A Detailed Breakdown of Calories in a McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish Meal

A classic Filet-O-Fish meal from McDonald’s has been a go-to order for many looking for a lighter fast food option compared to burgers and fried chicken But just how many calories are you taking in when you get a Filet-O-Fish sandwich, medium fries, and medium drink? In this article, I’ll provide a detailed calorie breakdown of a standard Filet-O-Fish meal

An Overview of Calories in a Filet-O-Fish Meal

Based on nutrition information provided by McDonald’s, here are the calorie totals for a Filet-O-Fish meal with a medium Sprite and medium fries:

• Filet-O-Fish sandwich: 380 calories
• Medium French fries: 340 calories
• Medium Sprite: 160 calories

Total calories: 880

So in total, a standard McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish meal contains 880 calories. To put that into perspective, the recommended daily caloric intake for most adults is around 2000 to 2500 calories. So this one meal would provide over one-third of your calories for the day.

Now let’s break down the nutritional contents of each part of the meal.

Calories in a McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish Sandwich

The Filet-O-Fish sandwich itself contains 380 calories Here is the complete nutritional information according to McDonald’s

• Calories: 380
• Fat: 18g
• Carbs: 38g
• Protein: 16g

The majority of calories in the Filet-O-Fish sandwich come from fat (18g) and carbs (38g). The fat content is rather high compared to other McDonald’s sandwiches, coming mostly from the fried fish patty and tartar sauce.

The protein (16g) helps make this sandwich more filling than other options. The 38g of carbs also represent a significant chunk of the total calories.

Calories in McDonald’s Medium French Fries

A medium order of McDonald’s fries packs 340 calories. Here are the nutrition facts:

• Calories: 340
• Fat: 19g
• Carbs: 45g
• Protein: 5g

As you’d expect, the high calorie count is largely due to the fries being deep fried. The 19g of fat is actually more than what’s in the sandwich itself. The 45g carbs also contribute significantly to the calorie total.

Going for a small fries instead would cut about 100 calories off your meal.

Calories in a McDonald’s Medium Sprite

Finally, a medium Sprite from McDonald’s delivers 160 calories:

• Calories: 160
• Fat: 0g
• Carbs: 44g
• Protein: 0g

Being a soda, the calories come entirely from the 44g of carbs (in the form of sugar). A medium Coke or other soda would have right around the same calorie amount.

Opting for a small soda could save you about 60-70 calories compared to a medium. Or you could skip the soda altogether to cut even more calories.

How the Filet-O-Fish Meal Stacks Up

Compared to other McDonald’s meals featuring burgers or fried chicken sandwiches, the 880 calorie Filet-O-Fish meal is lower in calories:

• Big Mac meal (burger): 1020 calories
• Quarter Pounder meal: 1160 calories
• Chicken McNuggets meal: 920 calories

However, there are also lighter McDonald’s meals you could order:

• Hamburger meal: 670 calories
• 6-piece Chicken McNuggets Happy Meal: 610 calories
• Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad (without dressing): 280 calories

So while the Filet-O-Fish meal has fewer calories than most McDonald’s signature meals, there are lower calorie options available depending on your needs.

Ways to Cut Calories in a Filet-O-Fish Meal

If you want to reduce the 880 calorie count of a standard Filet-O-Fish meal, here are some tweaks you can make:

• Get a small fries (220 calories) instead of medium (340 calories)
• Choose a small soda (100 calories) over medium (160 calories)
• Opt for diet soda (0 calories) rather than regular
• Skip the tartar sauce (50 calories per packet)
• Order a side salad (15 calories) instead of fries
• Get an unsweetened iced tea (0 calories) for your drink

Just making one or two of those switches can potentially shave off 200+ calories from your meal.

Should You Eat a Filet-O-Fish Meal When Dieting?

At 880 calories, a Filet-O-Fish meal would be considered a high calorie choice for anyone closely monitoring their daily caloric intake. The meal would make up 44% of a standard 2000 calorie/day diet.

If you are following a strict weight loss diet, this meal would put a major dent in your daily allotted calories, making it tough to eat other foods throughout the day and still achieve a calorie deficit.

That said, ordering the meal with some of the lower cal modifications mentioned above could work it into most healthy eating plans in moderation. Getting a Filet-O-Fish every so often can be part of an overall balanced diet. Just be mindful of your total daily calorie consumption whenever dining at fast food restaurants.

McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish: A Lighter Fast Food Choice

While not exactly low-cal, the Filet-O-Fish meal does represent one of the lighter options at McDonald’s, especially when customized to cut some calories. The meal can be worked into a healthy diet, though probably not on a daily basis if watching your weight. Being aware of the approximate 880 calorie count of a standard medium Filet-O-Fish meal allows you to enjoy it guilt-free in moderation while still meeting your nutrition goals.