The Best & Worst Waffle House Orders, According to Dietitians

Come sunshine, rain, hurricane, or drought, there's one certainty: Waffle House's doors will be open. With a whopping 1,983 locations stretched across the Southeast and up into the Chesapeake region, Waffle House kitchens keep churning out hot waffles and melty hash browns well into the wee hours. Whether you're craving an after-bar snack or a hearty breakfast, Waffle House reliably satisfies those greasy cravings.

However, what's less appealing—but not entirely surprising—is the lack of nutritional value in many Waffle House dishes. Sure, you're probably not going to the Waffle House for a salad, but it's good to have healthier options in your back pocket to avoid feeling sluggish post-meal.

Thankfully, Waffle House is incredibly transparent when it comes to the nutritional value of its dishes. The restaurant chain's website offers nutrition calculators for both its breakfast and lunch/dinner menus. With this tool, you can customize your order to align with your health goals and understand exactly what you're consuming before placing your order.

Of course, we understand that most of us aren't eager to crunch numbers before an impromptu Waffle House night out. That's why we've gone ahead and rounded up 18 of the best and worst options on the Waffle House menu in nine different categories. It's time to take the guesswork off of the griddle!

All-Star Special, Egg Breakfasts

Best: 2-Egg Breakfast With Wheat Toast and Sliced Tomatoes

"One of the best choices is the 2-Egg Breakfast with wheat toast and sliced tomatoes," says Melissa Mitri, MS, RD, Nutrition Writer and Weight Loss Expert, owner of Melissa Mitri Nutrition. "This meal racks up only 410 calories with 21 grams of satisfying protein. The wheat toast and tomatoes contain 5 grams of fiber which supports healthy digestion and a strong heart." As this meal still does consist of a decent amount of sodium, we do recommend drinking lots of water with your meal and foregoing that second (or third) cup of coffee.

 38 High-Protein Breakfasts That Keep You Full

Worst: Pork Chops and Eggs Breakfast with Hashbrowns and White Toast

This one isn't for the faint of heart. Waffle House's Pork Chops and Eggs Breakfast served with hashbrowns and white toast is perhaps one of the more artery-clogging choices on the menu. With a whopping 22 grams of saturated fat—nearly double the AHA's recommended daily intake—and 1,790 milligrams of sodium, this meal may contribute to a slew of health issues including cardiovascular disease and perhaps even stroke.

Breakfast Hash Brown Bowls

Best: Reguar Hashbrowns

There are about a million (or so) ways you can get your hashbrowns at Waffle House including "smothered," "covered," "chunked," "diced," "peppered," "capped," "topped," or "country." But, regular old Waffle House hashbrowns " are a great option if you are following a plant-based diet or looking to add fiber to your breakfast," says Alyssa Smolen, MS, RDN, CDN, an NJ-based content creator. "This breakfast side provides 5 grams of fiber which is a great addition to start the day," she continues. As a note, the only known allergy in this dish is soy.

Worst: Hashbrowns All-The-Way

Yes, 2,950 milligrams of sodium—you read that right. As it stands, the American Heart Association recommends that regular, overall healthy adults eat no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day while aiming for a limit of 1,500 milligrams. This one hashbrown dish has you skyrocketing over that upper sodium limit, and the benefit of that 23 grams of protein may not outweigh the bad. Consistent overindulgence in high-sodium foods may lead to some serious health consequences like chronic kidney disease or even heart failure. Stay away from this one—we recommend ordering the regular hashbrowns and adding some tomatoes and mushrooms for a little nutritional kick.

Waffles

Best: Classic Waffle

Unsurprisingly, Waffle House's "classic waffle" is the healthiest waffle choice of them all as it doesn't come with any chocolate or peanut butter chips on top. What is surprising is that this option has 8 grams of protein, so this waffle (especially if you don't drench it in syrup) may actually leave you feeling satisfied. Unfortunately, Waffle House doesn't offer any fruit choices to put on top of your waffle, so we recommend adding an egg on the side for some added nutrients such as choline and Vitamin A.

 12 Best & Worst Frozen Waffles on Grocery Shelves, Say Dietitians

Worst: Peanut Butter Chip Waffle

Waffle House's Peanut Butter Chip Waffle clocks in as the worst waffle option as it contains a whopping 965 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of saturated fat, and 31 grams of sugar. Overconsumption of added sugars—of which this waffle is choked full—directly contributes to various health issues including obesity, coronary heart disease (especially in women), and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. We recommend that you splurge on this waffle in moderation and maybe forgo the syrup, for the sake of your health.

Toddle House Omelets

Best: Build Your-Own Chicken and Veggie Omelet with Tomatoes and Wheat Toast

It can be hard to find an omelet that really ticks all of the health boxes, especially as nearly all of Waffle House's options are very high in sodium and saturated fat. However, your best bet is to build your own omelet with chicken and veggies such as grilled onions, grilled tomatoes, grilled mushrooms, and  Jalapeno peppers. Add tomatoes as your side and opt for wheat toast, and you've got a decently well-balanced meal. However, we know the sodium is still incredibly high, so forgo too much coffee and focus on hydrating your body during and after your meal.

Worst: Cheesesteak Omelet with Hashbrowns and a Biscuit

We're pretty dumbstruck by the nutrition—or lack thereof—of this meal. With 62 grams of saturated fat—almost 5 times the daily recommendation of 13g per day—and 4,000 milligrams of sodium, this meal is not one people who are trying to support their heart health should be choosing every day. The nutritional payoffs are little with only 8 grams of fiber for this entire meal. As a rule of thumb, you want to aim for 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight spread out over multiple meals. If you're an average 150-pound man, this comes out to approximately 27 grams of protein per meal—not 70 grams in one sitting.

Breakfast Sandwiches & Texas Melts

Best: Build-Your-Own Breakfast Sandwich with City Ham, Egg, and Cheese on Wheat Toast with Tomatoes

Build-your-own meals at Waffle House offer some of the healthier options as you can avoid fattier meats and gargantuan portions while also adding some nutritional value to your plate. If you're in the mood for a breakfast sandwich, we recommend opting for wheat toast over thick, sugar-laden Texas toast and choosing the "city ham" over fattier cuts such as sausage or even country ham. Additionally, an egg will add a dash of choline which is crucial for proper metabolism function while cheese provides nutrients such as calcium.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

 I Tried 4 Costco Frozen Breakfast Sandwiches & There's Only One I'd Get Again

Worst: Texas Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Melt with Hashbrowns

1,040 calories, 70 g fat (29 g sat fat), 1,910 mg sodium, 69 g carbs (5 g fiber, 5 g sugar), 31 g protein[/nutrinfo-black]

The Texas Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Melt with a side of hashbrowns is by far the unhealthiest choice when it comes to Waffle House's breakfast sandwich selection. Sausage, although delicious, is one of the fattiest cuts of meat and is loaded with sodium to get that mouth-watering flavor. Additionally, processed meats such as sausage have been linked to cancer risks, We recommend building your own and opting for leaner cuts of pork such as city ham.

Biscuits

Best: Chicken Biscuit

When it comes to Waffle House biscuits, the chicken biscuit is by far the healthiest option. With 34 grams of protein, this chicken biscuit is a relatively low-fat option as this chicken is grilled instead of fried, and it clocks in under 550 calories which is rare on the Waffle House menu. Additionally, this chicken biscuit only has 1 grams of sugar as opposed to the more chocolatey, sugar-doused offerings that could leave you feeling groggy after your first, and most important, meal of the day.

Worst: Biscuit and Gravy with Hashbrowns

"The Waffle House biscuit and gravy meal with a side of hashbrowns, the beloved breakfast comfort food, may not be the best way to start your day," says Steph Magill, MS, RD, CD, FAND, Owner of Soccer Mom Nutrition. "Here's the nutritional rundown that might make you rethink your order: this dish packs a staggering 660 calories, an astounding 19 grams of saturated fat, and to top it off, there's a sodium overload with a day's worth of your recommended intake. While comfort food can warm the soul, these numbers might just give you pause."

Burgers & Texas Melts

Best: Original Angus Hamburger

On the Waffle House lunch menu, it's one of the lighter options out of the burger/Texas melt categories. Under 500 calories and chock full of protein, the original Angus burger is also half the sodium count of many breakfast and lunch options. If you're hoping to add a bit more nutritional value to your meal, you can ask for lettuce, tomato, and onion on top, and a side of grilled tomatoes.

 All of Wendy's Burgers & Sandwiches—Ranked by Nutrition

Worst: Texas Sausage Melt

There's a common theme among Waffle House's Texas toast options—they're not the most nutritious choice. At 775 calories without a side, well over the AHA's recommended daily sodium count, and a whopping 23 grams of saturated fat, this melt is not a great choice at any time of day. If you do order this meal, we recommend eating with a side of tomatoes and adding veggies such as lettuce, tomato, mushrooms, and peppers.

Sandwiches

Best: Grilled Chicken Sandwich

Grilled chicken is a great lean meat choice that's lower in fat and higher in protein. Additionally, Waffle House's chicken sandwich is served with lycopene-rich tomato, lettuce, and antioxidant-rich onion on top, and you even get a couple of pickles on the side. Additionally, this sandwich comes with 2 grams of fiber and a low sugar count, so this sandwich won't have you feeling slogged after eating.

Worst: Texas Bacon Lover's BLT Sandwich

The unhealthiest sandwich on the Waffle House menu is their Texas Bacon Lover's BLT which is packed with 17 grams of saturated fat, nearly your entire day's worth of sodium, and 6 grams of sugar. Again, processed meats like bacon are filled with what's known as nitrates which may increase your risk of gastric cancer. If you do order this sandwich, we recommend that you ask for your bacon not-too-crispy, as cooking bacon in very high temperatures can release cancer-causing chemicals such as heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Classic Dinners & Hashbrown Bowls

Best: Cheesesteak Melt Hashbrown Bowl

Surprisingly, Waffle House's Cheesesteak Melt Hashbrown Bowl is the healthiest option out of both the restaurant's classic dinner and hashbrown bowl categories. At under 650 calories and with ample protein, this bowl comes with hashbrowns, melted American cheese, thin-sliced chuck cheesesteak, and grilled onions. These bowls are also a great option compared to the bigger, more robust "dinner" plates, and this sort of portion control can help contribute to proper weight management.

Worst: Pork Chop Dinner

Don't blame the pork for why this dish made the least-appealing list. Pork can be a healthy addition to a balanced diet, providing nutrients that are hard to get from plant-based diets alone, like vitamin B12, iron, and zinc. Plus, pork consumers have higher intakes of many micronutrient nutrients compared to nonpork eaters, according to data published in the journal Nutrients.

The issue lies in the accompaniments: with double servings of hash browns and Texas toast, Waffle House's Pork Chop dinner emerges as one of the least healthy options on the entire menu. It exceeds the daily recommended intakes for sodium and saturated fat and packs a surprising 12 grams of sugar—from where these come, we're not so sure. As for its whopping 86 grams of protein, even for avid bodybuilders, it's excessive for one meal, and this dish also provides over half your daily caloric needs. Given that the portion size for this dinner plate is huge, it may be a good idea to share.