What does ‘Food for All’ mean at Taco Bell?
At Taco Bell, when we say “we’re feeding peoples’ lives with unexpected good,” we mean it.
We make bold food you can’t get anywhere else. It’s food that ignites passion. It’s food you want to talk about. It’s food that you’ve got to have and can’t wait to eat again. And it always delivers more for your money.
For 15 years, we’ve been on a journey evolving our menu to provide food that’s customizable to fit your lifestyle and to leave a lighter footprint on the communities around us. We use ingredients that are simple to understand, without sacrificing flavor. Whether you’re looking for options that are vegetarian*, made without gluten**, high protein, lower calorie or fat, or in the mood for something indulgent, Taco Bell has food for all. Check out some of our favorite ways to eat Taco Bell for any lifestyle:
We believe transparency is key.
We’re not big on secrets. That’s why, we always make it easy to learn what’s in your food. Back in 2005, we were one of the first quick service restaurants to post full nutrition information and ingredient statements online. Since then, we have incorporated a (V) symbol on our menuboards in restaurants to remove the guesswork for our vegetarian customers and help them locate options that fit their lifestyle. We have also expanded our website to include allergen information and a nutrition calculator to help you find options and customize your own creations to fit your lifestyle and make an informed decision. Check out our online tools and resources:
We use high quality, sustainable ingredients.
For us, it’s not enough to offer affordable, craveable, innovative choices. It also has to be food you feel good about, made with ingredients you can understand. Over the years, we’ve made significant improvements to our food to offer you just that. While we continue to challenge ourselves to push the boundaries further, some of our biggest U.S. milestones so far include:
Simplifying our ingredients: We removed artificial flavors and colors and replaced them with natural alternatives, where possible, and we removed artificial trans fat and high fructose corn syrup.
Reducing sodium: Since 2008, we have reduced sodium across the menu by 15 percent, but we’re not stopping there. We’re pushing ourselves to reduce sodium further, for a total of a 25 percent reduction across the menu by 2025.
Sourcing sustainable palm oil: We have removed any unsustainable palm oil from our food and are committed to only sourcing sustainable palm oil moving forward.
Using 100% cage-free eggs: Whether you’re ordering eggs in one of our delicious breakfast burritos or ordering something else later in the day (including limited time offerings) that uses eggs as an ingredient, rest assured that we only source 100% cage-free eggs*** in all U.S. and Canada restaurants. We even received the Good Egg Award in 2020, awarded by Compassion in World Farming, for this very thing.
Sourcing quality proteins: We have been committed to sourcing chicken raised without antibiotics important to human medicine since 2017, and we are working to reduce antibiotics important to human medicine in our beef supply.
Offering better beverages: By 2022, at least 50% of our medium fountain beverages will be 100 calories and 20 grams of sugar or less. We’re working hard to achieve that goal. Interested in trying one of these better beverages? Try the Mtn Dew Baja Blast Zero Sugar or Pepsi Zero Sugar, in restaurants now.
To see all of our major milestones, check out our full timeline here. Or, for more details on a specific topic, check out our FAQ’s here.
Meet our registered dietitians
Passion for good food runs deep at Taco Bell. We have a hard-working team of chefs, food scientists, food safety and quality assurance professionals, and other culinary experts that make up our Food Innovation Team. Together, they are constantly collaborating and innovating to bring to life the next ‘big thing’ at Taco Bell. Within that team, sits our Global Nutrition and Sustainability Team, laser-focused on bringing balance, transparency, and choice to the menu. In short, they make creavable food better and better food more craveable while also using creativity to leave a lighter footprint on the communities around us.
Missy Schaaphok
Director of Global Nutrition & Sustainability
Missy seamlessly merges her passion for food and nutrition with a commitment to the environment. As the brand’s inaugural dietitian, she has introduced numerous menu items over the years, including pioneering the first certified vegetarian menu in the industry. Missy’s pivotal role extends to shaping Taco Bell’s innovative, sustainable, and craveable food and packaging. Leading global initiatives, she champions a lighter environmental footprint, spearheading programs dedicated to sustainable packaging and waste diversion.
Favorite Menu Item: Cantina Chicken Bowl (extra Purple Cabbage and Avocado Verde Salsa)
Marissa Baldry
Sr. Associate Manager, Global Nutrition & Sustainability
Marissa is the second-ever in-house dietitian at Taco Bell. Always cooking up something delicious and innovative in the test kitchen, she is the proud creator of the Black Bean Crunchwrap Supreme and Taco Bell’s first national Vegan menu item – Nacho Fries with Vegan Nacho Sauce. Restlessly championing efforts to offer quality and craveable food, she has led numerous ingredient improvement projects, including the commitment to offer better beverages and lowering sodium across the menu.
Favorite Menu Item: Black Bean Cheesy Gordita Crunch (add pico de gallo)