How Many Calories Are in a Culver's Kids Meal?

December 16, 2025 •

3 min read

Culver's kids meals feature a variety of options, and the total calorie count can differ significantly based on the choices made. For example, a kids' meal with a Corn Dog and Applesauce will contain far fewer calories than one with a Cheeseburger and Crinkle Cut Fries. Understanding this breakdown helps parents navigate the menu and select meals that fit their child's dietary needs.

Quick Summary

This guide provides a comprehensive calorie breakdown for various Culver's kids meal combinations, including entrees like the Corn Dog, ButterBurger, and Chicken Tenders, alongside popular sides, drinks, and custard. It offers comparisons and suggestions for assembling a more balanced meal.

Key Points

Variety of Calorie Counts: The total calories in a Culver's kids meal vary widely, depending on the specific choices made for the entree, side, and drink.
Entree is a Major Factor: Entrees like the Corn Dog (240 cal) or Original Chicken Tenders (270 cal) are significantly lower in calories than a ButterBurger® with cheese (460 cal).
Side Swap for Calorie Savings: Replacing Crinkle Cut Fries (240 cal) with Applesauce (50 cal) can reduce the meal's calories by nearly 200.
Dessert Adds Significant Calories: The free single scoop of custard that comes with every kids meal adds an additional 310 calories, a substantial portion of the total.
Build a Balanced Meal: To reduce calorie intake, choose lower-calorie entrees, opt for applesauce or a side salad, and select water over sugary beverages.

Calorie Breakdown for Culver's Kids Meal Entrees

Culver's kids meals are customizable, meaning the final calorie count depends entirely on the specific options chosen. The entree is typically the foundation of the meal and carries the most significant caloric weight. Culver's menu offers several kid-friendly entree choices, each with a different nutritional profile.

Popular Culver's Kids Meal Entrees

Corn Dog: A single Corn Dog kids meal contains approximately 240 calories.
ButterBurger® Single: The basic ButterBurger® kids meal, without cheese, has about 390 calories.
ButterBurger® Cheese Single: Adding cheese increases the calorie count to around 460 calories for the single ButterBurger® with cheese.
2 pc Original Chicken Tenders: The Original Chicken Tenders kids meal, featuring two pieces, is approximately 270 calories.
Grilled Cheese on Sourdough: For a non-meat option, the Grilled Cheese kids meal provides about 360 calories.

Nutritional Information for Sides, Drinks, and Dessert

Once the entree is selected, the choice of side and drink can drastically alter the total calorie count. All Culver's kids meals also come with a free scoop of Fresh Frozen Custard, which must be factored in.

Side Options

Small Crinkle Cut Fries: The standard side, a small order of Crinkle Cut Fries, adds approximately 240 calories to the meal.
Applesauce: A healthier side alternative, the Motts® No Sugar Added Applesauce, contributes only about 50 calories.

Drink Choices

White Milk (1% Low-Fat): A carton of 1% low-fat white milk adds 110 calories.
Chocolate Milk (1% Low-Fat): A more caloric option, the 1% low-fat chocolate milk, adds 160 calories.
Small Soft Drink: A small fountain soft drink can range from 0 to over 200 calories, depending on the soda choice.

Dessert

Single Scoop of Custard: The included single scoop of vanilla custard adds another 310 calories to the meal.

Comparison Table: Common Kids Meal Combinations

To illustrate how choices add up, here is a comparison of a few typical Culver's kids meal combinations, including a side and the standard vanilla custard.


Kids Meal Combination	Entree Calories	Side Calories	Custard Calories	Total Estimated Calories
Corn Dog + Applesauce + Vanilla Custard	240	50	310	~600
2 pc Original Chicken Tenders + Crinkle Cut Fries + Vanilla Custard	270	240	310	~820
Grilled Cheese + Crinkle Cut Fries + Vanilla Custard	360	240	310	~910
ButterBurger® Single + Crinkle Cut Fries + Vanilla Custard	390	240	310	~940
ButterBurger® Cheese + Crinkle Cut Fries + Vanilla Custard	460	240	310	~1010

How to Build a Balanced Kids Meal

For parents concerned about calorie intake, several modifications can help reduce the overall total. Opting for a lower-calorie entree or side can make a noticeable difference.

Choose a Lighter Main

The Corn Dog or Original Chicken Tenders are the lowest-calorie entree options.
Excluding cheese on the ButterBurger® reduces calories by around 70.

Swap Your Side

Switching from the standard Crinkle Cut Fries (240 calories) to Applesauce (50 calories) is a simple way to save 190 calories.
Some Culver's locations may offer a side salad, which is another lighter alternative.

Modify the Drink and Dessert

Choosing water over milk or soda is the most effective way to eliminate calories from the beverage choice.
Consider saving the included custard for a different day or sharing it to manage sugar and calorie intake. The vanilla custard alone adds a significant 310 calories.

For additional nutrition resources and detailed menu information, consult the official Culver's Nutrition and Allergen Guide.

Conclusion

Understanding how many calories are in a Culver's kids meal involves looking at each component individually. With entrees ranging from 240 to 460 calories and sides and drinks adding significant extra calories, total meals can vary widely. By making strategic choices, such as opting for applesauce instead of fries or water instead of a sugary drink, parents can create a more balanced and lower-calorie meal for their children while still enjoying the treat of a Culver's custard.

Frequently Asked Questions

The lowest-calorie entree choice for a Culver's kids meal is the Corn Dog, which contains approximately 240 calories.

A kids meal with a single ButterBurger and a small Crinkle Cut Fries contains an estimated 630 calories, not including the free custard. With the vanilla custard, the total is around 940 calories.

A lower-calorie alternative to the small Crinkle Cut Fries is the Applesauce, which contains only about 50 calories compared to the fries' 240.

Yes, a free single scoop of Fresh Frozen Custard comes with all Culver's kids meals. The vanilla flavor adds an extra 310 calories to the meal.

To make a kids meal healthier, you can choose a lower-calorie entree like the Corn Dog or Chicken Tenders, swap fries for applesauce, and opt for water or low-fat milk as the drink.

The Culver's kids meal Grilled Cheese entree on its own has about 360 calories. A full meal with Crinkle Cut Fries and vanilla custard would be around 910 calories.

Yes, different custard flavors have varying calorie counts. The standard vanilla custard is about 310 calories per scoop, while a scoop of chocolate is approximately 280 calories.