Eating Low Sodium at Cracker Barrel

THE GUIDE TO WHAT YOU CAN EAT AND STAY LOW SODIUM AT CRACKER BARREL OLD COUNTRY STORE

Their rocking chair-covered front porches dot America, Cracker Barrel Old Country store specializes in down-home family recipes. But is it possible to eat low sodium at this cozy restaurant?

BREAKFAST

Good Choice

• Fresh Start Sampler (two eggs plus fresh fruit and yogurt parfait): 230 mg
• Old Timer’s Breakfast (two eggs and grits): 280 mg – you can add fried apples but avoid adding other options like hashbrowns, bacon, or sausage because they will more than double your sodium intake
• Eggs-in-the-Basket (two slices of sourdough with two eggs): 350 mg

Moderate Choices

There really isn’t a lot of middle ground at Cracker Barrel, most breakfast items are either low in salt or deliver an alarmingly high amount of sodium for a single meal.

Items You Must Avoid

• Bacon n’ Egg Hashbrown Casserole: 1820 mg
• Sunrise Sampler: 1870 mg
• Three Buttermilk Pancakes: 2640 mg
• The Cracker Barrel’s Country Boy Breakfast with Country Ham: 3360 mg!
• Spicy Deluxe Sandwich: 1810 mg

LUNCH n’ DINNER

Low Sodium Choices

• Hamburger Steak: 200 mg
• Grilled Sirloin Steak: 210 mg

Moderate Choices

• Lemon Pepper Grilled Rainbow Trout: 610 mg
• Farm-Raised Catfish (2 grilled fillets): 650 mg
• Haddock: 660 mg

Items You Must Avoid

• Country Fried Shrimp: 2040 mg
• Chicken Pot Pie: 2740 mg
• Southern Fried Chicken – 4730 mg!! – that’s more than 2 days worth of sodium

COUNTRY VEGETABLES n’ SIDES

In the south, it is known as a “meat n three”. That means you get a protein along with three sides. At Cracker Barrel some meals come with 2 sides, some with 3. Either way, tread carefully because some of these sides can contain more sodium than the main part of the meal.

Best Sides:

• Fresh Seasonal Fruit: 0 mg
• Mixed green Side Salad: 5 mg (opt for oil and vinegar as all other Cracker Barrel dressings exceed 375 mg for a 2 oz serving)
• Fresh Steamed Broccoli: 10 mg
• Fried Apples: 45 mg
• Steak Fries: 70 mg
• Whole Kernel Corn: 85 mg
• Sweet Potato Casserole (Thursday only): 85 mg
• Sweet Baby Carrots: 140 mg
• Cole Slaw 170 mg
• Mashed Potatoes: 170 mg

Saltiest Sides:

• Boiled Cabbage: 460 mg
• Breaded Fried Okra: 520
• Mac & Cheese: 700 mg
• Dumplins: 940 mg
• Cornbread Dressing 960 mg

TREATS

Most desserts at Cracker Barrel offer a modest amount of sodium. But there is one big red flag: the Apple Dumplin. This sweet treat contains 1600 mg of sodium. So best to keep that off your table.

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All nutritional information is believed to be accurate as of the writing of this article. LoSoFoodie.com recommends you review Cracker Barrel’s nutrition page for the most up-to-date values before placing your order. This website should not be considered medical advice. Always check with your doctor to understand your personal dietary needs.