Sonic Fast food

I must admit, before writing this post, I had no idea what was on the Sonic menu!

I was with my kids the other day and drove by a location in New York State and thought how clever it was that they use bright colors to attract patrons. And the tactic seems to be working – the chain has thousands of locations across the US.

But while driving by, my younger son turned and said, “Isn’t it just McDonalds with different colors”. Good question. So let’s find out.

Here are my 3 top healthy options at Sonic:

1. Grilled Chicken Wrap – Once again grilled chicken tops the list. It has 390 calories and 13 grams of fat, which makes it 30% fat. It also has 39 grams of carbohydrates and 28 grams of protein. So this wrap fits right in with your Zone or South Beach diet regimen (unfortunately, as usual, we see higher than desired levels of sodium with 1420 mg).

2. Crab Sandwich – This is a great option for those of you that want a little less protein. This meal clocks in with 430 calories and 18 grams of fat, which makes it about 30% fat as well. The main difference between this option and #1 is that it has more carbohydrates, coming in at 52 grams, and less protein with 13 grams. However my tried and true bun scooping technique will save you some excess carbs on the bun. And a nice plus is this time we see only 350 mg sodium added!

3. Veggie Burger w/Ketchup – Nice to see an option for those who are vegetarian. And truthfully, this burger is the only one I’d eat off the Sonic menu. It has 510 calories with 14 grams, or 126 calories from fat, and as we’ve seen with most vegetarian dishes, it has a much higher carbohydrate count, with 78 grams, and almost 20 grams of protein. I do think the carbs are a bit high, so I would absolutely scoop out the center of the bun to save some calories.

 Caution: Avoid at all costs! I’m serious.

1. Super Sonic Bacon Double Cheeseburger w/Mayo – The words super, bacon, double, cheese, and mayo, give it all away! At nearly 1,400 calories and 100 grams of fat, this burger has more than ¾ of most peoples daily calorie needs, and enough fat for 4 days! With 900 calories of fat, it’s competing with a pint of Ben & Jerry’s for who’s fattest.

2. Chicken Club Toaster Sandwich – Don’t let the name fool you into thinking this is a healthy choice. This version has about 50 grams of fat and almost 800 calories. Sure it’s better than the Super Sonic gut buster, but that doesn’t make it good! Truthfully the only reason why it’s lower in calories is because it weighs less; it’s 270 grams versus the Super Sonic’s 422 grams. So gram for gram, they’re almost the same. Plus the sodium is more than 1,700 mg, making this a bomb of a meal.

3. Footlong Quarter Pound Coney – I’m luck, I don’t and have never liked hot dogs. But this one repulses me and would have Oscar Meyer rolling in his grave. This wiener has 853 calories and 53 grams of fat! – in a freakin’ hot dog! And it’s also loaded with sodium at about 2,000 mg! This hot dog is a hot mess, and I suggest you stay away.

Remember my son’s statement? “Isn’t Sonic just another McDonald’s with different colors?” Well, honestly he’s not far off in my opinion. The burgers are loaded with fat, and most of the menu is comprised of high sodium, calorie dense options that don’t fit within a healthy eating plan. Sure they have different items on the menu, but it’s all shades of the same color.

I didn’t review the thousand calorie plus ice cream shakes, fries, or other super junk food off the menu. You don’t need me to tell you those things are poor choices.

I personally wouldn’t eat at Sonic and have no plans to stop in. The “best” choices are far and few between, and there’s better places to get a healthy meal when on the go.

See the Sonic nutrition yourself.

What do you think of my suggestions? Do you have a different recommendation? Any more questions?