According to Business Insider, Culver’s is the United States’ second-favorite burger chain. If you’re trying to watch your diet and make healthier choices, does that mean you need to pass on Culver’s? Absolutely not!
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As a Registered Dietitian (aka the “nutrition expert”), I checked the nutrition stats for Culver’s menu and rounded up the seven best meals to order there. Don’t worry, I included one of their famous Butterburgers! (After all, the burgers are the reason Culver’s is second only to In-N-Out for burger chain popularity.)
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Before we dive into that list, a quick note about sodium (aka salt). Fast food and restaurant food are typically high in sodium, and if I considered the sodium content, it would be tricky (if not impossible) to find seven meals that are low in sodium.
For that reason, I consider the macronutrients (calories, fat, carbohydrates, and protein) but not sodium.
Now let’s dive in to the list!
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Chicken is usually a good choice when you’re eating out since it’s typically lower in fat (and saturated fat) than beef. They are a little bit higher in carbs and fat because of the crispy breading, but they’re still a solid pick.
Nutrition stats: 260 calories, 11 grams of fat (1 gram saturated), 21 grams of carbohydrates, 19 grams of protein
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If you’re in the mood for a sandwich, this is a really good option that is rich in lean protein. The grilled chicken is lower in fat than crispy chicken, and if you want to lower the carb content, you can remove the top bun and eat it open-faced, which will lower the carb content by around 20 grams.
Nutrition stats: 390 calories, 8 grams of fat (2 grams saturated), 44 grams of carbohydrates, 41 grams of protein
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The cod dinner comes with fries and coleslaw as the standard order, but I suggest skipping them to keep this meal more moderate in calories (the standard meal with sides is 1,100 calories and 60 grams of fat). If you’re looking for a healthier side, I suggest the garden side salad or steamed broccoli.
Nutrition stats: 550 calories, 30 grams of fat (5 grams saturated), 41 grams of carbohydrates, 29 grams of protein
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Like chicken, pork loin is very lean and is still a great source of protein. The pork loin comes as a sandwich on the menu, but I suggest skipping it since the breading on the pork loin contributes a decent amount of carbs. If you want to add a slice of cheddar cheese, it’ll add 80 calories and 7 grams of fat (5.5 grams saturated).
Nutrition stats: 360 calories, 16 grams of fat (1.5 grams saturated), 30 grams of carbohydrates, 25 grams of protein
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Culver’s has a respectable salad menu with four different entree salads. The Strawberry Fields salad is my favorite because it’s packed with protein (thanks to the chicken), is low-carb friendly, and is the lowest in saturated fat among all of the entree salads.
Nutrition stats: 400 calories, 22 grams of fat (4.5 grams saturated), 10 grams of carbohydrates, 41 grams of protein
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My second favorite salad after Strawberry Fields, the Garden Fresco Salad has grilled chicken, tomatoes, shredded cheese, and cucumber. If you skip the croutons, it’ll have 60 fewer calories and only 7 grams of carbs total.
Nutrition stats: 360 calories, 14 grams of fat (6 grams saturated), 17 grams of carbohydrates, 46 grams of protein
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Since #5 and #6 are salads, we need to look at the salad dressing options Culver’s offers. I’ll offer my top two choices next, along with their nutrition stats so you can choose the one that fits your nutrition goals.
(There are several other salad dressing options besides the two on the next slide, but many of them are higher in fat and carbs/sugar.)
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Culver’s Vinaigrette: This one is higher in calories and fat compared to the next pick, but is low in carbs.
Nutrition stats: 120 calories, 13 grams of fat (2 grams saturated), 3 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of protein
Ken’s Raspberry Vinaigrette: This might look like the best option calorie-wise, but it’s significantly higher in carbs from the sugar content.
Nutrition stats: 50 calories, 0 grams of fat, 12 grams of carbohydrates (including 10 grams of sugar), 0 grams of protein
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Let’s be realistic…you might love Culver’s for their famous Butterburgers, and I don’t want you to be disappointed with a lack of options for Butterburgers on this list.
There are several variations of the Butterburger on Culver’s menu, but I suggest keeping it simple with the single Butterburger to keep the calories and saturated fat in check.
(You can also eat it open-faced, and the burger will have around 20 grams of carbs, but I know that isn’t everyone’s jam, so I’m listing the stats for the standard order with the bun.)
Nutrition stats: 460 calories, 23 grams of fat (11 grams saturated), 39 grams of carbohydrate, 24 grams of protein
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Here are those meals again:
#1: Original Chicken Tenders (2 pieces)
#2: Grilled Chicken Sandwich
#3: North Atlantic Cod Dinner, 2 piece (no fries or coleslaw)
#4: Pork Loin (no bun)
#5: Strawberry Fields Salad
#6: Garden Fresco Salad
#7: Butterburger (single)
Can you guess which one I’d choose?
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I like the stats of the Strawberry Fields Salad, so that’s my top choice! If I’m not in the mood for salads, I’m going with the Grilled Chicken Sandwich.
How about you? Let me know in the comments!
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