HEALTHY EATING TIP: Can You Eat Hamburgers on a Healthy Diet? Hamburgers get a bad wrap (excuse the pun.) They have a reputation for being fattening and unhealthy. In recent years, hamburgers have become synonymous with fast food, but they didn't start that way. Long before McDonald's, families enjoyed juicy burgers with their dinners, lunches, and picnics. Typically, they were not as big as the fast-food variety. So, do you think that hamburgers can be part of a healthy diet? The answer depends on whether you have control of the preparation process. According to our healthy eating classification, hamburgers are a medium volume, high-density food. In other words, there is enough volume to fill you up, but the calorie level is important. There are great ways you can enjoy this protein/nutrient-packed food without the unhealthy effects. You can make sure you are eating a healthy burger by making it yourself. This way, you can control the salt level, the calorie count (3 ounces of beef), the add-ons and the side dishes. The average fast-food burger has about 550 calories. With a whole wheat bun, you can make a homemade burger with about 350 calories. Of course, you have to skip the "special sauce." If you insist on eating a fast-food burger, pay attention to the calorie, saturated fat and salt levels.