Culver’s is a popular fast food chain known for its frozen custard desserts. Custard is a thick, creamy frozen dessert that is similar to ice cream but contains egg yolks for a richer, smoother texture. Culver’s offers vanilla and chocolate custard, along with seasonal flavors that rotate throughout the year. Customers can order custard in cones, dishes, sundaes, shakes and concrete mixers. One of the most popular items on the menu is the single scoop custard cone. But how many calories are actually in one of these tasty treats? Here’s a closer look at the calorie count for a scoop of custard from Culver’s.
Nutrition Facts for Culver’s Custard
The number of calories in a scoop of custard at Culver’s depends on the flavor ordered. According to the Culver’s nutrition information guide, the calorie counts for a single scoop are:
| Custard Flavor | Calories per Scoop |
|---|---|
| Vanilla | 140 |
| Chocolate | 180 |
| Featured/Seasonal Flavors | 140-180 |
As you can see, a scoop of vanilla custard has 140 calories while a scoop of chocolate contains 180 calories. Featured or seasonal flavors may range between 140-180 calories per scoop depending on the specific ingredients used.
Serving Size Matters
It’s important to note that the serving size matters when determining calorie counts. At Culver’s, a standard child scoop of custard is 2.5 ounces while a regular scoop is 4 ounces. So the calorie counts listed above are based on a regular 4 ounce scoop. If you order a child size or something smaller than a regular scoop, the calories would be reduced.
Likewise, ordering a double or triple scoop of custard will increase the calories. Below are the approximate calories for varied serving sizes:
| Serving Size | Calories (Vanilla) | Calories (Chocolate) |
|---|---|---|
| Child Scoop (2.5 oz) | 90 | 115 |
| Regular Scoop (4 oz) | 140 | 180 |
| Double Scoop | 280 | 360 |
| Triple Scoop | 420 | 540 |
Factors that Increase Calories
Ordering custard in a dish, concrete mixer or sundae will also increase the calorie count. These items add extra ingredients like candies, cookies, sauces and whipped cream on top of the custard. For example, a regular concrete mixer made with vanilla custard adds roughly 200-400 calories depending on toppings. A turtle sundae made with two scoops of chocolate custard and all the fixings clocks in around 1,000 calories.
So while a single scoop of vanilla or chocolate custard is 140-180 calories, building an ice cream treat of equal scoops and lots of toppings can put you in the 1,000+ calorie range easily. It all comes down to customization and portion sizes.
Common Questions
Here are answers to some common questions about the calories in Culver’s custard:
Is the calories for chocolate the same as other flavors?
No, chocolate custard contains more calories than vanilla or other standard flavors. A scoop of chocolate custard is 180 calories while vanilla is 140. Other flavors are typically 140-150 calories per scoop unless they contain pieces of candy or cookies mixed in.
Does the type of cone change the calories?
The type of cone – cake, waffle, sugar – does not significantly alter the calories. A standard cake or waffle cone adds around 20-50 calories to the total. The extra calories come mostly from the cone itself rather than the custard.
Is the calorie count the same for custard in a dish vs cone?
Yes, the calorie count for a scoop of custard is essentially the same whether served in a cone or dish. The only time a dish would contain more calories is if toppings like whipped cream or fudge were added on top. But the custard itself has the same calories in a cone or dish.
How many calories in a concrete mixer?
The calories in a concrete mixer vary widely based on size, custard flavor and mix-ins. A small concrete mixer with vanilla custard and basic toppings has around 440 calories. A large with chocolate custard and candies/cookies can be 1,000 calories or more. The custard, mix-ins and serving size all impact total calories.
What about the calories in custard sandwiches and sundaes?
Like concrete mixers, the calories depend on the exact specifications. A basic custard sandwich made with 1 scoop of vanilla custard and minimal toppings has around 340 calories. Elaborate sundaes with multiple scoops of custard, sauces, candies and whipped cream can range from 500-1,200+ calories depending on the ingredients and portion size.
Health Impact of Custard
While custard from Culver’s certainly tastes delicious, it’s important to consider the health impacts of these indulgent frozen treats. Here is some information on how custard may affect your health:
High in Calories and Fat
The most obvious health concern with custard is the high calorie and fat content, especially for flavors like chocolate. Just one regular scoop of chocolate custard accounts for nearly 10% of your recommended 2000 daily calories. The saturated fat content is also significant, ranging from 5-8 grams per scoop. This can impact heart health and weight if consumed in excess.
Blood Sugar Spike
Custard is high in sugar, with up to 25 grams per serving. This can cause a spike in blood sugar for people with diabetes or prediabetes. The glycemic load from all the added sugar may cause cravings and energy crashes as well.
Lack of Nutrients
Custard itself provides almost no beneficial nutrients like vitamins, minerals or fiber. You are consuming empty calories and getting very little nutritional value in return. However, Culver’s does offer fresh fruit as a concrete mixer add-in, which can boost nutrition.
Portion Control is Key
The health impact of custard all comes down to portion control. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a small scoop of custard from Culver’s as an occasional treat. But consuming excessive calories, fat and sugar from multiple scoops, giant sundaes or frequent custard stops can take its toll on health. Practicing moderation is key.
Tips for Making Healthier Choices at Culver’s
If you want to keep enjoying the delicious custard at Culver’s in a healthier way, here are some tips:
– Stick to a kiddie or single small scoop
– Choose vanilla over chocolate to save calories and fat
– Skip the cone and get your custard in a cup instead
– Order your concrete mixer or sundae with just 1 or 2 mix-in items
– Ask for fresh fruit or nuts as concrete mixer add-ins instead of candy
– Share your custard treat with a friend or split into multiple servings
– Savor your custard slowly so you feel satisfied with less
– Drink water with your treat and avoid sugary soda
– Balance out the indulgence with healthier meals and snacks for the day
Conclusion
Culver’s delicious frozen custard can certainly fit into a balanced diet – it’s all about controlling portions and frequency. A single child or regular scoop every once in awhile is unlikely to have major health consequences. But going overboard on a regular basis can take its toll. By making smart substitutions, splitting servings and balancing out your diet, you can keep enjoying custard from Culver’s without going overboard on calories or fat. Moderation and variety are key when incorporating such decadent treats into an overall healthy lifestyle.
