300-Calorie Breakfasts
Rise-and-shine meals that will make your morning -- really!

McDonald's: Plain English muffin (150 calories) plus two scrambled eggs (160 calories), Egg McMuffin (300 calories) or Sausage Breakfast Burrito (290 calories).

Burger King: Croissan'wich with Egg and Cheese (350 calories). Skip the sausage option on this one; the meat adds another 260 calories.

Subway: Western Egg Breakfast Sandwich (300 calories). Note that all breakfast sandwiches are between 300 and 350 calories -- a touch high, but not bad.

Arby's: Biscuit with butter (280 calories), sourdough with ham (220 calories) or croissant with ham (310 calories).

Rule of thumb: Bread and eggs are fast-food breakfast staples. Avoid bacon and extras, and the choices will still fit into your diet plan.

400-Calorie Lunches
Two dozen ways to get your midday energy boost.

McDonald's: Chicken McGrill (400 calories) or four Chicken McNuggets plus a small fries (420 calories total).

Burger King: Four Chicken Tenders and a small fries (400 calories total). Or, for 50 calories less, swap the fries for a small order of onion rings.

Wendy's: Large Chili with Cheddar cheese and saltines (395 calories) or Grilled Chicken Sandwich (300 calories) and side salad with low-cal dressing (125 calories).

Subway: Any "7 Under 6" sandwich (230 to 320 calories), Subway's Select Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki Sandwich (380 calories) or Subway's Select Red Wine Vinaigrette Club Sandwich (350 calories). But watch out: The moment you add mayo, oil, or cheese, the calorie count starts climbing.

Dairy Queen: Grilled chicken sandwich (310 calories) or DQ Homestyle cheeseburger (340 calories). Stay away from the fries: At 350 calories for a small order, they're over 100 calories more than McDonald's and Burger King fries.

Taco Bell: Two soft tacos with chicken (190 calories per taco), two soft tacos with beef (210 calories per taco) or taco salad with salsa, without the shell (420 calories). Be very wary of the burritos: The plain bean burrito is a healthy 370 calories, but the Grilled Stuft Beef Burrito takes a giant leap up to 730 calories! Generally, the simpler the dish, the fewer the calories.

KFC: Tender Roast Sandwich without sauce (260 calories), Tender Roast Sandwich with sauce (390 calories) or individual Popcorn Chicken (450 calories). Steer clear of the "classic" KFC meals: One Original Recipe fried drumstick is 140 calories, and one wing is 150. And you've got to ask yourself: When's the last time anyone ate just one wing?

Arby's: Regular Roast Beef sandwich (350 calories) or Light Grilled Chicken sandwich (280 calories). Careful with the curly fries: A small order starts at 310 calories -- more than the entire chicken sandwich!

Boston Market: Marinated grilled chicken (230 calories per breast) with new potatoes (130 calories) or quarter-pound skinless white-meat chicken (170 calories) with butternut squash (150 calories). Look out for the Chunky Chicken Salad -- it sounds healthy, but at 480 calories per three quarters of a cup, it's a little bit of bird for a lot of calories.

Pizza Hut: Two slices of Thin 'n Crispy Cheese Pizza (200 calories per slice). The golden rule of pizza eating: Thinner crust and fewer toppings equal fewer calories (except vegetable toppings, which are virtually calorie free).

500-Calorie Dinners
Satisfying -- and slimming -- end-of-day meals.

McDonald's, Burger King or Wendy's: Plain hamburger, small fries (kid-size at Wendy's) and a diet drink (530 calories total). Don't be fooled by "healthy fish" choices. Burger King's BK Big Fish Sandwich is 565 calories! (For the record, the Original Whopper is 710 calories.)

Taco Bell: Go for the 7-Layer Burrito (530 calories), Cheese Quesadilla (490 calories) or try the Nachos Supreme (450 calories).

Arby's: Beef 'n Cheddar sandwich (480 calories). Skip the side orders here -- most are too caloric to fit into your diet plan.

Pizza Hut: Three slices with reduced-fat cheese (500 calories). It may not be on the menu, but they can do it -- just ask.

KFC: Original Recipe Chicken breast and a serving of mashed potatoes with gravy (500 calories total).

Boston Market: Meat loaf (310 calories) with potato salad (200 calories) or Marinated Grilled Chicken sandwich (470 calories, without mayo). Warning: Add in mayo, and whoosh -- the calorie count rises to 670. And adding cheese (as in the Meat Loaf and Cheese Sandwich) ups the count to 730 calories.

Caveats for Calorie Counters

When you're in a fast-food restaurant, everything is tempting. But beware of the following:

Condiments -- From mayo to salad dressings, these add major calories.

Croutons (a.k.a. deep-fried caloric wasteland) -- Innocent-sounding but lethal to your waistline.

Diet destroyers -- Boston Market's Turkey Bacon Club couldn't be that bad, right? Wrong! At 770 calories, it's a dieter's nightmare. Avoid caloric sticker shock by asking for the nutritional info beforehand.

Liquid (wasted) calories -- Research shows that juice and soda don't fill you up; drink water or diet beverages instead.

"Supersize" portions -- Don't be a victim of portion distortion. If you supersize any of the choices listed here, calories skyrocket.