When eating fast food, it’s important to know how many calories you’re consuming. Wendy’s Dave’s Single is a popular burger option, but how many calories are actually in the full meal? In this article, we’ll break down the calorie count of a Dave’s Single meal from Wendy’s to help you make an informed food choice.
Calories in a Dave’s Single Burger
The Dave’s Single burger on its own contains a significant amount of calories. Here is the nutrition information for a Wendy’s Dave’s Single burger (without cheese or bacon):
| Calories | 520 |
| Total Fat | 24g |
| Saturated Fat | 8g |
| Trans Fat | 1.5g |
| Cholesterol | 105mg |
| Sodium | 740mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 41g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2g |
| Sugars | 9g |
| Protein | 29g |
As you can see, a single Dave’s Single burger contains 520 calories. The majority of those calories come from fat (24g) and carbohydrates (41g).
The burger also contains a considerable amount of cholesterol (105mg) and sodium (740mg).
Adding Cheese and Bacon
You can customize a Dave’s Single burger by adding slices of cheese and bacon. Here’s how this impacts the calorie count:
Dave’s Single with Cheese
– 1 slice of American cheese: +50 calories
Dave’s Single with Bacon
– 2 slices of bacon: +90 calories
So ordering a Dave’s Single burger with cheese and bacon will add approximately 140 extra calories.
That brings the total calories of a Wendy’s Dave’s Single burger with cheese and bacon to around 660 calories.
Calories in French Fries Side
A Dave’s Single meal comes with a side of fries. Wendy’s French fries significantly contribute to the meal’s total calorie count.
Here are the nutrition facts for a small order of Wendy’s natural-cut fries with sea salt:
| Calories | 340 |
| Total Fat | 14g |
| Saturated Fat | 2g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Cholesterol | 0mg |
| Sodium | 270mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 48g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4g |
| Sugars | 1g |
| Protein | 5g |
A small Wendy’s fries contains 340 calories. Over half of those calories come from carbohydrates.
Beverage Calories
To make it a complete meal, a Dave’s Single is typically paired with a beverage. The total calories will depend on your drink choice.
Here are the calories for popular Wendy’s beverage options:
| Small soda | 150 calories |
| Medium soda | 210 calories |
| Large soda | 310 calories |
| Small Frosty | 330 calories |
| Medium Frosty | 500 calories |
| Large Frosty | 670 calories |
As you can see, a fountain drink can range from 150-310 calories depending on the size. A small Frosty already contains 330 calories.
To keep your meal on the lighter side, water or diet soda are smart beverage choices.
Total Calories in a Dave’s Single Meal
Adding up the calories in each component, here’s an estimate of the total calories in a full Wendy’s Dave’s Single meal:
| Dave’s Single with cheese & bacon | ~660 calories |
| Small fries | 340 calories |
| Small soda | 150 calories |
| Total Calories | ~1,150 |
A Dave’s Single meal with a burger, small fries and small soda contains approximately 1,150 calories.
The meal’s calorie count can be lower or higher depending on customization choices:
– No cheese/bacon: -140 calories
– Medium or large fries: +210 to 400 calories
– Medium or large soda: +210 to 460 calories
As a rough estimate, a full Wendy’s Dave’s Single meal ranges from 1,000 – 1,500 calories.
Daily Calorie Recommendations
To put this Wendy’s meal into the context of daily nutrition, here are some general calorie intake recommendations based on age and activity level:
Women
– Sedentary (little/no exercise): 1,600 – 2,000 calories/day
– Moderately Active (light exercise most days): 2,000 – 2,200 calories/day
– Active (exercise daily): 2,400 calories/day
Men
– Sedentary (little/no exercise): 2,000 – 2,600 calories/day
– Moderately Active (light exercise most days): 2,600 – 2,800 calories/day
– Active (exercise daily): 3,000 calories/day
As you can see, an entire Wendy’s Dave Single meal provides a significant chunk of the recommended daily calorie intake, especially for sedentary individuals.
For example, a 1,500 calorie Dave’s Single meal would provide 75% of the calories that a sedentary woman needs in a day.
Making Healthier Choices at Wendy’s
If you want to lighten up your Wendy’s meal, there are some simple tweaks you can make:
– Skip the cheese and bacon on your burger
– Choose a grilled chicken sandwich instead of a burger
– Opt for a side salad rather than fries
– Choose a small size fry or split them with a friend
– Drink water or diet soda instead of regular soda
– Sauces and dressings add calories, so ask for them on the side or skip them altogether
You can also balance out your meal by making healthier choices for the rest of the day. Some ideas:
– Eat a light breakfast and lunch before your Wendy’s dinner
– Plan for an active day with exercise built in
– Drink plenty of water and avoid liquid calories like juice, alcohol, soda
– Fill up on veggies and fruits for snacks
Conclusion
Wendy’s Dave Single meals can range from 1,000 – 1,500 calories, depending on size and customization options. For many people, especially sedentary individuals, this single meal provides over half of their recommended daily calorie needs.
There are ways to reduce the calorie count of your Dave’s Single meal, such as skipping high-calorie add-ons, downsizing portions, and choosing healthier sides and drinks. Water is always the lowest calorie beverage.
To maintain a balanced diet and calorie intake, enjoy Dave’s Single meals in moderation while also focusing on healthy eating and an active lifestyle for the rest of your day. Making small tweaks to your Wendy’s order and meal planning for the day can go a long way towards supporting your health and nutrition goals.
