What to Eat at Freddy's: Healthy Menu Choices and Nutrition Facts

Freddy's

Verywell / Christian Alzate

If you love a traditional fast food burger, fries, and dessert, then you probably love the Freddy's menu. Freddy's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers offers nostalgic decor along with both old-school and unique food items.

There's plenty to enjoy at Freddy's—whether you're looking for burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, or chicken—but much of it is high in fat, high in calories and high in sodium. If you're watching your salt intake, you may want to be careful when you visit this fast-food favorite. However, with a little planning and smart menu choices, you'll be able to enjoy a meal at Freddy's.

Navigating the Menu 

Freddy's offers a robust menu of frozen custard, from individual scoops to shakes and concretes (custard blended with mix-ins like candy), as well as burgers, chicken sandwiches, and hot dogs. With a menu of lettuce-wrapped options as well, you'll be able to find more nutritious items when dining here.

What to Order & Avoid at Freddy's
 Most Nutritious Options Least Nutritious Options
Single Vanilla Scoop, Dish (Frozen Custard) Signature Turtle Concrete, Triple (Frozen Custard)
Grilled Chicken Breast Lettuce Wrap (Savory Sandwiches) Triple Jalapeno Pepper Jack Steakburger (Savory Sandwiches)
Freddy's Hot Dog (Delicious Dogs) Chili Cheese Dog (Delicious Dogs)
Chicken Tenders (Kids Combo) Cheeseburger (Kids Combo)
Mott’s Natural Applesauce (Favorites & Sides) Cheese Curds, Large (Favorites & Sides)

Most Nutritious Option

If you're looking for the most nutritious option at Freddy's, order the lettuce-wrapped grilled chicken sandwich. This low-carb and low-calorie dish is high in lean protein and vegetables.

Frozen Custard

Freddy's is known for its frozen custard, which is served in scoops, cones, sundaes, or concretes. While you can get a single cup of chocolate or vanilla custard for around 350 calories, choosing a cone will add calories. A traditional custard cone usually provides closer to 400 calories, but waffle cones provide much more.

✓ Single Vanilla Scoop, Dish

For the most nutritious way to enjoy Freddy's frozen custard, order a single vanilla scoop in a dish. With no added cone, you'll save on carbohydrates and sugar. A single scoop of vanilla custard provides 350 calories, 17g fat, 10g saturated fat, 37g carbohydrates, 7g protein, 130mg sodium, and 30g sugars.

A waffle cone provides just under 500 calories, a double custard cone provides between 800 and 840 calories and a triple waffle cone provides 1,130 to 1,180 calories and over 50 grams of fat.

✗ Signature Turtle Concrete, Large

A large (or triple) serving of the signature turtle concrete provides 1,820 calories, 83g fat, 46g saturated fat, 229g carbohydrates, 24g protein, 750mg sodium, and 175g sugars.

If you're craving the turtle flavor combination, choose a mini turtle sundae, which has 760 calories, 38g fat, 19g saturated fat, 90g carbohydrates, 9g protein, 280mg sodium, and 68g sugars. Better yet, split it with a friend as a sweet treat.

Savory Sandwiches

Freddy's offers a selection of savory sandwiches, including burgers, chicken sandwiches, and even a veggie burger. Each sandwich is available on its own or as a combo meal with a choice or fries or Baked Lay's and a medium drink.

At many fast food restaurants, the burgers are high in fat and calories in part because of the bun. So to keep your calories and carb count in check, Freddy's offers sandwiches wrapped in lettuce.

✓ Grilled Chicken Breast Lettuce Wrap

Keep calories and carbohydrates low by ordering the lettuce-wrapped version of the grilled chicken breast savory sandwich. Skipping the bun means the sandwich provides 130 calories, 2.5g fat, 0.5g saturated fat, 3g carbohydrates, 22g protein, and 270mg sodium.

✗ Triple Jalapeno Pepper Jack Steakburger

Like most hamburger restaurants, most of the menu items at Freddy's will provide far more fat, calories, and carbohydrates than you need. For example, the triple jalapeno pepper jack steakburger delivers 1,070 calories, 70g fat, 31g saturated fat, 31g carbohydrates, 83g protein, and 1,660mg sodium.

Eliminate two of the burger patties and order the single jalapeno pepper jack steakburger for 500 calories, 28g fat, 12g saturated fat, 30g carbohydrates, 30g protein, and 1,080mg sodium.

Delicious Dogs

With three different hot dog options on the menu, Freddy's offers a few flavors to help satisfy your appetite. Choose between the regular Freddy's hot dog, a Chicago hot dog, and a chili cheese hot dog. Like the savory sandwiches, each hot dog can also be ordered wrapped in lettuce to keep the meal low-carb.

✓ Freddy's Hot Dog

The Freddy's hot dog has 380 calories, 21g fat, 8g saturated fat, 34g carbohydrates, 14g protein, and 900mg sodium. Swap the bun for lettuce and the hot dog provides 170 calories, 14g fat, 6g saturated fat, 2g carbohydrates, 8g protein, and 560mg sodium.

✗ Chili Cheese Dog

The chili cheese dog, which comes topped with chili, shredded cheese, and diced onions, is the least nutritious hot dog on the menu. In total, you'll add 550 calories, 34g fat, 15g saturated fat, 43g carbohydrates, 29g protein, and 1,480mg sodium to your diet.

Order it with a lettuce wrap instead to consume 330 calories, 23g fat, 10g saturated fat, 12g carbohydrates, 20g protein, and 1,060mg sodium.

Alternatively, choose the Chicago hot dog, which is the only dog to feature added vegetables, including tomatoes, peppers, relish, pickles, and onions. It has 420 calories, 21g fat, 8g saturated fat, 42g carbohydrates, 14g protein, and 1,620mg sodium in the bread-bun version.

Kids Combos

Freddy's kids combos feature some of the chain's most popular dishes, including the burger, cheeseburger, hot dog, grilled cheese, and chicken tenders. Each combo also comes with a drink and a choice of side. Opt for the applesauce (rather than the fries or potato chips) to maximize the nutritional value of the meal.

✓ Chicken Tenders

The chicken tenders kids combo holds the best nutritional value among all of the kids combos. It provides 270 calories, 11g fat, 2g saturated fat, 19g carbohydrates, 23g protein, and 870mg sodium.

✗ Cheeseburger

This meal option has 450 calories, 23g fat, 10g saturated fat, 31g carbohydrates, 28g protein, and 1,260mg sodium.

Consider skipping the cheese and ordering the plain burger instead. You'll save 50 calories and 250mg sodium.

Favorites & Sides

Freddy's menu of favorites and sides features plenty of snack-able dishes. Here, you'll find cheese curds, fries (with optional toppings), onion rings, chili, chicken tenders, applesauce, and Baked Lay's. Many sides can also add significant calories and fat to your daily intake. Just one order of some side dishes can amount to almost half your daily allowance of sodium.

✓ Mott’s Natural Applesauce

If you want to include a side dish with your meal, your best bet is the Mott's natural applesauce. It has 50 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 13g carbohydrates, 0g protein, and 0mg sodium. But if you want something crunchy and salty, choose a bag of Baked Lay's for 120 calories, 3.5g fat, 0g saturated fat, 22g carbohydrates, 2g protein, and 160mg sodium.

✗ Cheese Curds, Large

A large order of cheese curds delivers 1,220 calories, 91g fat, 45g saturated fat, 44g carbohydrates, 58g protein, and 3,260mg sodium.

Save on calories and sodium by choosing the small order of cheese curds for 610 calories, 45g fat, 22g saturated fat, 22g carbohydrates, 29g protein, and 1,630mg sodium.

Diet-Specific Options

Freddy's offers several gluten-free, low-carb, low-fat, and vegetarian options, but does not have many dishes for visitors on low-sodium, low-FODMAP, diabetes-friendly, or vegan diets.

Gluten-Free

The lettuce-wrapped grilled chicken breast sandwich is the most nutritious option on the menu, and it also happens to be gluten-free (the crispy chicken sandwiches are not gluten-free). Condiments do not contain gluten.

  • Lettuce-wrapped steakburger
  • Lettuce-wrapped grilled chicken breast sandwich
  • Lettuce-wrapped hot dog
  • Patty melt (no rye)
  • All-beef chili (no crackers)
  • Vanilla or chocolate custard or shake

Low-Fat

Create a low-fat meal at Freddy's by ordering the lettuce-wrapped veggie burger—skip the cheese and sauce. It has 180 calories and 3g fat. Pair that with the applesauce for an additional 50 calories and 0g fat.

  • Veggie burger (no cheese or sauce)
  • Lettuce-wrapped veggie burger (no cheese or sauce)
  • Grilled chicken breast sandwich
  • Applesauce
  • Baked Lay's Original

Vegetarian

Vegetarians can enjoy all of Freddy's frozen custards, shakes, or concretes. But for the most nutritious and filling vegetarian option, ask for the veggie burger for 440 calories. The veggie burger may contain eggs, so it is not suitable for vegan diets.

  • Veggie burger
  • Regular fries or cheese fries
  • Cheese curds
  • Onion rings
  • All frozen custards, shakes, and concretes

Note that the veggie burgers are cooked on the same grill as animal products are, and fried items (such as French fries and onion rings) use the same fryers and oil as chicken strips. So it is possible that these items will come into contact with meat ingredients.

Food Allergies and Safety

Freddy's offers a lettuce-wrapped menu for diners looking to avoid wheat and gluten, and many dishes are safe from peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish. However, diners who are allergic to milk, eggs, and soy should consult the allergen menu. Inform the staff at the restaurant if you have an allergy so they can take extra precautions.

A Word From Verywell

You're not likely to go to a fast food restaurant like Freddy's because you're craving a low-calorie, healthy meal. You're probably craving the delicious custard or a savory burger. We get it! Many of us crave those foods, too.

Get a small serving of the foods you enjoy or split your meal with a friend if you're trying to cut calories. That way you can enjoy your Freddy's meal without derailing your plan for good health.

By Malia Frey, M.A., ACE-CHC, CPT
 Malia Frey is a weight loss expert, certified health coach, weight management specialist, personal trainer​, and fitness nutrition specialist.