10 Diet-Friendly Foods Sonic Menu Food Items

When it comes to being on a diet, one of the things that immediately people will clock is just how many foods end up being off the table, at least when it comes to sticking to your meal plans.

This is especially the case with many fast food restaurants, where so many of the food items are so high in calories, carbs, and other unwanted edibles, that they would ruin any diet.

Fortunately, this doesn’t mean that every food item on a menu is off the table for dieters. Just… most of it is all.

However, being able to know which foods you can and can’t eat whilst on a diet is critical to staying to your targets.

Fortunately, this is something that our guide can help with, by helping show you which food items are safe to keep eating while on a diet.

In this article, we are going to talk about the healthier items that you can find at Sonic, the rollerskating fast-food chain that has been around since the 1950s.

1.Grilled Chicken Sandwich

Starting off this guide with a sandwich that is an old reliable meal for many people dieting for a while, we have Sonic’s classic grilled chicken sandwiches.

Generally speaking, chicken is always a popular option to go for in any fast food restaurant, as it is considered leaner meat, with fewer calories in it, while still packing plenty of protein.

Sonic’s grilled chicken sandwich is no different, with this particular meal item only clocking in at 490 calories. That’s pretty low for a fast-food sandwich!

Plus, it’s not like you will be sacrificing flavor with this meal either, as the brioche bun used adds a slight and subtle sweetness to your food.

Add a soft bed of lettuce to the mix, and you have a sandwich that balances flavor with healthy eating, unlike many other food items at Sonic.

If you’re stuck for options, and you’re not vegan or vegetarian, this is probably the best item of food to stay healthy you.

2. Grilled Chicken Wrap

Next to the chicken sandwich, chicken wraps are often some of the most popular food items in fast food joints that are touted as some of the healthier foods that you can pick when dieting.

Now, whether or not wraps are a healthier option than burger buns is still a point of contention amongst dieticians and health professionals. Sometimes they’re considered healthier because they do not rise and have little yeast, some say that they are about the same.

However, the fact that you’re only using a single wrap, rather than two slices of a burger bun, helps tip it a little more onto the healthier side of Sonic’s food menu.

Plus, you get all the standard healthy things that you get in other grilled chicken food items, such as the low-carb and fats, high protein meat, as well as plenty of lettuce and tomatoes.

If you’re sick of burgers, this makes for a nice change of pace that is easy to carry around and eat on the go too!

3. Crispy Chicken Tenders

We promise we aren’t going to talk about just chicken on this list!

However, we can’t help it when these chicken food items are some of the healthier options on a menu that can otherwise seem pretty hostile to people on diets.

Fortunately, not only do these chicken tenders taste great, but they’re also great for people watching their calorie intake too!

In a single order, you’ll get three separate tenders, all adding up to around 350 calories in total. Couple that with just 17 grams of fat, against 23 grams of protein in there, and you have an item that will help keep your calorie count low.

All while enjoying their crispy texture as you bite into them!

Now, to be fair, there are only 3 strips in this item, so it probably shouldn’t be too surprising that the overall calories are low when compared to other items on the menu.

Plus, ordering more than 3 could very quickly offset any good that they do, as moreish as they are.

Still, if you only need a little energy to carry you over to your next meal, these are great options to pick for yourself.

4. Jr. Burger

So, we’ve finally moved on from talking about chicken, and are moving on to some of the more iconic items on this list.

And, surprisingly enough, that does include a classic burger!

The jr. burger is a classic main food item to get for a kid’s meal at Sonic’s but doesn’t think that means that you can’t order it as an adult!

Is the burger a little on the smaller side of things when compared to other items on the menu at Sonic? Perhaps.

However, that portion control does pay off, as this burger only contains 340 calories when eaten, alongside a decent amount of protein too, at 16 grams of the vital nutrient.

Not quite as many as the grilled chicken, but not bad overall.

5. The Chicago Dog

So, moving from burgers to hot dogs, we have probably what can be considered the healthiest little dog on Sonic’s menu, the Chicago dog.

This little perfectly-sized hot dog fits neatly into your hand, while also coming packed to the brim with tons of flavor to boot.

Once again, portion size helps keep this hot dog on the healthier side of Sonic’s menu, especially when compared to behemoths like the foot-long hot dog that Sonic also sells.

Here, you aren’t overwhelmed by the sheer size of the dog, both in terms of nutritional info, as well as the literal size of things!

Coming in at around 420 calories, 19 grams of fat, as well as 12 grams of protein, this is probably pushing it a little as far as ‘healthy options go.

Still, with all the toppings that you could ask for, you won’t be left wanting in terms of a good hot dog experience

6. Corn Dog

Right next to the hot dog, we have the corn dog, another staple of many dieters’ visits to this fast food joint.

Even though there is a fryer involved with this recipe, the calorie count stays pretty low for this food item, hovering around the 230 mark.

To be fair, the simplicity of the food probably helps it here, with it being simply the fried corn dog, and a little ketchup or mustard to go with it.

Still, can’t argue with the classics!

7. Small Fries

Once again, controlling our portions helps open up more of Sonic’s menu to people who are trying to diet.

Case in point, Sonic’s fries, with how tasty and rich they are, are probably not the first items that you would think of when it comes to a portion of good food for people trying to cut down on calories and junk food.

However, that is simply not the case. At least, not for the smaller portions you can choose.

The fresh Russet potatoes that they use mean that artificial additives are kept to a minimum with this food item, helping cut down on the saturated fats found here.

Couple that with a smaller portion, and you have a side that comes in at only 290 calories per order!

8. Small Tots

Similar to the fries that we’ve just covered, the tater tots at Sonic are some of the most popular sides that you can order from the chain.

However, many of their options, such as the totchos and extra chili that can be added to them, often mean that their overall calorie count spikes, making them pretty bad for dieting, overall.

However, by keeping it small and simple, you save yourself a load of headaches when it comes to keeping track of them, coming in at just 250 calories per smaller serving.

9. Mini Popcorn Chicken

We’ve finally circled back around to the chicken meals at Sonic!

Once again, the fact that chicken is a leaner meat than many burgers served at Sonic (as well as fewer fats and cholesterol) makes them a great food for many dieters who need a little food to keep them going.

And while many people might think that the popcorn chicken batter ends up making them unhealthy still, you’ll be surprised just how few calories are in this chicken food of choice.

At just 245 calories in total, this might be one of the lowest counts that we’ve covered so far.

Stick with the small option, and you’ll be fine.

10. Applesauce

Okay, technically, we’re cheating a little when including this as a healthy food item. After all, can you count applesauce as its food?

Well, yes! And it’s exactly what we’re doing here!

With just 45 calories per serving, this is the perfect low-calorie extra to add to another item that you’ve ordered.

You’ll help add some flavor, while also keeping slim with this one! 

Frequently Asked Questions

How Healthy Are Sonic Burgers?

We’ve covered a few burgers and sandwich food items that are found on the Sonic food menu that would be considered healthier options than some of their more iconic burgers.

But how unhealthy exactly are their other burgers in the first place?

Well, for that, we’re going to have to take a look at one of the most popular food items on their menu, the Sonic cheeseburger.

At 17 grams of saturated fat, along with a whopping 130 milligrams of cholesterol in there to boot, this is probably one of the worst burgers you can eat out there in terms of how unhealthy it is (nutritionally, at least. Taste is a completely different matter).

This is especially the case when you compare it to other fast-food chains, with many of their signature cheeseburgers being noticeably lower in terms of salts, fats, and cholesterol.

Which Fast food Chain Has The Worst/Best Cheeseburger In Terms Of Healthiness?

So, if Sonic’s normal cheeseburger is one of the least healthy cheeseburgers out there right now, which is the best? Or at least, which is the least unhealthy for you in terms of nutrition?

Well, perhaps unsurprisingly to the more food-conscious folks out there, many of the cheeseburgers that are sold at fast-food restaurants tend to be pretty high in several nutrients that you usually want your body to avoid when dieting, such as cholesterol, saturated fats, as well as tons of carbs.

While Sonic’s classic cheeseburger is quite bad in this regard, many other fast food joints also suffer from this problem, such as Wendy’s Hot ‘n’ Juicy cheeseburger, or Five Guy’s little cheeseburger.

However, in terms of just purely keeping a low number for things like cholesterol, sodium, and trans fats, McDonald’s and Burger King are the best out there, with both having very small amounts of both of these nutrients, as well as Burger King’s cheeseburger only containing 27 grams of carbs.

Not a small amount of carbs, by any means. Especially for a single food item like this.

However, if your heart (and your stomach) is dead-set on a cheeseburger for lunch, then this is the option that you should go for.

What Other Food Should You Avoid If you’re on a Diet When Eating At Sonic?

So, we’ve covered the best foods from Sonic for when you are on a diet, as well as one that you really shouldn’t, are there any other foods that you should be looking out for, in terms of unhealthy amounts of nutrients and calories?

Well, generally speaking, portion control is the key thing that you want to be watching out for when eating at a fast-food restaurant, whether you’re at Sonic or any other establishment.

So, this means that, while smaller burgers and foods, such as the jr. burger and small fries or tots are generally not bad, much larger portions, such as the bacon double cheeseburger and foot-long hot dogs are items that you should be avoiding.

You should also try and avoid an excess of extra toppings too, especially with sides that offer calorie-heavy ones such as chili cheese tots.

In short, avoid the temptation to upscale your meal, and you’ll be able to avoid most of the worst offenders when it comes to unhealthy foods.

That being said, if you have the option to add certain extras, such as lettuce and tomato salads, you shouldn’t pass it up.

After all, not every calorie has to be unhealthy!

Final Thoughts

So, as you can see, your choices are a little limited when it comes to Sonic and healthier food.

However, you’ve still got a pretty tasty variety here too!