These Are 14 Of The Healthiest Foods You Can Order At Cracker Barrel

If you want a reliably tasty meal, Cracker Barrel's got your back. The restaurant chain has been dishing up homestyle meals since 1969, and has grown from its first location in Lebanon, Tennessee, to a huge business that has well over 600 restaurants countrywide. However, it's fair to say that it hasn't made its name on the promise of healthy eating. That doesn't mean its menu is just full of items you should never order, though — and in fact, some items on the Cracker Barrel menu are more nutritious than you might think. For a restaurant that specializes in burgers, meatloaves, and pot roasts, there are some items on its menu that are delightfully light and wholesome. 

In this article, we focused on meals that are particularly low in nutrients like sodium, saturated fat, and sugar, to determine which items are the healthiest. We also looked at meals that balanced these low nutritional qualities with a fair amount of protein, to ensure that they were both healthy and satisfying, and meals that contained good amounts of particularly healthy ingredients like beans and vegetables. ‌

If you want a lean source of protein, you can't go wrong with grilled chicken breast, unless you're slathering it with fatty sauces to try and combat any dryness. Luckily, Cracker Barrel knows how to take this meat and fill it with flavor without making it unhealthy. Each portion of its Smoky Southern Grilled Chicken clocks in at 290 calories and has just 1.5 grams of saturated fat, which covers only 8% of your daily value. It also has no added sugars to boost its flavor, instead relying on its piquant seasoning mix to do so.

While the sodium content of this chicken dish could be better, at 720 milligrams it's not the worst in the world, and covers just under a third of the recommended daily limit of 2,300 milligrams. If you go for a pair of lower-sodium sides with your chicken, like plain steamed broccoli and some corn, it'll still clock in at a fairly reasonable amount for a full meal. To top it all off, Cracker Barrel's Smoky Southern Grilled Chicken delivers a whopping 28 grams of protein.

You can't necessarily rely on fish dishes in restaurants to be healthy: While the protein itself is a nutritious choice, they can often come lathered in butter or salty sauces that counteract its wholesomeness. That's not the case at Cracker Barrel, though. The restaurant's Lemon Pepper Grilled Rainbow Trout isn't fat-free, but with 3.5 grams of saturated fat and 14 grams of total fat, it still manages to remain relatively lean. It also gives you a generous amount of protein with 43 grams in total, and pleasingly provides just 610 milligrams of sodium.

That's all before you consider the benefits of the trout itself. Much of the fat in the dish comes from the trout's omega-3 fatty acids, which have a huge range of positive functions, including reducing inflammation and the risk of various diseases like cancer and arthritis. As well as this, trout is a great source of a few essential vitamins like niacin and vitamin B12. Its mild taste (which makes it a great fish for tacos) allows it to absorb all the peppery flavors, too. You can boost the healthiness of this dish even further by nailing your sides and opting for generous helpings of carrots and green beans, or a simple salad.

Cracker Barrel doesn't sleep on chicken tenders — but unlike other restaurants, it offers you a few different options in the name of health. Sure, it has crispy fried chicken tenders, but it also has its Grilled Chicken Tenders, which are far more reasonable nutritionally. The grilled version has just 270 calories, with the fried chicken tenders having more than double that amount. As adults are recommended to consume anywhere between 1,600 to 3,000 calories per day to maintain normal function, the grilled tenders will cover a modest, but substantial portion of those, and still provide 48 grams of protein.

The other nutritional aspects of this dish look even better to us, too. There are just 1.5 grams of saturated fat in the Grilled Chicken Tenders, compared to 6 grams in the fried version. When ordered grilled, this chicken has only 5 grams of carbs, instead of the 27 grams you get when you go for the breaded option. The most extreme difference, however, is in sodium. Cracker Barrel's Grilled Chicken Tenders hit you with just 620 milligrams, a pretty reasonable amount for a main meal. With the fried alternative you're looking at a whopping 2,140 milligrams of sodium — almost enough to cover your entire daily value.

If you're looking for a simple snack or a light bite, Cracker Barrel's chili is where its at — and ordering a cup of chili is a healthy way to sate your hunger. Cracker Barrel's chili cup provides 190 calories per serving, and 3 grams of saturated fat. While other restaurant chilis can be swimming in sodium, Cracker Barrel's version keeps things moderate at 560 milligrams per serving (granted, this amount could be better, but it could also be way worse).

What we love most about this chili, though, is the boost of protein and fiber it gives you. Each cup delivers 13 grams of protein and a generous 6 grams of fiber, thanks to the beans in its recipe. The addition of beans doesn't just provide plant-based protein and fiber, it also boosts your vitamin and mineral intake, delivering folic acid, iron, and magnesium. The fiber can also help you digest food more slowly, helping your blood glucose remain more stable, and the combo of fiber and protein will keep you satisfied long after your chili cup is empty.

Cracker Barrel's breakfast menu offers a wide selection of options, but if we're being honest, a lot of them are pretty unhealthy (you just have to take a look at its Stuffed Cheesecake Pancake Breakfast, delivering 26 grams of saturated fat and 2,240 milligrams of sodium, to see that). Thankfully, it has some lighter but still-substantial choices, like its Egg Sandwich. This simple sandwich consists of two eggs on sourdough bread, with a slice of tomato for a boost of extra nutrition.

The Egg Sandwich's 470 calories gives you a healthy amount of energy while still remaining moderate. Its 20 grams of protein will also cover a significant portion of the average US adult's requirement of 50 grams a day, with the combination of protein and low energy density from the eggs making them very satisfying. While there are 5 grams of saturated fat due to the eggs and mayo in the sandwich, if you keep an eye on your intake throughout the rest of the day, this amount isn't the worst thing in the world. Arguably the best thing about this sandwich, though, is its sodium content. With just 400 milligrams, it comes in at less than 20% of your daily value.

While Cracker Barrel might offer a range of hearty meals, sometimes all you want is a simple vegetable soup. Well luckily for you, it has that available. The Vegetable Soup Bowl is a refreshing meal that helps you hit your five a day while remaining light. Each bowl delivers just 170 calories, a mere 2 grams of fat, and no saturated fat.

Considering that it's made from veggies, the Vegetable Soup Bowl also has a surprising amount of protein, with 6 grams per serving. Although its sodium content could be better (each bowl will give you 720 milligrams), we're also delighted by the amount of fiber it packs into every portion — 5 grams, to be exact. This fiber is of course provided by the vegetables in each bowl, which also give you a load of vitamins and minerals. The combo of fiber and protein makes this Vegetable Soup more filling than you might think, and the balance of fiber to calories is pretty awesome. As it's recommended that you get 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories in your diet, this soup hits the fiber mark with calories to spare.

Chicken salads can either be the best thing on the menu, or an afterthought by the restaurant that ends up frightfully boring. At Cracker Barrel, though, it's the star of the show –- especially if you want a healthy meal. Cracker Barrel's Homestyle Grilled Chicken Salad features its flavorful smoky grilled chicken breast and cheese, croutons, a boiled egg, and of course a generous portion of fresh vegetables. It's also served with a side of crackers for a bit of extra crunch.

All of this adds up to a salad that's hearty enough to be a main meal, delivering 470 calories and 46 grams of protein. It also packs in loads of nutrients, thanks to the vegetables. The grape tomatoes, for instance, don't just provide a burst of acidity and sweetness, they also provide a load of vitamin C and valuable antioxidants, which can help to control inflammation. Although the Homestyle Grilled Chicken Salad does have a few downsides, with its saturated fat of 9 grams and sodium content of 920 milligrams being a little high, you can always make alterations. Ask for your order without cheese, which will reduce its saturated fat and sodium content, or opt to leave out the egg to bring the fat levels down.

In this life, sometimes you just need a big bowl of greens. Enter Cracker Barrel's Bowl of Turnip Greens, designed to satisfy that very craving. Each bowl of turnip greens provides 250 calories, and in that relatively small amount the restaurant manages to pack in 24 grams of protein, thanks to the traditional way Cracker Barrel cooks the greens, by adding shredded ham. It also delivers 10 grams of quality fiber, which goes a long way to the amount you should be getting per 1,000 calories.

Additionally, Cracker Barrel's Bowl of Turnip Greens also has 4 grams of saturated fat and 780 milligrams of protein. While this may seem a lot, it's worth bearing in mind that this dish is loaded with ham, which can be both incredibly fatty and ultra-salty, things could be much worse. Don't forget about the power of the turnip greens themselves, either. This veggie is absolutely loaded with vitamins A and C, which can help to keep your skin and hair healthy. They're also iron-rich and deliver a healthy dose of calcium, both minerals that you need to keep your body in good working order.

We tend not to think of hashbrowns as particularly healthy, and given that they're piles of potato fried in oil, that's very understandable. Somehow, though, Cracker Barrel has managed to produce a hashbrown dish that's surprisingly healthy. While its Loaded Hashbrown Casserole is certainly delicious, if you want something a little healthier, opt for the Hashbrown Casserole, which is one of its Country Sides and combines cheese, potatoes, and onions in a dish that has just 190 calories. Somehow, it also only has 3 grams of saturated fat, and 8 grams of fat in total.

You'll also be pleasantly surprised by its sodium content, with the side providing 350 milligrams, and it also has 5 grams of protein. There are also no sugars to be seen in this casserole, and while its fiber content is small at just 2 grams, it's better than nothing. Don't write the potatoes in this dish off, either. Potatoes have a fairly bad rep nutritionally, but these tubers are loaded with vitamin C, which can have a powerful antioxidant effect. They also have lots of potassium, helping to keep your muscles and nervous system ticking along nicely.

Catfish can be somewhat hit and miss in restaurants, and all too often it comes covered in batter and deep-fried. While that's certainly delicious — and Cracker Barrel also has a fried catfish dish that covers those fried food cravings — sometimes you just want something a little lighter. Enter the restaurant's U.S. Farm-Raised Grilled Catfish, a spicy combo of two grilled catfish fillets that's low in fat and high in protein.

Each order of the grilled catfish comes in at 260 calories (bearing in mind that any sides you get will raise this), and has just 3 grams of saturated fat. Protein-wise, you get 38 grams per portion. Cracker Barrel doesn't succumb to the temptation of filling its seasoning blend with salt, either, and there's just 650 milligrams in each serving.

Bear in mind, of course, that these values will get higher if you're opting for certain sides, so if you want to keep things healthy it's best to go for vegetable-based options. It's also worth remembering that Cracker Barrel makes an incredible number of buttermilk biscuits every day and each meal includes one or two, however, they will add fat and sodium. Each biscuit, for instance, has 369 milligrams of sodium and 5.5 grams of fat, so be sure to account for that in your meal.

Don't have the energy to make a full roast beef dinner? Head to Cracker Barrel and have the chefs there make it for you. The bonus of doing this is that its Roast Beef is surprisingly healthy. Each portion clocks in at 480 calories and gives you a whopping 45 grams of protein. Although its sodium is a little high at 780 milligrams, it's good to see that there's no sugar in it, an ingredient that can often be added to savory dishes as a flavor enhancer.

One thing we should point out with this dish is that its saturated fat content is a little higher than we'd like. At 12 grams, it covers 60% of your daily value for the nutrient. Having said this, it has less saturated fat than Cracker Barrel's Meatloaf, and almost half the sodium of its Chicken Fried Steak, making it, in our opinion, the best beef choice on the menu. Opting for some low-fat sides for this dish, like coarse grits and country green beans, will ensure that you don't make it a meal that's too fatty.

Cracker Barrel does biscuits well, and it knows when to employ them. As such, its breakfast menu is pretty biscuit-heavy, with the Biscuit Breakfast (how many more times can we say biscuit in a sentence?) being a real cornerstone. Luckily, this option is also pretty healthy. In its most basic form, a Biscuit Breakfast has just 300 calories, 13 grams of protein, and 620 milligrams of sodium. Apart from the Egg Sandwich, it's by far the healthiest choice of the Sunrise Specials.

Understandably, though, not everyone will find the Biscuit Breakfast that satisfying. So if you want to add a little more substance, order it with a side of egg whites. These will add no fat to your dish, but they will give you 11 grams of quality protein and just 230 milligrams of sodium. If you're craving meat with your biscuits, opting for some thick-slice bacon is a good way to gain protein without a huge amount of sodium — although bear in mind that it will still add 460 milligrams to your dish.

Want something sweet after your dessert? Sure you do; everyone does. However, it's probably not gonna shock you to hear that if you want that to happen, you'll have to put up with a little sugar. Cracker Barrel's menu doesn't buck the trend here, and the truth is that its desserts are pretty sugary — but if you're going to order one, opt for the Peach Cobbler.

We'll just get it out of the way and tell you that the Peach Cobbler does have 37 grams of sugar, but by every other metric its nutritional content doesn't look too unhealthy. Its 4.5 grams of saturated fat is half of that of the Biscuit Beignets on the menu, and less than half of that in the Double Fudge Coca-Cola Cake, which has 10 grams. It also only has 220 milligrams of sodium, again lower than both of the other options on the dessert menu. Plus, it has the advantage of having fresh fruit in it, with its peaches providing a host of vitamins and minerals. Naturally, we're not gonna lie to you and say that this peach cobbler is totally healthy, but as far as desserts go, this is the one to order.

When all else fails, go for the salad. Okay, so that may not be a phrase we live by, but at Cracker Barrel it's kinda true — its House Salad is fresh, healthy, and surprisingly filling, thanks to its bacon pieces and cheese. Each portion is 260 calories and gives you 12 grams of protein. It also has a useful 3 grams of fiber, and 600 milligrams of sodium.

As it's a salad, it's also likely no surprise that it contains tons of fresh vegetables, with lettuce, cucumber, and grape tomatoes all making an appearance. If you want to keep things on the lighter side, ordering this salad with a balsamic herb vinaigrette is a healthy option, as it has just 2 grams of saturated fat. Leaving out the cheese, croutons, or bacon will also reduce its calories and fat, and adding a hard-boiled egg will boost its protein content and make it more filling.