​Keto and Whole30 Inspired Breakfast Items at Dunkin'

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day—right? While that might not always be true, Dunkin’ knows breakfast habits are serious business, especially among coffee and doughnut-loving millennials. As the coffee and doughnut chain looks to expand its menu to meet the needs of health-conscious customers, it recently announced two new ketos and Whole30 inspired breakfast bowls now available at participating locations in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston and Dallas until July 7th as part of a limited-time promotion. But do these new keto and Whole30 bowls hit the mark?

Dunkin' Delivers Protein

For years, health experts have been telling Americans to eat more protein. But that doesn't mean you need to look like a bodybuilder. According to registered dietitian nutritionist Rachel Berman, PhD, RDN, while dunking your doughnut into a glass of skim milk is never a good idea, Dunkin's new line of breakfast bowls can be enjoyed by anyone with access to them—including vegans and those on Paleo or Whole30 diets. These are all great choices for people looking for protein on the go, she says.

The Veggie Bowl

While you can’t go wrong with a cup of coffee, many health-conscious customers may want to avoid doughnuts (sorry!). That said, Dunkin’ is starting 2019 off on a healthy note with two new breakfast bowls that are packed with fresh veggies. The Veggie Bowl includes spinach, mushrooms, egg whites, tomatoes, cheese sauce and cheddar – all mixed in one bowl for $4.99.

Keto-Friendly Cereal Bowl

The Keto Friendly Cereal Bowl is loaded with classic cereal components like granola, sweetened yogurt, and dried fruit. But it's all made grain-free by using nuts, coconut flakes, and seeds for texture. While it can be a fun way to get some antioxidants into your breakfast routine, you're probably not going to want to eat one every day since eating so much fat can increase your cholesterol levels over time.

Two New Bowls For A Limited Time

In a move to attract health-conscious customers, Dunkin’ Donuts is offering new options for breakfast. They’re calling it two new breakfast bowls available for a limited time, and they come in two flavours: Steak Habanero Bowl with scrambled eggs, steak strips, peppers and pico de gallo; Sausage Gravy Bowl with scrambled eggs, bacon strips and sausage gravy. But do these ketos and Whole30 inspired breakfast items hit their mark?

Expert Opinion

This veggie-filled breakfast bowl falls into a trap that many other fast-food restaurants do — meat. While eggs are technically allowed on keto, they come with loads of carbs from all that yolk, which throw you out of ketosis if you aren’t careful. If you’re vegetarian or vegan, these bowls are probably not for you unless you modify them in your way. The avocado is key here as fat to replace butter or oils.

Healthier Fast Food Options at Dunkin Donuts

As diet trends continue to gain in popularity, major fast-food chains are adding healthier options to their menus. For example, some Dunkin Donuts locations have added a version of keto-friendly breakfast bowls to their menus for a limited time. The doughnut chain announced it's testing two new Keto-inspired breakfast bowls that are based on popular menu items—the Steak Egg & Cheese Wake-Up Wrap and Pesto Chicken Salad Wrap. These gluten-free bowls come in two flavours: sweet berry or turkey bacon. According to dietitian Anna Maria Diaz, Even if [they] don't seem like they would be 'keto,' they could still fit within [you are] macros if you modify them.

growing healthy breakfast

While breakfast is typically seen as a quick meal, it’s actually a great time to go all out. While there are many healthy options on the coffee chain’s menu, there are also some nutritional missteps when it comes to calories, sodium and carbs. One of my favourite things about breakfast is that you can enjoy just about anything on a keto or whole30 diet—with smart adjustments, of course. That being said, don’t go for broke here. You should still aim for nutrient-dense options. Just because you have room for something indulgent doesn’t mean you should overdo it; no matter what diet you follow!