Street tacos are a popular Mexican food that can often be found at taco trucks, restaurants, and food stands. They typically consist of a small corn or flour tortilla filled with meat, onions, cilantro, and salsa. While delicious, many dieters avoid street tacos due to their high calories and fat content. However, with some modifications, it is possible to enjoy street tacos while still sticking to a diet. Here we will explore if and how you can eat street tacos while on a diet.
Calories and Nutrition in Street Tacos
The calorie and nutrition content of street tacos can vary significantly depending on the type of meat, tortilla, and toppings used. Here is the typical nutrition information for one street taco (4-inch corn tortilla) with the following fillings:
| Filling | Calories | Total Fat | Carbs | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shredded Beef | 155 | 6g | 14g | 12g |
| Carnitas | 195 | 12g | 10g | 12g |
| Grilled Chicken | 140 | 2g | 15g | 15g |
| Chorizo | 170 | 12g | 6g | 8g |
As you can see, a single street taco ranges from 140-195 calories and contains 2-12g of fat. Most diet experts recommend keeping calories under 1500-1800 per day for weight loss, so 1-2 street tacos could fit into a reduced calorie diet. However, the fat and sodium content should be accounted for.
Tips for Making Street Tacos Diet-Friendly
Here are some tips to help reduce the calories, fat, and sodium in street tacos so they can more easily fit into a diet:
Choose lean fillings
Opt for leaner proteins like grilled chicken, shrimp, or fish rather than higher fat meats like chorizo, carnitas, or carne asada. Grilled veggies also make an excellent filling.
Use smaller tortillas
The standard street taco is served on a 4-inch tortilla. Choosing an even smaller 3-inch tortilla will shave off some calories and carbs. Corn tortillas are also lower cal than flour.
Load up on veggies
Fill your taco with lots of lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and other fresh veggies. They add nutrition, volume, and crunch with minimal calories.
Go easy on the cheese
Cheese ups the fat and calorie content. Stick to a sprinkle of cotija or feta instead of layers of cheddar or queso.
Choose salsa over creamy sauces
Tangy salsa has way fewer calories than heavy crema, cheese sauce, or guacamole.
Ask for dressing on the side
Getting dressing, sauce, and guac on the side allows you to control how much you use.
Avoid fried shells
Skip fried taco shells and chalupas which pack extra fat and calories.
Healthy Swaps to Make Street Tacos Diet-Friendly
Here are some easy ingredient swaps to make street tacos more diet and waistline friendly:
Greek yogurt instead of sour cream
Non-fat plain Greek yogurt has a rich creamy texture with fewer calories than sour cream.
Extra lean ground beef or turkey instead of regular beef
Makes the filling lower in fat and calories. Be sure to drain off any grease after cooking.
Chicken breast, shrimp, or fish instead of steak
Leaner protein options that are just as delicious in tacos.
Black beans instead of refried beans
Black beans have more fiber and protein than the high fat refried variety.
Guacamole made with low fat ingredients
Use non-fat Greek yogurt in place of some avocado for a lower calorie guac.
Cabbage shells instead of tortillas
Large cabbage leaves stand in nicely for tortillas when you’re cutting carbs.
Low Calorie Street Taco Recipes
One of the best ways to control calories and eat healthier is to make street tacos at home. Here are some healthier recipes to try:
Baja Fish Tacos
Ingredients:
4 ounces cod or tilapia fillet, grilled or baked
2 corn tortillas
1⁄4 cup shredded cabbage
1 tablespoon low-fat Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon low-fat mayo
Squeeze of lime juice
Salsa
Shrimp and Broccoli Tacos
Ingredients:
5 ounces shrimp, sautéed in 1 tsp oil
1⁄4 cup chopped broccoli florets, steamed
1 ounce shredded Monterey jack cheese
2 corn tortillas
Chopped tomatoes, onions, cilantro for garnish
Tex-Mex Turkey Tacos
Ingredients:
4 ounces 93% lean ground turkey, seasoned and cooked
2 corn tortillas
1⁄4 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons shredded lettuce
1 tablespoon shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend
1 tablespoon salsa
How to Fit Street Tacos Into a Diet
Here are some tips for fitting street tacos into your diet plan:
Portion control
Stick to just 1-2 small street tacos at a time. Split orders or tacos with friends.
Mind condiments
Watch your intake of high-calorie additions like cheese, guacamole, and sour cream.
Balance with lower calorie meals
If having street tacos for one meal, opt for lighter foods like salads, lean protein and veggies for remaining meals.
Account for calories
Factor the calories from your taco into your daily calorie budget. Adjust other foods to stay on track.
Don’t drink your calories
Skip high-calorie beverages like sugary sodas, juices, or alcohol which could put you over your calorie limit.
Hit the gym
Burn some extra calories with cardio or strength training to compensate for your street taco splurge.
Make it an occasional treat
While an occasional taco indulgence likely won’t derail your diet, they shouldn’t be an everyday thing.
Healthier Alternatives to Street Tacos
For those looking to further reduce calories, refined carbs, or fat, here are some healthier taco alternatives:
Taco salads
Taco meat, beans, cheese, guacamole, and salsa served over a bed of greens instead of in a tortilla.
Taco stuffed peppers or mushrooms
Skip the tortilla and stuff the fillings into a baked bell pepper or portobello mushroom instead.
Taco bowls
Fill a bowl with lettuce, lean taco meat, beans, diced tomatoes, onions, salsa, and a sprinkle of cheese.
Mexican chopped salad
Chopped romaine, grilled chicken or shrimp, corn, black beans, avocado, cotija cheese, cilantro-lime dressing.
Sheet pan nachos
Layer corn chips, chicken, veggies, beans, and cheese right on a sheet pan and bake until melted.
Conclusion
Enjoying the occasional street taco can absolutely be part of an overall healthy diet plan. Selecting lean fillings, loading up on veggies, controlling portions, and limiting high calorie add-ons allows you to satisfy your taco craving without going overboard on calories. Making tacos at home using clean ingredients is a great way to control what goes into your tacos. While street tacos shouldn’t be an everyday thing, the occasional indulgence won’t ruin your diet when eaten mindfully. Use the tips in this article to continue enjoying one of your favorite foods while still meeting your diet and nutrition goals.