Taco Bell Healthy Options - Recommended by Dietitians

Research published in Advances in Nutrition directly associates frequent fast food consumption with increased caloric intake and diminished diet quality.

Oversized portions, low fiber, and high sodium content dominate the critique, but that’s not the whole story.

Despite its reputation, fast food remains a practical resource for millions of Americans.

Taco Bell, in particular, has introduced choices that meet a broader range of dietary preferences without sacrificing flavor or accessibility.

So what happens when you want to control calories, manage your portions, and still grab something fast?

With the right selections, Taco Bell can align with your nutritional goals.

Low-Calorie Taco Bell Menu Items

🌮 Go Fresco Style: Easy Swap, Big Calorie Drop

Ordering “Fresco style” at Taco Bell replaces mayo-based sauces, shredded cheese, and sour cream with freshly prepared diced tomatoes.

This simple switch cuts calories without sacrificing flavor. Most signature menu items, from tacos to burritos, shed 20–100 calories when made Fresco.

Want a Crunchy Taco that skips the heaviness? Fresco style gets it down to just 140 calories per serving, keeping things crisp without the guilt.

🥗 Power Menu Bowl: Veggie or Chicken, Both Under 500 Calories

The Power Menu Bowl delivers balanced macronutrients and plenty of texture, you can feel good about digging into this one.

The Veggie version contains 420 calories, 12g of fiber, and 9g of protein, thanks to black beans, seasoned rice, guacamole, romaine lettuce, tomato, and reduced-fat sour cream. Choose the Chicken Power Bowl for an added 26g of protein with a moderate 470 calories.

Skip the cheese, ask for extra lettuce, or go light on rice to drop even more without losing satisfaction.

🌯 Bean Burrito Fresco Style: A Leaner Classic

The traditional Bean Burrito sits at 350 calories. Make it Fresco style and bring that down to 320. It contains 9g of fiber and 13g of protein, driven mostly by pinto beans and the soft flour tortilla. This item delivers satiety at a lower caloric cost than most fast-food burritos.

• Pro tip: Add jalapeños or onions for virtually zero extra calories and a bold flavor profile.

• Need a low-sodium trick? Ask for “easy sauce” or remove red sauce entirely to cut sodium without overhauling the item.

Pack in the Protein

🐔 Grilled Chicken Power Bowl

The Grilled Chicken Power Bowl delivers 27 grams of protein in a single serving, making it the most protein-dense item on Taco Bell’s mainstream menu.

It combines grilled chicken breast, seasoned rice, black beans, romaine lettuce, guacamole, pico de gallo, avocado ranch sauce, shredded cheddar cheese, and reduced-fat sour cream.

While it weighs in at around 470–500 calories depending on customizations, the protein-to-calorie ratio offers strong nutritional value for those focusing on fullness and muscle recovery.

🌮 Three Soft Tacos with Chicken or Steak

Sometimes simple wins. Ordering three Soft Tacos with grilled chicken or steak provides a protein boost without spiking your calorie intake.

Each chicken taco contains around 12 grams of protein and 160 calories, bringing the trio to roughly 36 grams of protein and under 500 calories. Steak options offer similar figures, though slightly higher in fat, depending on the cut used at the time.

Keep things balanced by skipping the extra sauces or swapping to fresco-style. Want more texture or fiber? Add black beans to one of the tacos; it boosts satiety with minimal calories.

💡 Tip: Choose Chicken Over Beef

Chicken offers a leaner protein profile compared to ground beef. At Taco Bell, swapping out seasoned beef for grilled chicken reduces saturated fat intake while maintaining a high protein yield. For example, replacing beef with chicken in a Crunchwrap removes about 4 grams of saturated fat and adds an extra gram or two of protein. In day-to-day macros, that shift supports heart health and sustained energy without sacrificing flavor.

• Stick to grilled protein choices — avoid fried or breaded options.

• Add black beans for fiber and plant-based protein.

• Consider customizing with extra chicken — it costs more, but doubles the protein payload.

Plant-Powered Picks

🌱 Black Bean Crunchwrap Supreme (Fresco Style)

This reimagined favorite swaps the usual beef and cheese for seasoned black beans and crisp veggies.

Choosing the Fresco Style strips out sour cream and cheese, replacing them with diced tomatoes and a focus on fiber-forward, plant-based ingredients.

The result? A warm, crunchy shell packed with 12 grams of protein, 9 grams of fiber, and under 500 calories.1 

🥗 Veggie Power Bowl

On days when greens feel mandatory, the Veggie Power Bowl steps up. Built around a foundation of rice, black beans, guacamole, lettuce, tomatoes, and reduced-fat sour cream, this bowl offers 12 grams of plant-based protein and over 10 grams of fiber.

It’s nutrient-dense without being overengineered. Want to cut back on calories or go fully dairy-free? Just remove the cheese and sour cream, the flavor stays intact thanks to guac and seasoned beans.

🧀 Vegan Adaptations

Switching to vegan at Taco Bell doesn’t require a secret menu or advanced planning. The chain’s customizable ordering system already builds in the flexibility. Skip meat, cheese, and sour cream; add black beans, lettuce, pico de gallo, potatoes, or guacamole.

The Black Bean Chalupa becomes fully vegan once you remove the cheese and sour cream. Even breakfast can be modified.

• Order fresco style to remove dairy and replace with tomatoes.

• Ask for beans in place of beef in any item.

• Opt for guacamole, potatoes, lettuce, tomato, and onions to bulk up veggie content.

• Steer toward tortillas, chalupa shells, or rice bowls—many of these are already vegan-friendly.

Plant-Based Alternatives on the Taco Bell Menu

🌾 Beyond Traditional Meat: Use Black Beans, Pinto Beans, and Potatoes as Hearty Swaps

Skip the beef or chicken and swap in black beans, pinto beans, or seasoned potatoes. Taco Bell offers these plant-based fillings across most customizable orders, from tacos to burritos to bowls.

Black beans deliver 8g of protein and just 0.5g of saturated fat per half-cup serving, making them a filling and lower-fat alternative to meat. Pinto beans come close, offering 7g of protein per half-cup along with added fiber.

Seasoned potatoes bring in 2g of protein per serving, but they create texture and satisfaction that mimic traditional meat fillings.

Pair them with lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole, and jalapeños to build a rich flavor profile without animal protein.

🌮 Beyond Meat (If Available): How to Order and Add It to Your Meal

Some Taco Bell locations offer Beyond Meat’s plant-based protein, a meatless ground beef substitute made from pea protein and rice.

When available, request it in place of any meat option, either through the app or at the counter. It works especially well in burritos, tacos, and Crunchwraps.

• Order a Black Bean Crunchwrap Supreme and sub out the beans for Beyond Meat for a soy-free protein boost.

• Customize the Power Bowl by choosing Beyond Meat in place of grilled chicken while keeping all the fresh veggies and rice.

This option contains 13g of protein per 3-ounce serving with no cholesterol and zero animal-derived ingredients.

Smarter Choices, Same Bold Flavor

Taco Bell doesn’t box anyone into a one-size-fits-all meal plan. With a highly customizable menu and a surprising range of options, it adapts to low-calorie goals, high-protein diets, plant-based lifestyles, and everything in between.

You run the show. Swap the beef for black beans, ditch the sour cream, opt for fresco-style, double the lettuce, halve the cheese.

Tools like the Nutrition Calculator strip away the guesswork. You see the impact of every ingredient in real time.