how you can make them low carb and keto-friendly!

The pro-tip for all of these menu items below is to order themno bun and no ketchup.

You can order them with someextra shredded lettuceorside saladto make a full meal!

Or, you can also substitute the bun with some homemade keto bread.

I highly recommend thisketo cloud bread– it has the right shape and texture to imitate a burger bun, plus it has0 net carbs!

1. Hamburger

This classic McDonald’s menu item is another decent budget option if you want to eat keto at McDonald’s!

As always, orderwithout the bun and ketchup.

This rule goes forall the burgersthat follow in the rest of this list - NO KETCHUP, NO BUN!

What you get for$1is aburger pattywithpickles,lettuce, andonions.

Though something to keep in mind is that the burger you’re getting isn’t exactly the highest quality meat since weareordering from thedollar menu.

Like I’ve said, my pro-tip to make this worth your while is ordering aside salador someextra shredded lettuceto make it into ahamburger salad!

And then you can always throw on somemustard,mayo, or thespicy buffalo ranchmix I recommended earlier for the dressing.

All told, this comes out to0 net carbs– add1 net carbif you’re including shredded lettuce and1 net carbfor any keto-friendly dips you add – and just 90 calories!

2. Cheeseburger

So when you make this keto, you get abeef patty,cheese,mustard,onions, andpickles.

The whole thing comes out to$1.49for2 net carbsand140 calories.

Cheeseburgers are honestly such a great comfort food – I even have an easyketo cheeseburger casserole recipeon my blog – so this would be wonderful sandwiched between someketo breador as acheeseburger salad!

3. McDouble

Formore protein, you can get the McDouble instead of the cheeseburger – you also getcheese,mustard,pickles, andonionsbut with some addedlettuceandtwice the amount of beef!

At$1.89, you’re only paying $0.40 more than the cheeseburger, which is a pretty good deal.

Overall, the McDoublewithout buns or ketchuphas3 net carbsand220 calories.

4. Double Cheeseburger

Another affordable option for keto at McDonald’s comes from the$2menu.

For the additional 11 cents, you’re getting thesame ingredients as the McDoublebut withtwice the amount of cheese!

This order is also3 net carbsand has a slightly higher calorie count of290 calories.

5. Triple Cheeseburger

If you can spare another dollar, you can get the Triple Cheeseburger for anadditional beef patty. I think the best move with this order is to get a side salad with it and makeabig-time cheeseburger salad!

Seriously, for just$3you end up with atonof food.

Plus, it has just3 net carbs!

And if you’re also counting your calorie intake, you’re looking at about360 calories.

6. Quarter Pounder

Honestly, this has got to be myfavoriteketo option from everything I’ve tried so far on the McDonald’s menu.

Minus the buns and ketchup, you getlettuce,pickles,onions,mustard,cheese, and a way betterquality beef patty.

Honestly, it’s one of the nicer looking burgers on this list!

At$5.29it’s obviously not the cheapest burger at McDonald’s, but the patty quality definitely makes a difference, so I recommend giving it a try!

Also, it’s just3 net carbsand310 calories.

7. Double Quarter Pounder

So, the Double Quarter Pounder (why don’t they just call it the Half Pounder!?) comes withtwo quality beef patties,two slices of cheese, and the usuallettuce,pickles,onions, andmustard– all the good stuff.

Now, you’re getting a lotmore meatbut paying a premium of$6.99or basically $7 – just something to keep in mind!

All told, this comes out to4 net carbsand520 calories.

8. Big Mac

Last but not least is the famous Big Mac.

And you can easily make this keto. Order it with no bunandno big mac sauce– the sauce adds 2g extra carbs!

What you end up with is2 slices of cheese,lettuce,onions,pickles, and acouple of beef patties.

Now, something that surprised me was that you’re getting thesame beef pattiesas the burgers from thedollar menu!

So obviously, you’ll want to go for the Quarter Pounder in terms ofbeef quality.

Especially because at$5.19, there’s only a 10 cent price difference.

By the way, if youaregetting the Big Mac, you can sub inmayofor the big mac sauce and save yourself some carbs.

And if you order the McDonald’s Big Mac this way, it has about3 net carbsand240 calories.

Keto Chicken and Salad Options at McDonald’s

Now, there were actually a few things I couldn’t order at McDonald’s since produce is a little harder to come by these days.

However, if youcanget these at your McDonald’s, I’ve included my pro-tips for making them keto, and their total carb counts below!

1. Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich

Like I’ve said, the McDonald’s chicken nuggets and crispy chicken sandwich are off-limits for the keto diet.

But if you’re really craving forchicken, you can get the Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich.

Just order it withno bunfor a total of2 net carbs!

And FYI, this sandwich costs $4.39.

2. Bacon Ranch Grilled Chicken Salad

McDonald’s didn’t have any salads available when I went, but I highly recommend trying thisbacon and chicken saladif you get the chance!

To make it keto, order withno cheese,no tomato, andno dressing– you can order theranch dipping sauceas a substitute with just1 net carb!

By the way, this salad will run you $4.59

3. Side Salad

As I’ve mentioned, you should definitely consider adding aside saladto any of your burger orders at McDonald’s if you can!

They’re superlow carbandlow calorie. And, you can make a superquick burger bowlorburger salad.

Make sure to order your side salad withno tomatoesto make it just1 net carb!

With the tomatoes, it'll be 2 net carbs.

And as far as the price goes, it's $1.59.

Other On-The-Go Keto Options

If you haven’t read it yet, I recommend checking out my other article onketo options at Taco Bell!

Honestly, I found a lot moregreat valueorders there compared to my McDonald’s haul.

And also, if you’re passing byWalmart, I have a great list ofketo snack ideas at Walmart. The list features a TON of really greatquick, easy, on the go travel-friendly keto snack options - and while you're their you might want to check out some of these low carb beer options.

And, of course, if Starbucks is your thing, I put together a full list of all the best keto drinks and snacks you can get there too.

Oh, and I recently did a breakdown of all the best keto orders at Chick-Fil-A and Subway.

Those are definitely worth a look too.

By the way, if you're trying to lose weight, you might even like this list of the best pre workout for weight loss, this list of the best protein bars for weight loss, or this list of the best home exercise equipment for weight loss as well.

Also, have a pretty active community over on my Youtube channel where you can check out even more recipes and food guides on.

Anyway, I hope this list helps you with your keto journey!

As always, sound off in thecommentsif you tried any of these keto options at McDonald’s or if you havemore ideasfor posts like these that you want to see!