When trying to eat healthy and watch your calorie intake, breakfast can be one of the most challenging meals. Fast food breakfast options are notoriously high in calories, fat, and sugar. However, with some research and menu savvy, it is possible to find reasonably nutritious breakfast choices at fast food restaurants like Wendy’s. This article will explore Wendy’s breakfast menu in detail to determine which item contains the fewest calories, making it a relatively smart option for calorie-counters.
Overview of Wendy’s Breakfast Menu
Wendy’s debuted their nationwide breakfast menu in early 2020. They offer a variety of breakfast sandwiches, biscuits, sides, and beverages. Here is a quick overview of their main breakfast offerings:
Breakfast Sandwiches
– Bacon, Egg & Swiss Croissant – 370 calories
– Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit – 400 calories
– Breakfast Baconator – 660 calories
– Sausage, Egg & Swiss Croissant – 300 calories
– Sausage, Egg & Swiss Croissant – 300 calories
Breakfast Sides
– Hash Browns – 150 calories
– Bacon – 60 calories (per slice)
– Sausage – 170 calories (per patty)
– Oatmeal – 300 calories
Breakfast Beverages
– Small Hot Coffee – 5 calories
– Small Iced Coffee – 115 calories
– Small Frozen Coffee – 140 calories
– Small Orange Juice – 210 calories
The Lowest Calorie Wendy’s Breakfast Items
After reviewing the complete Wendy’s breakfast menu and nutrition facts, these appear to be the lowest calorie options in each category:
Lowest Calorie Breakfast Sandwich: Sausage, Egg & Swiss Croissant
At just 300 calories, the Sausage, Egg & Swiss Croissant is the lowest calorie breakfast sandwich choice on Wendy’s menu. It contains a sausage patty, egg, and Swiss cheese on a flaky baked croissant.
While 300 calories is still fairly high for a single breakfast sandwich, it’s over 100 calories less than sandwiches like the Bacon, Egg & Swiss Croissant or the Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit. Choosing the Sausage, Egg & Swiss Croissant is an easy way to shave off calories compared to most of Wendy’s breakfast sandwiches.
Lowest Calorie Breakfast Side: Small Hash Browns
The Wendy’s breakfast menu offers a few different a la carte sides like hash browns, oatmeal, and sausage. The clear lowest calorie choice is a small order of hash browns, containing just 150 calories.
Hash browns make a nice lighter pairing with any of Wendy’s breakfast sandwiches instead of opting for a starchy biscuit or carb-heavy oatmeal. You can create a more balanced 450 calorie breakfast by pairing the 300 calorie Sausage, Egg & Swiss Croissant with an order of 150 calorie hash browns.
Lowest Calorie Breakfast Beverage: Small Hot Coffee
When it comes to Wendy’s breakfast beverages, you’ll get the least amount of calories from a small hot coffee. At only 5 calories for a small cup, black coffee is the obvious lowest calorie choice compared to creamy, sugary drinks like a Frozen Coffee (140 calories) or Orange Juice (210 calories).
Starting your day with a small plain black coffee from Wendy’s allows you to get that caffeine fix without adding a significant amount of calories. If you like to add cream and sugar, doing so in moderation will keep your coffee relatively low calorie.
Creating a Low Calorie Wendy’s Breakfast
Eating reasonably healthy at Wendy’s for breakfast is definitely possible by making smart menu selections. Here are some tips for creating a lower calorie Wendy’s breakfast:
– Choose the Sausage, Egg & Swiss Croissant sandwich (300 calories)
– Opt for a small hash brown side (150 calories) instead of biscuit or oatmeal
– Drink a small black coffee (5 calories) or coffee with modest amounts of cream/sugar
– Avoid sugary beverages like juice, sodas, and creamy frozen coffees
– Don’t opt for doubling the sandwich meat or cheese
– Skip the condiment station cream cheese, butter, and syrups
This combination would give you a 455 calorie Wendy’s breakfast of sandwich, side, and coffee. While not incredibly low-calorie, it’s certainly better than most combo breakfasts which can easily top 600-700+ calories. You can further reduce the calories by removing the croissant and eating the sandwich fillings with a fork over the hash browns.
Healthier Menu Substitutions
In addition to choosing lower calorie menu items, you can make a few simple substitutions to further improve the nutrition at Wendy’s breakfast:
– Substitute turkey sausage instead of pork sausage
– Order egg whites instead of whole eggs
– Choose wheat or multigrain toast over croissants
– Opt for avocado spread instead of cheese
– Add veggies like tomato, spinach, and onion
Making some of these simple swaps allows you to reduce calories, fat, and sodium while adding more beneficial nutrients from whole grains, egg whites, and fresh vegetables.
Creating Your Own Lower Calorie Breakfast
While Wendy’s breakfast menu does offer some lower calorie options, you have more flexibility to cut calories by customizing your own breakfast sandwich. Some ideas for making your own healthier Wendy’s breakfast sandwich:
– Order a breakfast sandwich and remove one layer of meat and/or cheese
– Place sandwich fillings in a bowl with veggies instead of on a biscuit or croissant
– Choose grilled chicken as a lower fat meat option
– Opt for dry wheat toast instead of a fried croissant or biscuit
– Load up on veggies from the salad bar like spinach, onions, tomatoes, and mushrooms
– Use mustard or avocado instead of mayo or cheese for moisture
Getting creative with custom orders and healthy substitutions allows you to enjoy Wendy’s breakfast favorites while still watching your calorie intake. Don’t be afraid to ask for breakfast sandwich fillings served over salad greens instead of a carb-heavy bun or fried sides.
Tips for Ordering
Here are some tips for ordering the healthiest Wendy’s breakfast options:
– Clearly ask for substitutions like egg whites, dry toast, or turkey sausage
– Request no butter on the toast or biscuits
– Ask for sandwiches without mayo or other high-fat condiments
– Specify if you want fillings placed on top of salad greens instead of croissant or biscuit
– Request cooking oil, cheese, and meat quantities be minimized
– Ask about lower sodium options for hash browns and meats
– Order dressings, dips, and sauces on the side
Being clear and specific when customizing your order will help ensure you get a breakfast sandwich or meal made according to your healthy preferences. Don’t be shy telling them exactly what you do and don’t want included.
Healthier Breakfast Sides
While the hash browns are the lowest calorie breakfast side choice at Wendy’s, you can make even healthier choices from their lunch and dinner menu options. For a balanced breakfast meal, consider ordering these lower calorie sides:
– Side salad instead of hash browns
– Fresh fruit cup instead of oatmeal
– Chili or baked potato instead of grits or gravy
– Veggie options like apple slices, garden salad, or 4-piece nuggets
Wendy’s offers quite a few fresh, lower calorie sides at lunch and dinner that make nutritious additions to any breakfast sandwich. Building a breakfast bowl with sandwich fillings, fruits, veggies, and chili or soup can make for a satisfying meal.
Healthiest Breakfast Beverage Options
To limit liquid calories, go with water, coffee, or tea and add your own cream/sugar in moderation. But if you’re looking for a smooth, creamy, protein-rich beverage, try one of these healthier breakfast drink options at Wendy’s:
– Small chocolate milk (180 calories)
– Small strawberry banana smoothie (210 calories)
– Small vanilla frosty-ccino (140 calories)
Chocolate milk gives you protein, calcium, vitamin D, and potassium. The smoothies pack in fruit, yogurt, and milk for protein and nutrients. And the frosty-ccino made with low-fat milk is essentially a lighter Wendy’s milkshake. Any of these can pair nicely with your breakfast sandwich or oatmeal instead of juice or soda.
Making Healthy Choices Easy
Eating healthier at Wendy’s breakfast can seem challenging, but with the right choices and substitutions it’s certainly possible even in a fast food setting. Here are some final tips to keep in mind:
– Review nutrition info online before ordering
– Plan your order ahead of time
– Ask questions and make special requests
– Opt for grilled, baked, and broiled options
– Customize with extra veggies
– Choose lighter sauces and dressings
– Skip sugary drinks and fried sides
– Enjoy treats in moderation by splitting or downsizing
By planning ahead, making smart swaps, and customizing your order, you can easily create a great-tasting, lower calorie Wendy’s breakfast that will fuel you through your morning.
Conclusion
When trying to watch your calorie intake, the Sausage, Egg & Swiss Croissant, small hash browns, and black coffee provide the lowest calorie options for a Wendy’s breakfast sandwich, side, and beverage. Building a customized breakfast bowl or sandwich using lighter ingredients and healthier substitutions can allow you to cut calories and improve nutrition at Wendy’s breakfast. With the right choices and preparations, you can still enjoy a satisfying fast food breakfast while sticking to your healthy eating goals.
