For people who grew up in certain regions of the United States, and are perhaps of a certain age,
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store is an institution. The restaurant promises a strong
whiff of nostalgia for visitors in search of a homey environment with traditional Southern food.
And if you know Southern food, you know a lot of that food is hearty.
Cracker Barrel's lunch and dinner options include country fried steak,
fried chicken, meatloaf, chicken and dumplings, and pot roast. Heavy stuff.
The breakfast menu is a little lighter, with comforting dishes such Cracker Barrel's
iconic pancakes, biscuit French toast, Bacon N' Egg Hashbrown Casserole,
and more. One of the most popular items at the restaurant is Grandma's Sampler,
which comes with pancakes, eggs, smoked sausage, bacon, and more.
But what is Cracker Barrel's most underrated dish? As it turns out,
it happens to be an overlooked gem that is also one of the healthiest choices on the menu.
"Nice, healthy oatmeal!"
"Ooh, oatmeal! What a delightful treat!"
It really is, though! While pancakes are the restaurant's flagship breakfast item, Eat This,
Not That! pinpoints the Apple n' Cinnamon Oatmeal is delicious and definitely underrated.
It's neither bland nor dry, which can be the case with some oatmeal dishes.
And since oatmeal is so filling, maybe you can pair your bowl with a hot latte
and be good to go until lunchtime rolls around.
Cracker Barrel's website describes the dish as,
"Hearty oats simmered 'til creamy and topped with our Fried Apples
and pecans [...] served with reduced-fat milk."
You can eat this warm, wholesome dish without feeling guilty as you dig in.
In 2017, Delish called it one of the healthiest items on Cracker Barrel's breakfast menu,
stating that it had 360 calories with just 7 grams of fat.
Cracker Barrel's 2020 nutrition guide adjusts those numbers slightly, claiming that the Apple
n' Cinnamon Oatmeal has 310 calories, 7 grams of fat, and 17 grams of sugar.
The Apple n' Cinnamon Oatmeal was listed by Rise as a healthy option at the country-themed
restaurant, and it's listed as one of the top choices for a healthy menu option by Verywell Fit.
The publications note that it's one of the lowest-calorie dishes on the entire menu
and contains far less sodium - 200 milligrams - than their other breakfast offerings.
You'll get a good jolt of dietary fiber, too; one bowl will provide you with 8 grams of fiber.
"These aren't bad for you! They're full of fiber and antioxidants. Go ahead. Try one."
Fiber, in particular, is a vital part of a healthy diet. Eating a high-fiber diet can
help you lower your risk of several conditions, such as diabetes heart disease, and constipation.
It can even help you lower your levels of cholesterol, according to UCSF Health.
The recommended daily intake of fiber for most people is from 25 to 30 grams per day,
so at 8 grams, you've gotten off to a great start on a solid, fiber-filled day of eating.
Most other breakfast options at Cracker Barrel have little to no fiber, so the Apple n'
Cinnamon Oatmeal is definitely the right choice if you're hoping to boost your fiber-filled eats.
If you're looking to save on calories, though, you might want to skip the wild
Maine blueberry or pumpkin spice Muffin that is offered as an accompaniment - it
has about 50 more calories than the oatmeal and more than twice the fat at 16 grams.
Despite being one of the healthiest options on the Cracker Barrel menu,
the Apple n' Cinnamon Oatmeal also has plenty of fans who can't get enough of its flavor.
Hashtag-happy Instagram user alexbigstew writes,
"Apple Cinnamon #oatmeal is a #GameChanger. It is an Apple Pie getting Freaky in my #oatmeal."
Rave reviews come in from Twitter user Janice, who asks,
"Have you ever had Cracker Barrel oatmeal!?! Oh my
gosh it is delicious... if you love oatmeal and I do!"
Facebook user Allen Anderson writes,
"The oatmeal at Cracker Barrel was particularly good this morning."
Garcia Paul writes that he even traded his favorite breakfast food for the oatmeal:
"Those that know me, know I will not pass pancakes from Cracker Barrel.
But today is oatmeal weather."
So the next time you're at Cracker Barrel, give the oatmeal a shot and see how you like it. You
may want to keep tasting the classic combination of cinnamon and apples over and over again.
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