I saw an article about Buffalo Wild Wings, and I wondered if there was anything keto there. We don’t have these franchises in Eastern Canada (yet) so it’s not something I was familiar with. Apparently, they do have some in Ontario and Alberta. Figures – they get everything. That being said, they appear to be very popular so I thought I’d look into them. It turns out that you can stay on keto at Buffalo Wild Wings.
The History of Buffalo Wild Wings
Jim Disbrow and Scott Lowery founded their first restaurant in 1982. They had recently moved to Ohio and couldn’t find Buffalo-style wings. So, they made some. They called the restaurant Buffalo Wild Wings and Weck (bw-3).
It wasn’t long until others caught on to their flavourful wings, and their first franchise location opened in 1992. In 1998, they rebranded to Buffalo Wild Wings. Then in 2011, they opened their first Canadian franchise (note – not in Nova Scotia). Today, they are a part of the Inspire Brands and share resources with companies such as Arby’s, Baskin-Robbins, and Jimmy John’s.
Are the Chicken Wings Keto at Buffalo Wild Wings?
The regular, bone-in chicken wings are not breaded. The boneless wings are breaded, so are not keto-friendly. Buffalo Wild Wings fries their wings in beef tallow, which is very keto-friendly. A medium order has 0 grams of carbs. So, yes, the bone-in, regular wings are keto-friendly.
That being said, a medium order of wings has 1010 calories. Now, I know many people don’t worry about calories on keto, but I feel like you should be aware that this would be a treat and not a regular option if you want to lose weight. I am maintaining my weight, and try to stick to about 1500-1600 calories a day, so if I ate at Buffalo Wild Wings, my carbs would be fine but I wouldn’t eat much else for the rest of the day.
Keto Dry Seasonings
You have many options for dry seasonings. The Buffalo and Chipotle BBQ seasonings each have 2 grams of carbs. Desert Heat, lemon pepper, and salt and vinegar dry seasonings have 1 net carb each. Seeing as it is called Buffalo Wild Wings, I’d probably splurge for the Buffalo dry seasoning.
Are the Sauces Keto at Buffalo Wild Wings?
You do have some options here. The hot sauce, medium sauce, and mild sauce for a medium size order of wings each have 3 net grams of carbs. Nashville hot, wild, and spicy garlic sauces are a bit more at 4 net grams of carbs. The parmesan garlic sauce has 5 net grams of carbs. If you stick to the basics, you can keep it very keto-friendly.
What about Sides that are Keto at Buffalo Wild Wings?
Sides are usually where restaurants fall down for keto-people. But there are some good options here. You can get 5 celery sticks with just 1 gram of net carbs. The carrot and celery combo comes with 5 sticks in total for only 2 grams of net carbs. If you’re craving the sweetness of carrots, this could be a good option for you. You can also get a 2 ounce serving of either bleu cheese dressing or ranch dressing for 2 grams of net carbs each.
Other Options
This restaurant does offer hamburgers and sandwiches that you could get without the bread options. It begs the question, why would you go to a wing place for anything other than wings? But it is an option. Just be sure to ask questions about any condiments and sauces.
My Recommendations on Eating Keto at Buffalo Wild Wings
So, I would likely get a medium order of wings. I wouldn’t bother with a dry rub, as I enjoy the wings are they are. I would start out with a mild sauce, as I don’t like things too spicy. Although, I have found since I gave up sugar that I appreciate the flavour of spice, but I still don’t like too much heat. To cool things down a little, I’d get the celery sticks with ranch dressing. A grand total of 6 grams of net carbs. That’s pretty good for a full meal!
So, if Buffalo Wild Wings ever comes to my neck of the woods, I will likely be a regular. Until then, I’ll just have to plan a trip to the States to try them out!
Wendy
