Healthy Meals to Order at Steak 'n Shake

Steak 'n Shake's Egg 'n Cheese Biscuit sandwich packs nearly a day's worth of saturated fat, while the Sausage 'n Egg Biscuit has more sodium than 62 Funyuns. For a fraction of the calories, fat and salt, you can start your morning off right with two Potato 'n Egg breakfast tacos (which come with a delicious fresh salsa) and a side of applesauce.

Best Burger

In the restaurant word "specialty" means excess calories and fat, and that rule certainly holds true at Steak 'n Shake. Steer clear of the chain's Specialty Steakburgers—the souped-up options with extra fixings—and order the Single Steakburger instead. It's the only burger on the menu that isn't laced with trans fat—the dangerous man-made chemical that has been shown to increases the odds of dying from any cause by up to 24 percent. Word of warning: Make sure your server holds the cheese. That's where the trans-fat appears to be hiding out.

Best Combo

If a cheese-free burger sounds less than delectable, opt for a spicy, dairy-topped Chipotle Shooter. It's small enough that it carries less than a half-gram of trans fat (which is why the chain can claim it's free of the additive), which isn't ideal, but better than the bigger, more fat-laden alternative. Add on a small garden salad to round out and boost the satiety factor of your meal.

Best Chicken

Okay, so chicken nuggets aren't exactly a health food, but if you're in the mood for fried chicken, picking this over the chain's spicy fried chicken sandwich will save you 90 calories and 300 milligrams of sodium.

Best Sandwich

Though this chicken-, veggie- and mayo- packed sandwich is lacking in the fiber department, its mega protein content is sure to keep you satiated until your next meal. This sandwich also serves up 60 percent of the day's iron, a supernutrient that most of us, particularly women, don't get enough of. Being short on iron slows your calorie burn, zaps your energy and makes it more difficult to fight off germs.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

Best Salad

Opting for this bed of greens over the chain's Taco Salad with Grilled Chicken will save you 270 calories and nearly 33 grams of heart-harming fat. It's filled with grilled chicken, lettuce, carrots, red cabbage, tomatoes (one of our favorite healthy foods that comes with a laundry list of benefits), Cheddar-jack cheese, croutons and your choice of dressing. We like the Berry Balsamic variety because it's low in calories and sodium, but still provides a sweet and satisfying flavor.