What's the Healthiest Thing to Get at Cracker Barrel? A Comprehensive Nutrition Guide

November 6, 2025 •

4 min read

While Cracker Barrel is famous for its hearty, comforting Southern fare, health-conscious diners have more options than they might think. With a little insider knowledge, you can navigate the menu and build a satisfying, nutritious meal that meets your dietary goals. This guide reveals what's the healthiest thing to get at Cracker Barrel, from breakfast to dinner.

Quick Summary

This guide breaks down the best and worst menu items at Cracker Barrel, highlighting nutritious options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and providing expert tips for smart meal customization.

Key Points

Opt for Lean Protein: Choose grilled chicken tenders, rainbow trout, or catfish over fried options to reduce calories and fat significantly.
Customize Your Breakfast: Create a healthier breakfast by ordering egg whites, fresh fruit, and turkey sausage instead of calorie-heavy pancakes or biscuits and gravy.
Stick to Healthy Sides: The best side options are steamed broccoli, country green beans, pinto beans, and fresh seasonal fruit to maximize nutrients and minimize calories.
Control Dressings and Sauces: Always ask for sauces, gravy, and salad dressings on the side to manage portion sizes and avoid unnecessary calories, fat, and sodium.
Avoid Sugary Beverages: Skip the sweet tea and old-fashioned lemonade in favor of water or unsweetened iced tea to save a large amount of sugar and calories.
Be Mindful of Side Preparation: Some vegetable sides, like country green beans, are cooked with ham, and fried okra adds significant calories. Choose carefully or ask how dishes are prepared.
Plan Ahead: Check the menu and nutritional information online before you go to make informed decisions that fit your diet.

Navigating a restaurant menu, especially one known for comfort food like Cracker Barrel, can be a challenge for anyone aiming to eat healthily. The good news is that with some strategic ordering, you can enjoy a delicious meal without derailing your diet. This guide will walk you through the best choices for every meal, providing tips on customization and highlighting what to look for.

Best Breakfast Options

For many, Cracker Barrel is synonymous with a big, country-style breakfast. While plates piled high with biscuits and gravy or stacks of syrupy pancakes are tempting, several lighter options provide excellent fuel for the day.

Build Your Own Homestyle Breakfast: This is your most customizable and safest bet. Choose scrambled egg whites, fresh seasonal fruit, and a side of turkey sausage patties. This combination provides lean protein, vitamins, and fiber without excess calories and saturated fat.
The Egg Sandwich: Served on toasted sourdough with sliced tomato, this sandwich is a great, balanced choice, especially when paired with a side of fresh fruit or sliced tomatoes instead of the standard hashbrown casserole. Ask for the mayonnaise on the side to control fat content.
Apple n' Cinnamon Oatmeal: A warm and filling choice, the oatmeal is a nutritious start to the day. While it contains some sugar, it is far less caloric than pancakes or French toast. You can enhance it with a side of fresh fruit for added vitamins and fiber.

Healthiest Lunch and Dinner Entrees

When it comes to the main courses, focusing on lean protein and grilled preparation is key. The "Wholesome Fixin's" section on the menu is a great place to start your search.

Lemon Pepper Grilled Rainbow Trout: This is one of the best choices for a low-calorie, high-protein meal. The two boneless fillets are seasoned and grilled, providing a rich source of healthy omega-3 fatty acids with a pleasingly moderate sodium count.
U.S. Farm-Raised Grilled Catfish: Another excellent fish option, the spicy grilled catfish is low in calories and boasts a high protein count. It's a flavorful alternative to the deep-fried version.
Smoky Southern Grilled Chicken: Five grilled chicken tenders offer a low-calorie, high-protein option that's far superior to the fried version. Pair this with smart sides for a balanced plate.
Homestyle Grilled Chicken Salad: This is a great choice, but you must be mindful of the toppings and dressing. Ask for dressing on the side and limit the cheese and croutons to reduce fat and calories. The salad is packed with lean chicken and fresh vegetables.

How to Build a Balanced Meal

Cracker Barrel's emphasis on customization through side dishes is your biggest asset for building a healthy plate. Here's how to do it smartly:

Prioritize Lean Protein and Smart Cooking Methods

Always opt for grilled, roasted, or broiled proteins over fried, breaded, or smothered versions. This simple switch can save hundreds of calories and grams of fat. For example, choose grilled catfish instead of fried catfish, and grilled chicken tenders over crispy fried chicken.

Choose Nutrient-Rich Side Dishes

The side dishes can either make or break the nutritional value of your meal. Stick to the vegetable-based options and be aware of how they are prepared.

Best Side Dish Choices:

Fresh Steamed Broccoli: At only 35-40 calories, this is one of the best and healthiest sides on the menu.
Country Green Beans: These are a solid, low-calorie choice, but remember they are typically cooked with country ham for flavor.
Turnip Greens: Simmered with country ham, these provide vitamins, fiber, and iron. Be mindful of the potential sodium from the ham.
Fresh Seasonal Fruit: A naturally sweet and nutrient-dense side, perfect for breakfast or to balance out a richer entrée.
Pinto Beans: A great source of plant protein and fiber, making your meal more filling.
Coarse Ground Grits: When eaten plain, these are a relatively low-calorie and comforting side.

Mindful Beverage Choices

While Cracker Barrel's sweet tea and old-fashioned lemonade are tempting, they are loaded with sugar. The healthiest drink options are water, unsweetened iced tea, or black coffee. Skim milk is also a good choice if you're looking for extra protein and calcium.

Comparison Table: Healthy vs. Indulgent Choices

To illustrate the difference that smart ordering can make, here is a comparison of typical healthy and indulgent choices across the menu.


Item Category	Healthier Choice	Indulgent Alternative	Nutritional Impact Difference
Breakfast	Build Your Own (Egg Whites, Fruit, Turkey Sausage)	Country Boy Breakfast (often includes pancakes, fried eggs, and rich gravies)	Higher Protein, Lower Calories & Saturated Fat
Entrée	Lemon Pepper Grilled Rainbow Trout	Southern Fried Chicken	Lower Saturated Fat & Sodium, Higher Omega-3s
Salad	Homestyle Grilled Chicken Salad (dressing on side)	Homestyle Fried Chicken Salad	Substantially Lower Calories, Fat & Sodium
Side Dish	Fresh Steamed Broccoli	Loaded Hashbrown Casserole	Massive Calorie & Sodium Savings
Dessert	Fresh Seasonal Fruit	Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola Cake	Eliminates High Sugar & Saturated Fat

Conclusion: Mindful Choices for Every Meal

Eating healthy at Cracker Barrel is entirely possible with a bit of planning and mindful ordering. The key is to focus on lean proteins like grilled chicken or fish, pair them with nutrient-dense, vegetable-based sides, and control high-calorie add-ons like dressings and sauces by asking for them on the side. Customization is your greatest tool, allowing you to build a meal that aligns with your health goals while still enjoying the homestyle flavors Cracker Barrel is known for. With choices like the Grilled Rainbow Trout and a vegetable plate, you can leave feeling satisfied and nourished, not weighed down.

For more detailed nutrition information and to plan your next meal, visit the official Cracker Barrel menu page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, you can. A great healthy option is the Build Your Own Homestyle Breakfast with egg whites, turkey sausage, multigrain toast, and fresh fruit. This provides lean protein and vitamins while being lower in calories and fat.

The Lemon Pepper Grilled Rainbow Trout is one of the best low-calorie options, packed with protein and healthy fats. Other great choices include the Smoky Southern Grilled Chicken and the U.S. Farm-Raised Grilled Catfish.

Not all vegetable sides are prepared equally. While steamed broccoli is a top healthy choice, others like country green beans and turnip greens are cooked with country ham, which increases their sodium content. Avoid fried vegetable options like fried okra.

To make the grilled chicken salad healthier, ask for the dressing on the side and use it sparingly. Also, you can request to leave off toppings like cheese and croutons to reduce fat and calories.

For a low-carb meal, you can order the grilled sirloin steak with sides of fresh steamed broccoli, turnip greens, and/or country green beans. Another option is the Lemon Pepper Grilled Rainbow Trout with vegetable sides.

Cracker Barrel has very limited vegan options, as many vegetable sides are cooked with animal products like butter or ham. Truly vegan-friendly options include coarse ground grits (confirm prepared without butter), fresh fruit, fresh apple slices, or multigrain toast.

For a healthier meal, you should avoid most fried dishes, biscuits and gravy, loaded sides (like loaded hashbrown casserole), and high-sugar drinks like lemonade and sweet tea.