The 5 worst salads in Canada

High-calorie meals in disguise

Perhaps you’ve been selecting salads off your local fast-food restaurant‘s menu thinking that you’re making the healthier choice. Well, think again.

If you’re selecting a salad topped with all of those yummy, but high-calorie and fat-rich extras such as bacon bits, full-fat cheese, full-fat dressing, fried noodles, nuts and more, it might be better for your health to order a burger. Find out which are the worst salads in Canada.

Burger King

The culprit: The Tendergrill Chicken BLT
This salad, which is topped with bacon and cheese and chicken, weighs in at 350 calories, 23 g fat and 1,060 mg sodium. But load on the Kraft Balsamic Vinaigrette and you add 180 calories, 17 g fat and 420 mg sodium.

What to order instead
Try a BK Veggie Burger (270 calories, 6 g fat, 740 mg sodium) along with a Side Garden Salad (25 calories, 0.3 g fat, 5 mg sodium) with the Kraft Calorie-Wise Zesty Italian Dressing (20 calories, 1 g fat, 660 mg sodium).

McDonald’s

The culprit: Tuscan Salad with Crispy Chicken
This dish comes with fried chicken, Parmesan cheese and a Roasted Garlic Dressing. Altogether, that’s 430 calories, 21 g fat and 510 mg sodium.

What to order instead
Swap out the Tuscan Salad’s crispy chicken in favour of warm, grilled chicken and you’ll drop 100 calories, 8 g fat and 110 mg sodium. Better yet, order the Spicy Thai Chicken Salad with Warm Grilled Chicken (220 calories, 3.5 g fat, 520 mg sodium).

Swiss Chalet

The culprit: Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad
A grilled chicken salad always sounds like such a good idea. But in the case of this one, which packs 680 calories, 41 g fat and 1,550 mg sodium, you may want to reconsider your order. If you’re in search of a healthy salad option, Caesar salad isn’t your best bet due to the fatty dressing, the croutons, Parmesan cheese and bacon that comes with this dish.

What to order instead
If you’re really craving creamy and garlicky greens, order a Side Caesar Salad with your Swiss Chalet meal. It weighs in at 210 calories, 19 g fat, and 320 mg sodium. Better yet, get the Classic Quarter Chicken dinner (with white meat, Chalet dipping sauce, fresh vegetables or garden salad), which contains 360 calories, 11 g fat and 745 mg sodium.

Taco Bell

The culprit: Fiesta Taco Salad
This salad contains dish comes in a tortilla bowl loaded with cheese, beef, sour cream and tortilla strips, so think of it as a fast-food indulgence rather than a healthy salad option. Order this salad and you’ll be consuming 850 calories, 45 g fat and 1,690 mg sodium-that’s 190 mg more than the recommended daily sodium intake for adults.

What to order instead
Sidestep the salad altogether and order yourself two portion-friendly beef Fresco hard tacos, which add up to 280 calories, 14 g fat and 820 mg sodium.

Wendy’s

The culprit: Baja Salad
This dish comes with tortilla strips, guacamole and cheese, but the Creamy Red Jalapeno dressing really pushes this salad into the junk-food category. With the dressing, the Baja Salad contains 740 calories, 48 g fat and 1,995 mg sodium.

What to order instead
Dig into a Grilled Chicken Go Wrap (260 calories, 10 g fat, 730 mg sodium) plus a Garden Side Salad (25 calories, 0 g fat, 30 mg sodium) with Fat Free Italian Vinaigrette (20 calories, 0 g fat, 180 mg sodium). .

Related:
•    7 healthier fast-food swaps
•    6 healthier fast-food choices
•    Canada’s worst fast-food meals