Macro Options for Buffalo Wild Wings: My Pick 3 & Swaps

Football is back… and if you ask me, wings are the perfect food for it. They are made for sharing, made for grabbing with one hand while you yell at the TV, and made for a Sunday spent with your people. Football wasn’t always as necessarily my thing… wings and wrestling went together in my house. So when we had pay-per-view’s like wrestlemania or Royal rumble…. wings were the food that were there with us.

But there were a few times that friends and I would head out to enjoy some good game watching atmosphere and…. man, Buffalo Wild Wings. The screens, the noise, the whole table cheering (or groaning) together… it is a big part of why so many of us end up there from September all the way through the playoffs.

So now that we are here in football season… let’s do this…

Check out Making it work: Cuisine, Fast Food & Restaurants for more restaurant breakdowns.

Weight Management & Dieting

I started this series of blogs to help out clients and other people who were going through a diet phase and we’re still venturing out to restaurants or fast food places. They needed options to help keep things flexible. And that is why I start this off with… explanation of what a diet phase or a calorie deficit is.

And before we dig into this, this information doesn’t only have to be for diet phases. This can be to help manage your weight well while dining at restaurants in fast food places. There is still great knowledge in knowing how to ensure that certain things will fit your bodies needs and satisfy it without leaving you feeling overfilled and regretful due to an option not fulfilling a value you were looking for.

What is a Diet Phase?

A diet phase is a period of time when you intentionally eat in a calorie deficit, consuming fewer calories than your body burns, with the goal of losing body fat. This doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your favorite foods; it’s about managing the overall numbers.

There are no strict “off-limits” foods unless you have allergies, intolerances, or personal boundaries. Your diet can include treats, comfort foods, or indulgences as long as your total intake aligns with your goals. Success in a diet phase comes from sustainable habits over time, not perfection in every meal. It’s better to hit your numbers 80–90% of the time than to try to be perfect and burn out.

This graphic says it all… from the Diet, Weight Loss, Fat Loss & Calorie Deficit post. Notice that it doesn’t say your calories have to come from whole foods, meal-prep containers, or supplements.

Can certain food choices affect your energy, hunger levels, or even the rate at which you lose weight? Absolutely.

And there are a variety of things that can give you the illusion of gaining like excess sodium. But the core principle stays the same… your results come down to the balance between intake and expenditure.

TO UNDERSTAND SOME OF THESE THINGS MORE, SEE THESE OTHER POSTS.

Why “Pick 3”?

So here’s the deal… you can have it but it needs to fit. We each have our own calorie makeup that we need to consume each day to match the expenditure we have. And like that graphic shows above… if we want to be in a weight loss phase, we have to consume less than we are expending. And that is where this strategy comes in. How can we make food outside of the house work?

So let’s try this out… I’ve gone through the menu and picked my Pick 3. No rhyme or reason to why I specifically chose these except for the fact that they sound good to my tastebuds and they fit in the under a certain amount of calories framework I like to use when eating out.

And why Pick 3? I guide my clients to pick out three different options from each place they frequent. You never know when your usual order might not be available or you’re just not feeling it that day. The more prepared you can be, the less that’s up to the uncertainty of it all.

Can you pivot on the spot? Absolutely. But when you have a backup plan (or two), it feels way less chaotic.

Understanding Some of the Options & Possible Swaps!

Sometimes… it’s more about how you can change up what you truly want. You can swap things. You can ask for things to be removed. It really is your food, your way… at least most of the time.

Here is what I found making my way through the Culver’s nutrition guide and what I think is most worth knowing before you walk in.

Check out my post: Mindful Eating Strategies for Dining Out & Weight Loss

THE SAUCE SITUATION

With wings, the sauce is where the real decision happens. The chicken is the chicken… it is what gets tossed on it that moves the numbers.

Here is how the sauces stack up per 2 fl oz serving, straight from the nutrition guide. Medium is 60 calories, Nashville Hot is 80, and Hot and Spicy Garlic are 90. Honey BBQ is 140 calories, mostly from 34 grams of carbs. Then there are the ones that surprise people… Original Buffalo is 220 calories and 24 grams of fat, Parmesan Garlic is 260, and the wet Lemon Pepper is 300 calories, almost all of it fat.

The dry rubs are the opposite story. Lemon Pepper, Salt & Vinegar, Chipotle BBQ, Buffalo, and Desert Heat run 5 to 10 calories per teaspoon. Choosing Lemon Pepper dry instead of wet is a swing of nearly 300 calories, and it is still Lemon Pepper.

How much sauce lands on your order can vary, so if you want more control, ask for it on the side or lightly tossed.

THE DRINK SITUATION

If you are there for the game and the food, water, fresh brewed iced tea, and coffee are all zero calories. They let your food budget go where it actually matters.

Sodas in the 20 oz cup run anywhere from 0 to 110 calories depending on which one you grab, so a diet soda and a regular soda are not the same order. The Handcrafted and Zero Proof drinks are a different story entirely, at 100 to 220 calories and up to 57 grams of carbs.

And if you are having a beer or a cocktail with the game, count it too. Three hours is a long time, and a few rounds add up quietly.

SIDES & DIPS: KNOW BEFORE YOU ORDER

The appetizers are where the numbers climb fast. As listed in the guide, the Beer-Battered Onion Rings with dip are 1,350 calories and the Cheddar Cheese Curds with dip are 1,320. Even the Chips & Salsa are 520 calories… more than the Grilled Classic Chicken Sandwich at 410. That is not a reason to never order them. They are made for sharing, so it is a reason to decide in advance whether that is your thing today, split it with the table, and build the rest of your order around it intentionally.

If you want something lighter on the side, the Carrots & Celery Sticks are 35 calories and the Garden Side Salad is 90. Regular fries are 420 calories, which can absolutely fit if you plan for them.

Dips are the other place calories hide. Ranch is 320 calories for 2 fl oz, Bleu Cheese is 280, and the B-Dubs Dip is 260. Ask for the dip on the side, dip instead of dunking, or pick one dip instead of two.

LEAN PROTEINS ARE YOUR BEST FRIEND HERE

The Grilled Chicken Dippers are my favorite macro find on this menu. A 5 piece is 260 calories, 61 grams of protein, and 2 grams of fat. The plain Traditional Wings are strong too, at 430 calories and 53 grams of protein for a 6 count, with zero carbs. The Grilled Classic Chicken Sandwich at 410 calories and 27 grams of protein eats like a real meal.

Boneless is worth a closer look. The 6 count is 360 calories, but it is only 29 grams of protein with 20 grams of carbs from the breading. On paper, you are trading about 24 grams of protein for 70 fewer calories, so it depends on what your day needs.

Do not assume the salad is the lighter pick. The Crispy Buffalo Chicken Salad with Bleu Cheese is 1,180 calories and the Honey BBQ Chicken Salad with Ranch is 1,060. It is the crispy chicken and the dressing doing that work.

One more thing to know going in is sodium. The Street Tacos have 2,140 mg, the Classic Chicken Wrap has around 1,900 to 2,000 mg, and the Grilled Classic Chicken Sandwich has 1,170 mg. That is not a reason to avoid anything, but if the scale is up the morning after a game day, it is very likely water and not fat. Drink some extra water and check out my post The Scale, Fluctuations & A Goal Weight

The food menu at Buffalo Wild Wings is way more macro-friendly than most people expect. It is really the sauces, dips, and appetizers where you have to pay attention.

SKIP OR LIMIT THESE

Item	Calories	Protein (g)	Carbs (g)	Fat (g)
Beer-Battered Onion Rings, Regular with Dip	1,350	11	134	86
Cheddar Cheese Curds with Dip	1,320	58	43	102
Crispy Buffalo Chicken Salad with Bleu Cheese	1,180	50	71	78
Honey BBQ Chicken Salad with Ranch	1,060	60	50	70
Chips & Salsa	520	8	72	22
Mozzarella Sticks with Marinara	520	21	53	25
Ranch Dressing, 2 fl oz	320	1	2	34
Lemon Pepper Sauce (wet), 2 fl oz	300	1	5	31
Parmesan Garlic Sauce, 2 fl oz	260	2	6	25

LEAN INTO THESE

Item	Calories	Protein (g)	Carbs (g)	Fat (g)
Grilled Chicken Dippers, 5 pc	260	61	0	2
Grilled Chicken Dippers, 2 pc	100	25	0	0.5
Traditional Wings, 6 count, plain	430	53	0	24
Traditional Wings, 10 count, plain	720	88	0	41
Boneless Wings, 6 count, base	360	29	20	19
Grilled Classic Chicken Sandwich	410	27	34	19
Classic Chicken Wrap	680	56	57	25
Street Tacos	630	28	43	39
Garden Side Salad, plain	90	5	8	4.5
Carrots & Celery Sticks	35	1	8	0
Medium Sauce, 2 fl oz	60	1	3	6
Nashville Hot Sauce, 2 fl oz	80	1	5	6
Lemon Pepper Dry Rub, 1 tsp	5	0	1	0

Think of this as macro Tetris.

You’re not saying no… you’re just arranging the pieces in a way that fits your day.

Making it Work!

Finally… you may have seen this before on my social media, but if not, here’s your reminder.

Resource: Making it work: Cuisine, Fast Food & Restaurants

This gives you a little more wiggle room compared to the specific “Pick 3” options I shared above. Sometimes, it’s just nice to know you can grab one or two simple things and still stay on track… no overthinking required.

Maybe you’re running your kids through the drive-thru or door dashing and you just need something different… if you can make it fit, go right ahead! There’s no limitation here. And this gives you a little bit more to choose from. Allowing your taste buds to roam a little, but also taking into account what it means for your body with the calories and the macronutrients.

Wrapping It Up

Eating at Buffalo Wild Wings doesn’t have to derail your progress.

With a little planning… and maybe your own Pick 3… you can make nearly any game day work for your goals. The Grilled Chicken Dippers might be one of my favorite macro finds in this entire restaurant series… 61 grams of protein for 260 calories is hard to beat

And yes, you can have the wings, the sauce, and the dip. Just know what you are ordering before you order it, and plan your day around it.

The biggest takeaways from this one? The food menu is way more macro-friendly than people expect. The Grilled Chicken Dippers, the plain Traditional Wings, and the Grilled Classic Chicken Sandwich are all really solid. The sauces, dips, and appetizers are where the numbers climb fast, so just be intentional going in. A dry rub instead of a wet sauce can save you close to 300 calories. And if a basket of onion rings is going to be the highlight of the game, decide in advance, split it with the table, and log it without guilt.

Football season is long, and you don’t have to be perfect.

You just have to be intentional.

With Love, Coach Nik

Macro Options for Buffalo Wild Wings: My Pick 3 & Swaps

Weight Management & Dieting

What is a Diet Phase?

TO UNDERSTAND SOME OF THESE THINGS MORE, SEE THESE OTHER POSTS.

Why “Pick 3”?