Healthier Eating Choices at Taco Bell

When a Taco Bell first opened in my small Pennsylvania hometown in the mid 1990s, I quickly became a regular patron. During college and the years since, I’ve become known as somewhat of a fast food connoisseur, due primarily to a combination of my laziness and cheapness. Despite the lack of authenticity in Taco Bell’s Mexican food and their sometimes questionable meat standards, I’ve remained a loyal fan who runs for the border at least once a week. Now that I’m a little older, I’m starting (ever so slowly) to care about healthier eating choices.

While fast food will never be the best option, it remains so convenient and inexpensive that it’s worth considering how a trip to Taco Bell can be modified with healthier eating choices. I use the word “healthier” as opposed to “healthy,” recognizing that there is a trade-off to be made. For cheap, tasty, quickly prepared food, we must be willing to exchange some degree of healthiness. The goal here is simply to make Taco Bell choices that are less extremely bad for you – so that eating there regularly can be justified.

Go Fresco

I had not realized there was anything called “Fresco Style” until I actually read a placemat on a Taco Bell tray advertising this healthier eating choice. By telling your friendly Taco Bell employee that you want an item prepared Fresco Style, you are asking them to replace cheese and/or sauce with a fiesta salsa made of diced tomatoes, onions, and cilantro. Deciding to try this option on my next visit, I ordered one item Fresco Style as a test – the basic crunchy taco. Eliminating the cheese on the taco and replacing it with the tasty salsa cuts down the fat slightly and actually makes for a better taste. According to the nutrition guide on the Taco Bell website, opting for a Fresco Style crunchy taco over its regular cousin reduces the fat from 10 grams to 7 grams.