Flame Broiler is a popular quick-service restaurant chain that specializes in build-your-own rice, noodle, salad, and protein bowls. With a focus on fresh ingredients and customized meals, many people view Flame Broiler as a healthier fast food option.
But is it really that healthy? The answer depends on what you order. Flame Broiler has a wide array of ingredients and menu items ranging from low calorie to very high calorie. To determine how many calories are in a Flame Broiler meal, you need to look closely at the specific ingredients and portion sizes.
Factors That Impact Flame Broiler Calories
There are several factors that influence the calorie count of a Flame Broiler meal:
- Base – Rice, noodles, salad, or no base
- Protein – Chicken, steak, shrimp, tofu
- Sauce – Teriyaki, spicy tang, yogurt, sesame, poke
- Toppings – Vegetables, cheese, avocado, egg
- Portion size – Regular or large
Choosing healthier options like salad instead of rice or noodles, grilled chicken instead of steak, lighter sauces, and more veggies will result in a lower calorie meal. Going for fried proteins, heavy sauces, cheese, and avocado will pack on more calories. And getting a large portion instead of regular will also increase calories.
Calories in Flame Broiler Menu Items
To get an idea of how many calories are in typical Flame Broiler orders, here is the calorie count for some of their most popular menu items:
| Menu Item | Calories |
|---|---|
| Chicken teriyaki bowl with rice | 540 |
| Steak teriyaki bowl with noodles | 810 |
| Shrimp poke bowl with salad | 460 |
| Tofu spicy tang bowl with veggies | 390 |
| Chicken teriyaki salad | 370 |
As you can see, calories range from 370 for a chicken salad up to 810 calories for a steak noodle bowl. The combination of ingredients makes a big impact.
How to Order a Low Calorie Flame Broiler Meal
If you are looking to keep your Flame Broiler meal on the lighter side, here are some tips for ordering:
- Choose salad instead of rice or noodles as your base to avoid extra carbs and calories.
- Opt for grilled chicken or shrimp instead of higher fat proteins like steak or fried items.
- Ask for light teriyaki or tangy yogurt sauce instead of heavy sauces.
- Load up on veggies like broccoli, carrots, cabbage, onions, mushrooms.
- Skip high calorie toppings like cheese, avocado, and egg.
- Stick to a regular portion instead of large.
- Drink water instead of soda.
Following these guidelines can help you create a Flame Broiler meal under 500 calories. For example, you could order a shrimp poke salad bowl with light sauce and lots of veggies for a satisfying low calorie option.
Typical Calorie Ranges for Flame Broiler Meals
While every order will vary based on exact ingredients, here is an overview of the typical calorie ranges for different categories of Flame Broiler meals:
| Meal Type | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Salad bowl with grilled chicken or shrimp | 350-550 calories |
| Rice bowl with chicken or tofu | 500-700 calories |
| Noodle bowl with steak or chicken | 600-900 calories |
| Burrito-style bowl | 700-1,000 calories |
As you can see, salads tend to be the lowest calorie options, followed by rice bowls. Noodle bowls and burrito-style bowls with more tortillas and heavy sauces are higher in calories. Keep these ranges in mind when making your Flame Broiler order.
Choosing Your Sauce
The sauce you choose for your Flame Broiler meal can also impact its calorie count. Here is how their sauce options compare:
| Sauce | Calories (per 2 oz) |
|---|---|
| Light teriyaki | 60 |
| Regular teriyaki | 100 |
| Spicy tang | 90 |
| Yogurt | 60 |
| Poke | 45 |
| Sesame soy | 45 |
The light teriyaki, yogurt, poke, and sesame soy sauces are lower in calories, ranging from 45-60 calories per 2 oz serving. Regular teriyaki and spicy tang offer 100-90 calories per 2 oz. To keep your meal lower in calories, stick with the lighter sauce options.
Calories in Flame Broiler Add-Ons
In addition to your base, protein, veggies, and sauce, any add-ons you select will further increase your Flame Broiler meal’s calorie count. Here are the calories for some popular add-on items:
| Add-On | Calories |
|---|---|
| Egg | 70 |
| Avocado | 114 |
| Cheese | 110 |
| Tofu | 120 |
| Wonton strips | 210 |
While items like egg, avocado, and cheese may sound healthy, they come with a lot of extra calories. Cheese and wonton strips are especially calorie-dense. Try to limit add-ons if you are watching your calorie intake.
Flame Broiler Side Dishes
If you want to include a side with your Flame Broiler bowl or salad, keep in mind that will add even more calories. Here are some of their side dish options with calorie counts:
| Side Item | Calories |
|---|---|
| Mandarin oranges | 70 |
| Side salad | 70 |
| Edamame | 190 |
| Mini tacos | 520 |
| Wonton soup (12 oz) | 175 |
Again, fried items like mini tacos and wontons will drive up calories quickly. Your best bet is sticking with the light options like salad, oranges, or edamame if you want a side dish with your meal.
Flame Broiler Kid’s Meals
If you are ordering a kid’s meal for a child, here are the calorie counts to help estimate their total intake:
| Kid’s Meal | Calories |
|---|---|
| Chicken teriyaki with rice | 310 |
| Steak teriyaki with rice | 350 |
| Chicken teriyaki with apples | 180 |
| Steak teriyaki with apples | 260 |
The kid’s meals with rice average around 300-350 calories. Ordering the fruit option instead cuts calories significantly. So for a lower calorie kid’s meal, choose the chicken or steak teriyaki with apples.
Flame Broiler Desserts
Dessert can quickly add calories, carbs, fat, and sugar to your meal. Here are the calorie counts for Flame Broiler desserts:
| Dessert Item | Calories |
|---|---|
| Ice cream sandwich | 330 |
| Chocolate chip cookie | 400 |
| Snickerdoodle cookie | 440 |
| Brownie | 370 |
As you can see, desserts at Flame Broiler range from 330 to 440 calories. While an occasional treat is fine, try to avoid tacking on a high calorie dessert to every meal.
Tips for Lower Calorie Orders at Flame Broiler
Here are some final tips to keep in mind for creating lower calorie Flame Broiler orders:
- Choose salad base over rice or noodles
- Pick grilled chicken, shrimp, or tofu for protein
- Ask for light sauce or sauce on the side
- Load up on non-starchy veggies
- Limit high calorie add-ons like cheese and avocado
- Skip fried side dishes and desserts
- Stick to water or unsweetened tea for your drink
- Opt for a regular portion instead of large
Following these guidelines can help you enjoy Flame Broiler’s customizable bowls, salads, and burritos while still keeping an eye on your daily calorie intake.
Conclusion
Flame Broiler offers a wide range of meal options ranging in calories. Bowls with rice, noodles, and heavy sauces can pack in 500-1,000+ calories. But you can also create lighter meals like salad bowls with grilled proteins and veggies for 350-550 calories. Pay attention to your base, protein, sauces, add-ons, and portion size for the greatest impact on calories.
While Flame Broiler is seen as a healthier fast casual chain, calories can still quickly climb if you are not careful. But by customizing your order with lower calorie choices, you can enjoy delicious, satisfying bowls and salads while maintaining your dietary goals.