Raising Cane’s is a popular fast food chicken finger restaurant that was founded in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1996. Their menu features fried chicken fingers, crinkle-cut fries, coleslaw, Texas toast, and Cane’s sauce. One of their most popular combo meals is the Box Combo, which includes four chicken fingers, crinkle-cut fries, coleslaw, Texas toast, and Cane’s sauce.
Calories in Each Item of a Cane’s Box Combo
To determine how many total calories are in a Cane’s Box Combo, we first need to look at the calorie counts for each individual item that the combo contains:
- 4 chicken fingers – 460 calories
- Crinkle-cut fries (regular) – 460 calories
- Cole slaw – 180 calories
- 1 piece of Texas toast – 150 calories
- 2.5 oz Cane’s sauce – 250 calories
Adding up the calories for each component gives us a total of 1,500 calories for the entire Cane’s Box Combo.
Nutritional Information for Each Item
Now let’s take a closer look at the detailed nutritional information for each part of the Box Combo:
4 Chicken Fingers
Raising Cane’s chicken fingers are breaded and fried in a blend of peanut oil and canola oil. Each chicken finger contains:
- 230 calories
- 14g fat
- 3g saturated fat
- 0g trans fat
- 55mg cholesterol
- 460mg sodium
- 16g protein
With 4 chicken fingers in the combo, the total calories just from the chicken is 460.
Crinkle-Cut Fries
Cane’s crinkle-cut fries are fried in peanut oil and salted. A regular order of crinkle-cut fries contains:
- 460 calories
- 19g fat
- 3.5g saturated fat
- 0g trans fat
- 0mg cholesterol
- 380mg sodium
- 7g protein
So the fries add another 460 calories to the combo.
Cole Slaw
Cane’s cole slaw is made fresh daily in each restaurant with shredded green and red cabbage, carrots, and Cane’s dressing. A side order of cole slaw has:
- 180 calories
- 16g fat
- 2g saturated fat
- 0g trans fat
- 5mg cholesterol
- 150mg sodium
- 1g protein
The cole slaw contributes 180 calories to the total combo.
Texas Toast
Cane’s Texas toast is a thick-sliced white bread that is lightly toasted and buttered. Each piece of Texas toast contains:
- 150 calories
- 8g fat
- 2g saturated fat
- 0g trans fat
- 0mg cholesterol
- 230mg sodium
- 3g protein
With one piece of Texas toast in the combo, it adds 150 calories.
Cane’s Sauce
Cane’s sauce is a tangy, peppery mayonnaise-based sauce that is made specially for the restaurant. Each 2.5 oz serving of Cane’s sauce has:
- 250 calories
- 27g fat
- 4g saturated fat
- 0g trans fat
- 65mg cholesterol
- 360mg sodium
- 0g protein
The Cane’s sauce accounts for 250 calories in the Box Combo.
Nutrition Summary
Adding up the calories from each item in the Cane’s Box Combo gives us:
| Item | Calories |
|---|---|
| 4 Chicken Fingers | 460 |
| Crinkle-Cut Fries | 460 |
| Cole Slaw | 180 |
| Texas Toast | 150 |
| Cane’s Sauce | 250 |
| Total Calories | 1500 |
So in total, a Cane’s Box Combo contains approximately 1,500 calories.
This makes it a very high calorie fast food meal option. The recommended daily calorie intake for an average adult is around 2,000 calories. So this one combo meal provides 75% of your total calories for the entire day!
Ways to Make a Cane’s Box Combo Healthier
While Cane’s Box Combos are delicious, they are very high in calories, fat, and sodium due to being deep fried and high in sauces. Here are some tips for making your Cane’s Box Combo a bit healthier:
- Ask for the crinkle-cut fries to be substituted with the side salad or green beans. This will cut around 400 calories.
- Choose 2 chicken fingers instead of 4 to cut the calories in half.
- Ask for light or extra slaw instead of the Texas toast to save 150 calories.
- Get the Cane’s sauce on the side and use just 1-2 oz instead of 2.5 oz.
- Share the combo with a friend so you eat half the items.
- Drink water or unsweetened tea instead of soda.
Making combinations of these swaps can help reduce the calories, fat, carbs, and sodium in a Cane’s Box Combo anywhere from 200-700 calories. While it’s still fast food, making it a bit lighter is better for your health.
Healthier Fast Food Options
In addition to customizing your Cane’s order, you can also choose some healthier fast food options in general. Here are some tips:
- Salads with grilled chicken, light dressing
- Grilled chicken sandwiches or wraps instead of fried
- Baked potatoes instead of fries
- Fruit or yogurt parfaits for dessert
- Sub sandwiches on whole wheat with lots of veggies
- Oatmeal or egg breakfast sandwiches instead of pastries
Choosing lighter proteins, whole grains, produce, low fat dairy, and avoiding fried and high calorie sauces can help make any fast food meal healthier. Portion control is also key – be mindful of not overeating foods even if they seem healthy.
The Importance of Exercise
While making smart food choices is important, exercise and activity levels also greatly impact your health and calorie needs. Someone who works out 1-2 hours per day can afford to eat more calories while still maintaining a healthy weight and fitness level. Here are some benefits of regular exercise:
- Burns extra calories to allow for more flexibility in your diet
- Builds muscle and strength
- Improves cardiovascular health
- Reduces risk for many diseases like obesity, diabetes, and cancer
- Enhances mental health and reduces stress
- Improves sleep quality
- Increases energy levels
Aim for at least 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity exercise, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise, along with at least 2 days of strength training per week. This level of activity confers the most health benefits according to research.
The Bottom Line on Cane’s Box Combo Nutrition
A Cane’s Box Combo contains around 1,500 calories, which makes it a very high calorie fast food meal choice. However, there are many ways you can customize your order to make it healthier, such as skipping the toast, decreasing sauce, ordering a salad instead of fries, and choosing grilled chicken sandwiches or wraps at other fast food restaurants. Combine smart fast food options with regular exercise, and you can still eat fast food on occasion while maintaining overall good health and nutrition.
