Knowing what to order from your favorite fast food restaurants after committing to the keto diet can be tricky.
For example, if you previously loved ordering from Hardee’s, you may have assumed that you’d have to cut these meals out of your diet.
Hardee’s may have a lot of meat and cheese-based products on the menu, but many of these menu items contain carbs in the form of burger buns, toast, or hash browns.
With that being said, there are several Hardee’s menu items that can be incorporated into the keto diet (at least, in moderation), either as they are or with a couple of changes.
Remember, the guidelines for keto state that you should aim to eat less than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day, not 0 grams.
This means that you can still get some of the Hardee’s menu items occasionally, as long as you make sure you eat very low-carb for the rest of the day.
Here are 10 Hardee’s low-carb menu options for the keto diet that prove it’s possible to continue to eat your favorite foods while doing keto!
1. Bacon Egg And Cheese Biscuit
The bacon egg and cheese biscuit from Hardee’s is one of the best lower-carb menu items you can order from this fast food restaurant.
All the ingredients inside the biscuit are keto-friendly, being loaded with fats and protein while containing minimal carbohydrates.
Most of the carbs in the bacon egg and cheese biscuit come from the biscuit itself, and even then, you’ll be under the 50 grams of carbohydrates you need to stay in ketosis because this dish contains 44 total grams of carbohydrates.
Meanwhile, it contains 40 grams of fat and 20 grams of protein.
If you don’t want to have to strictly limit your carb intake for the rest of the day, you can even order this item without the biscuit.
If you’re ordering to your home, you can put the bacon egg and cheese filling on a low-carb bread of your choice.
2. Sunrise Croissant
The Sunrise Croissant is another popular choice from Hardee’s menu for those who want to stay in a state of ketosis.
Inside the sunrise croissant, you will find egg, bacon, and either ham or sausage, depending on what you specify in your order.
All the sunrise croissant variations contain roughly 29–30 grams of carbs, with the croissant, although if you remove the croissant, you’ll end up with just 3 grams of carbohydrates, so you can customize your order based on your eating plans for the rest of the day.
The sausage sunrise croissant is the highest in fat, with 40 grams in total. The bacon and ham croissants contain 26 and 23 grams of fat, respectively.
3. Loaded Omelet Biscuit
If you’re looking to load up on fat with minimal carbs at Hardee’s, you should consider ordering the loaded omelet biscuit.
This biscuit is filled with, as the name suggests, a loaded omelet.
The omelet has ham, sausage, bacon, and cheddar cooked into it, so it contains 24 grams of fat, 14 grams of protein, and just 12 grams of carbs if you order it without the biscuit.
If you decide to keep the biscuit, your order will contain 46 grams of carbs, so you would be very close to your total carb limit for the day.
4. Big Hot Ham ‘N’ Cheese
The Big Hot Ham ‘N’ Cheese is a favorite with many Hardee’s regulars, but it’s also one of the best menu items for keto dieters.
This menu item is a sandwich filled with Swiss cheese and sliced ham.
If you keep the bread on the sandwich, the order comes to 51 grams of carbohydrates, which is just over your limit for the day.
Since the sandwich contains 530 calories, which isn’t enough for a full day of eating, it’s best to swap the bun for a lettuce wrap instead.
Once you remove the bun from the sandwich, you’ll be left with far fewer carbs, but you’ll also get approximately 34 grams of protein and 20 grams of fat!
5. Hardee Breakfast Platter (Amended)
The Hardee Breakfast Platter is known for being a filling and satisfying start to the day, and it contains a lot of meat products that are perfect for keeping your fat (and protein) intake optimal for keto.
However, the breakfast platter comes with a few added items that aren’t suitable for keto, so you’ll need to omit some things when you order.
You can order the Hardee Breakfast Platter with either bacon, sausage, country ham, country steak, chicken filet, pork chop, or smoked sausage.
The bacon and sausage platters are the highest in fat (68 and 79 grams), but they’re also the highest in carbs (both contain 76 grams of carbs without anything removed).
The smoked sausage is the lowest-carb option without any omissions, but it also only contains 26 grams of fat.
If you want to keep your breakfast order as low-carb as possible, remove the high-carb parts of the breakfast.
For example, ask for the platter without the hash rounds and the biscuit with gravy. This should mean that whatever meat option you choose, you can stay within your allowance for carbs.
6. Double Cheeseburger
Hardee’s Double Cheeseburger is a no-brainer if you’re on the keto diet!
Even if you don’t remove the bun from the double cheeseburger, you’ll be within your carb limit for the day, since the burger contains 32 grams of carbs.
That leaves you with 18 grams of carbs to play with for the rest of the day.
The double cheeseburger is high in both fat and protein, with 19 grams of fat and 18 grams of protein. That comes from the two beef patties and melted cheese.
If you want to keep your carb intake as low as possible, however, ask for lettuce instead of a bun, and request that the pickles, ketchup, and mustard be removed as well.
7. Charbroiled Chicken Club Sandwich
The Charbroiled Chicken Club Sandwich is made with chicken breast and Swiss cheese, along with a couple of bacon slices.
Usually, the sandwich comes with a bun, but that would mean consuming 53 grams of carbs in just one meal.
So, instead, we recommend getting the club sandwich without the bun, opting for lettuce instead.
This way, you will still get the 36 grams of fat and 50 grams of protein from the chicken and bacon without all the added carbs and sugars.
Bear in mind that many of the other chicken options on Hardee’s menu are not keto-friendly because they are breaded.
8. Sausage And Egg Biscuit
Hardee’s Sausage and Egg Biscuit usually contains 44 grams of carbohydrates, which is very close to your daily limit for carbs when doing keto.
However, it also contains 50 grams of fat and 19 grams of protein.
This means that if you order the sausage and egg biscuit to your home and swap the bun for low-carb bread, or ask for lettuce instead of the bun, it’s a great breakfast option for the keto dieter!
9. Mushroom & Swiss Angus Burger
Hardee’s Mushroom & Swiss Angus Burger normally contains 53 grams of carbohydrates, which is more carbs than you should eat in a day on keto.
However, since it also contains 38 grams of fat and 36 grams of protein, it can be an ideal choice for ketosis and muscle growth with one simple adjustment.
When ordering the mushroom & Swiss Angus burger, simply ask them to hold the bun and replace it with a lettuce wrap.
That way, you’ll still get all the weight-loss benefits of keeping your fat intake high while reducing unnecessary carbs, and thanks to the strong flavor of the cheese, it will still taste amazing!
10. Frisco Breakfast Sandwich
Finally, if you’re committed to staying in ketosis, the Frisco breakfast sandwich could be an ideal breakfast option from Hardee’s.
The Frisco breakfast sandwich contains sliced ham, egg, and two kinds of cheese, all of which are ideal sources of fat for keto.
However, it is typically served on a biscuit, which means that the normal amount of carbs for this order is 42 grams.
While that is under the limit for keto, you should save some room to have more carbs throughout the day.
Therefore, we recommend swapping the biscuit for a lettuce wrap, or if you’re getting delivery, use your own low-carb bread alternative as a substitute, so you can get the 19 grams of fat and 24 grams of protein without worrying about cheating on your diet.
Final Thoughts
Hardee’s may not be the easiest place to find low-carb, high-fat menu items that are suitable for keto.
However, the good news is that you can adjust many of the items that are high in fat and also high in carbs to make them lower-carb and more keto-friendly.
If your menu item of choice comes with a bun or a biscuit, consider holding it and getting a lettuce wrap instead.
Avoid any sides of fries or hash rounds, too, and remove vegetables if needed.
