Cracker Barrel is an American chain restaurant founded in 1969. The food is traditional southern food. It appears to just be in the United States, so we’ll only use this research if we go to the States, but for all you American readers, this one is for you. Can you eat keto at Cracker Barrel?
Why Eat Keto at Cracker Barrel?
In the early 1990’s there was some controversy with this chain. The founder and CEO, Dan Evins, instituted an official company policy that banned establishments from hiring anyone whose “sexual preferences fail to demonstrate normal heterosexual values.” Are you kidding me??? Happily, there was a massive public backlash from this policy and a large amount of shareholders threatened to vote out the entire upper management. They quickly reversed their policy.
Eating Breakfast That is Keto at Cracker Barrel
I have to say that the nutritional guide for Cracker Barrel is quite easy to use. There are lots of breakfast options here. You can get bacon and eggs all day long. The bacon has 0 net carbs and the eggs have 2 net carbs for 2. For two smoked sausage patties, it’s 2 net carbs. They have a sugar cured ham, which only has 2 net carbs for 8 ounces. If you don’t have to worry about your blood sugars spiking, this could be a yummy options. However, their country ham has 9 net carbs. I don’t quite understand how the sugar cured ham is the better option, but who am I to argue?
The sides include tomato slices, with one net carb per serving. They also have 2 slices of American cheese for 1 carb or colby cheese shreds that they put in eggs for also 1 net gram of carbs. They have real butter, which of course has 0 grams of carbs.
If you’re feeling that you need a sweet treat, they do have sugar free syrup that has 4 grams of carbs. Fresh strawberries are also an option for 5 net grams of carbs. And they have chocolate whipped cream that has 7 net grams of carbs.
Lunch and Dinner Options
For the main protein part of your dish, you have many options. Roast beef is a bit carb-heavy at 10 grams of carbs. You can get 6 grilled chicken tenders for 5 net grams of carbs. The lemon pepper grilled rainbow trout has 6 grams of net carbs. But, you can have the grilled catfish (2 filets) or the steak sirloin tips for 1 gram of net carbs each. And the smokey southern grilled chicken has 0 grams of carbs. They also have a hamburger steak with garlic butter that is only 1 gram of net carbs.
But what about the sides? Cracker Barrel actually has some good options! They have green beans for 4 net grams of carbs. Steamed broccoli is also an option at 2 net grams of carbs. Turnip greens, a bit of a different side option, also has just 2 net grams of carbs. Best of all, they have a cheese sauce you can have on the veggies for just an additional 2 grams of carbs.
The Sauces that are Keto at Cracker Barrel
They have three salad dressings that are 2 net grams of carbs: blue cheese, buttermilk ranch, and dill pickle ranch. Now, you know I hate dill pickle, so the buttermilk ranch would be my jam! Their tartar sauce also has 2 net grams of carbs. And they have sour cream for just 1 gram of carbs.
The south is well known for their gravy, and Cracker Barrel has options for keto people. The turkey gravy and brown gravy each have 2 grams of net carbs. The sawmill gravy has 3 grams. I’m not from the south, so I’m not sure what sawmill gravy is, but I’d give it a go!
A Final Look at Cracker Barrel
What would I get? Well, the easy thing for people on keto is always breakfast. But, with so many options for lunch, I think I’d go for something more substantial! I’d go with the grilled chicken and get a side of broccoli and cheese sauce. Sounds good! When do we leave for a road trip?
Wendy
