Canes is a popular fast food chicken restaurant known for its hand-battered chicken tenders. A standard 3 piece Canes meal comes with 3 chicken tenders, crinkle cut fries, Texas toast, and a drink. With so many delicious options on the menu, it’s easy to indulge at Canes without considering the calorie count. So how many calories are actually in a 3 piece Canes meal when paired with a lemonade drink? Let’s take a detailed look at the nutritional information to find out.
Calories in 3 Canes Chicken Tenders
The star of the show at Canes is the juicy, hand-battered chicken tenders. Canes offers chicken tenders in increments of 3, 4, and 6 pieces. A 3 piece tender meal includes 3 average sized fried chicken tenders.
According to Canes nutritional information, a 3 piece chicken tender meal contains the following calories:
| 3 piece chicken tender meal | 460 calories |
That’s a total of 460 calories just for the 3 piece main entree. The chicken tenders alone are fairly high in calories since they are fried in oil and battered. Luckily, the 3 piece is a reasonable calorie option for the amount of food.
Calories in Crinkle Cut Fries
Every Canes meal comes with a side of the restaurant’s signature crinkle cut fries. The fries are freshly cut, coated in salt, and fried until crispy.
A small order of crinkle cut fries at Canes contains:
| Small fries | 370 calories |
That’s 370 calories for the small fry side. The crinkle cut french fries contribute a large portion of calories to the overall meal due to being deep fried.
Calories in Texas Toast
What’s chicken and fries without the bread? Canes meals are served with a piece of toasted, buttery Texas toast. The Texas toast gives the meal some needed carbohydrates.
One piece of Canes Texas toast has:
| Texas Toast (1 piece) | 210 calories |
Coming in at 210 calories, the Texas toast adds a good amount of calories for a single slice of bread. The calorie count is elevated because the bread is slathered in butter and oil before toasting.
Calories in Medium Lemonade
To wash it all down, we’ll pair this Canes meal with a medium lemonade drink. The refreshing lemonade combines lemon juice, sugar, and water.
Here are the calories found in a medium Canes lemonade:
| Medium Lemonade | 230 calories |
The lemonade contains 230 calories for a medium size. Sweetened beverages like lemonade can tally up calories quickly with their high sugar content.
Total Calories in 3 Piece Canes Meal with Lemonade
Now let’s add up the calories in the entire Canes 3 piece tender meal when paired with a medium lemonade:
| 3 piece chicken tenders | 460 calories |
| Crinkle cut fries (small) | 370 calories |
| Texas Toast (1 piece) | 210 calories |
| Medium Lemonade | 230 calories |
| Total Calories | 1270 calories |
The total calories for a 3 piece chicken tender Canes meal with a medium lemonade comes out to 1270 calories.
That’s quite a high calorie fast food meal! The fried chicken tenders, fries, toast, and sugary lemonade all contribute significant calories that can quickly add up.
Nutrition Breakdown of 3 Piece Canes Meal with Lemonade
Now that we’ve calculated the total calories, let’s take a look at the full nutrition breakdown of this Canes meal:
| Calories | 1270 |
| Fat | 65g |
| Carbohydrates | 114g |
| Sugar | 32g |
| Protein | 47g |
| Sodium | 2510mg |
As you can see, this one fast food meal contains over half the recommended daily intake of fat, carbs, and sodium for most adults. The meal is very high in saturated fat and sodium in particular. However, it does provide a good amount of protein from the chicken.
Ways to Make Your Canes Order Healthier
If you want to enjoy Canes but make it a bit healthier, there are some easy food swaps you can make:
– Choose a 3 finger combo instead of 3 piece meal – removes Texas toast calories
– Ask for the sauce on the side and use sparingly
– Choose unsweetened tea instead of lemonade
– Opt for the small fry instead of the regular
– Add extra toast and skip the fries altogether
With some simple modifications, you can shave off up to 400 calories from your Canes chicken finger meal. Portion control is key when dining at this crispy chicken joint!
Healthiest Menu Items at Canes
If you want to choose the healthiest options at Canes, here are some of your best bets:
| 3 Finger Combo with Slaw & Unsweet Tea | 580 calories |
| 3 Finger Meal with Toast, Slaw & Unsweet Tea | 830 calories |
| 3 Chicken Finger Plate with Slaw | 710 calories |
The fried chicken tenders at Canes will always carry a good amount of calories. But by opting for slaw instead of fries, diet soda instead of lemonade, and watching portions, you can put together a lighter meal.
Is Canes Considered Healthy Fast Food?
At over 1200 calories for a standard meal, Canes is not one of the healthier fast food options out there. Menu items are deep fried and packed with saturated fat and sodium.
However, Canes does use high quality chicken breast meat that is never frozen. Some positives on their nutrition profile:
– Chicken is a lean protein source
– Meals are customizable
– Fruit options available for sides
– Fried foods not cooked in trans fats
While not incredibly nutritious, Canes is able to market itself as a “fresh” tasting option in the fried chicken space. Overall though, it’s best to consume these indulgent meals only occasionally in the context of a balanced diet.
Low Calorie Chicken Meals to Make at Home
To enjoy delicious chicken meals at home that are lower in calories versus fast food, try some of these easy recipes:
Baked Chicken Breast
Ingredients: chicken breasts, lemon juice, garlic, herbs
| Calories per serving | 230 |
Bake skinless chicken seasoned with lemon, garlic and herbs for a flavorful, lean protein meal. Serve with roasted veggies on the side.
Chicken Salad Wraps
Ingredients: rotisserie chicken, light mayo, celery, greens, wraps
| Calories per serving | 370 |
Shred rotisserie chicken and mix with light mayo, celery, onion, and mustard for a tasty chicken salad. Stuff into whole wheat wraps along with lettuce and tomato.
Skillet Chicken with Roasted Broccoli
Ingredients: boneless chicken breasts, broccoli, garlic, olive oil
| Calories per serving | 405 |
Top boneless chicken breasts with lemon and garlic, roast along with broccoli florets tossed in olive oil for a one-pan dinner.
Healthy Swaps to Reduce Calories
Use these healthy swaps to reduce the calorie count in any chicken recipe:
| Instead of frying….. | Bake, grill or saute in broth |
| Instead of batter….. | Use cornflake crumbs |
| Instead of white rice….. | cauliflower rice |
| Instead of heavy cream….. | fat free Greek yogurt |
With some simple substitutions, you can still enjoy juicy, flavorful chicken entrees at home while cutting back on calories, fat, and carbs.
Should You Have a 3 Piece Canes Meal Every Day?
The high amount of calories, fat, and sodium found in one Canes 3 piece chicken finger meal makes it very hard to fit into a healthy daily diet.
Eating these indulgent fried foods on a daily basis can have negative impacts on your health:
– Weight gain: At over 1200 calories, this one meal contains more than half the daily calories needed for many people. Eating this daily would lead to fast weight gain without immense exercise.
– Heart disease: The high saturated fat and sodium content raises risk for heart disease and high blood pressure.
– Diabetes: Frequent consumption is associated with an increased risk of developing insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
– Low nutrients: These fried foods are extremely low in nutrients. Daily consumption may lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
– Digestive issues: Greasy foods like these may cause frequent indigestion, heartburn, and other GI upset when eaten regularly.
– Decreased energy: All that fat and refined carbs can lead to an energy crash, compared to whole, nutrient-dense foods.
Conclusion
A 3 piece chicken finger meal from Canes with a medium lemonade drink tallies up to a whopping 1270 calories. While tasty, deep fried fast foods like these are high in fat and sodium. Consuming them too frequently can negatively impact your health and waistline. To keep your diet in check, enjoy these indulgent meals only occasionally and opt for healthier cooking at home. Focusing on lean proteins like chicken breast along with veggie sides will satisfy your cravings in a more nutritious way.
