Sonny’s BBQ Keto-Friendly Options for 2023

written by

Husein Gradasevic

research-based

Barbeque is all grandness – of flavors, of servings. That’s why you may find it difficult to have keto at a BBQ restaurant. But, what if I tell you that it’s not entirely true.

At Sonny’s BBQ, you can choose from a wide variety of low-carb salads, desserts, and even puddings. And that’s just scratching the surface!

From smoked wings to sliced briskets to chocolate pudding, they have a huge number of keto-friendly options for you. Just go easy on the side dishes like the Fried Okra or Sauced Chicken Wings, and you’ll be well under your daily carb limit.

In this article, we’ll go through all the keto-friendly options available at Sonny’s BBQ.

Table of Contents

Surviving Keto at Sonny’s BBQ

Sonny’s BBQ is well-known for its salad bar, where you can customize your salads accordingly to make it keto-friendly. Apart from that, Sonny’s BBQ has some amazingly low-carb “BBQ-by-the-pound” dishes and keto-friendly sidekicks.

For ketosis to occur, your body should not have enough carbohydrates to burn for energy. So, your body resorts to burning fat and produces ketones, which then act as your body’s fuel.

Since barbeque dishes are very high fat and low carb, they serve as the ideal keto-friendly fare. But, you have to be really smart about your choices at a BBQ restaurant.

Sonny’s BBQ has a wide variety of keto-friendly appetizers and sidekicks, namely –

Dish	Carbs(g)	Fiber(g)	Net Carbs(g)	Total Fats(g)	Protein(g)	Calories(Kcal)
Smoked Wings	7	2	5	57	55	760
Chicken Wings(Dry rub)	11	0	11	51	74	800
Green Beans	5	2	3	0.5	1	30
Brocolli	6	3	3	0	3	30

Build your own Keto Salad at Sonny’s BBQ

Sonny’s BBQ provides you with a mountain of keto-friendly toppings, bases, desserts to make your salad a delicious low-carb meal.

Not to forget, your carb limit per meal shouldn’t cross 7-8 grams net carbs (Total Carbs – Dietary Fiber) after adding all the keto-friendly items to your salad. Although, if you’ve had very low carb meals of around 8-10 grams collectively throughout the day, you can go for a 15g meal and still remain in ketosis.

Low-Carb Proteins:

(Topping)	Carbs(g)	Fiber(g)	Net Carbs(g)	Total Fats(g)	Protein(g)	Calories(Kcal)
Sliced Brisket	1	0	1	27	30	370
Sliced Pork	0	0	0	20	27	290
Sliced Turkey	0	0	0	8	32	190
Pulled Pork	7	0	7	23	28	350
Chopped Brisket	2	0	2	43	36	540
Chicken Breast	1	0	1	6	25	150
Chicken- White Meat	0	0	0	20	46	370

Toppings & Condiments:

Here come’s my favorite part: Customizing your salads with your preferred toppings! You can choose from these low-carb toppings (listed along with their net-carb count):

Cheddar Cheese (1)
Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese (1)
Diced Bell Peppers (1)
Diced Cucumbers (1)
Diced Tomatoes (1)
Roasted Corn (5)
Diced Turkey (0)
Sliced Pickles (1)
Spicy Pickles (0)
Banana Poppers (1)
Garbonzo Beans (3)
Carrot sticks (2)
Sunflower seeds (1)
Real Bacon Bits (0)
Saltines Crackers (4)
Captain Wafers (4)

Sonny’s BBQ also has a set of keto-friendly Pre-Mixed Salads, which you can use as a good base, and then add the low-carb toppings to it, to make a filling bowl.

Related: Newk’s Eatery Keto Choices

Ready-to-Eat Keto Salads at Sonny’s BBQ:

Broccoli Salad (6g)
Chicken Salad (1g)
Seafood Salad (4g)
Tuna Salad (1g)
Coleslaw (2g)
Macaroni Salad (8g)
Pasta Salad (7g)
Greek Salad (4g)

Fruits & Desserts:

Vanilla Pudding (6g)
Chocolate Pudding (6g)
Daisy Cottage Cheese (1g)
Fruit Cocktail (5g)
Diced Watermelon (2g)
Diced Pineapples (3g)
Grapes (5g)
Peaches (7g)
Diced Cantaloupe (2g)

Spice it up with Sauces:

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing (2g)
Ranch Dressing (2g)
Blue Cheese Dressing (1g)
1000 Island Dressing (6g)
Italian Dressing (3g)
Honey Mustard Dressing (5g)
Balsamic Vinagrette (5g)
Mustard Sauce (0g)

Barbecue by the Pound

BBQ of course means a lot of meat, and if you are not a fan of salads, you can go with the following barbecue options (by the pound):

Dish	Carbs(g)	Fiber(g)	Net Carbs(g)	Total Fats(g)	Protein(g)	Calories(g)
Chopped Brisket	5	0	5	135	112	1680
Sliced Brisket	3	0	3	109	120	1470
Sliced Pork	0	0	0	82	109	1180
Smoked Turkey	0	0	0	32	127	770
House Dry-Rubbed Ribs	1	0	1	76	66	950

Feeling thirsty? At Sonny BBQ, you can choose from zero-carb drinks such as Coca-Cola Zero, Diet Coke, Sprite Zero, Sonny’s Unsweet Tea, and Dasani Water.

Tips for Ordering Keto at Sonny’s BBQ

Now that you’ve seen all the low-carb options at Sonny’s BBQ, here are some tips to further optimize your order:

1.) Most barbecue sauces are high in sugar, you might as well avoid them.

2.) Do not indulge in bread, buns, and rolls since they are made with flour, which is the biggest keto enemy!

3.) Don’t visit the restaurant on an empty stomach. You’ll be a lot less likely to give in to the sugar cravings. (At least have 2 glasses of water, if nothing else!)

4.) Whenever in doubt, double down on your meat selection. Adding more meat isn’t going to hurt you, but smothering it with sauces will!

5.) Emphasize increasing fat intake and reducing carbs to stay in ketosis.

Is BBQ OKAY on Keto?

Eating out is not really easy when you’re practicing keto. But, with the right choice of BBQ options, you can enjoy a low-carb, high-fat meal without compromising on taste.

In fact, BBQ is one of the best cuisines to dine out on keto! It is smoky-grilled meat that is high in fats and super low in carbs. Just watch out for the sauces and you are golden!

When you eat food with more fat and more proteins, along with eliminating sugar, your body will go into a state of ketosis, which will then burn fat on your part. Eliminate the glucose, and you’ll just burn fat.

Why is BBQ sauce not Keto Friendly?

Well, not all BBQ sauces go against the keto rules. But the majority of them are hiding a ton of sugar inside, which is why they taste so damn good!

So the answer to your question is both Yes and No. Ordinary barbecue sauces contain a lot of sugar, carbs, and preservatives which turn them “Anti-keto” since you are strictly on a high-fat, and low-carb diet.

If you really want a low-carb BBQ sauce, your best bet is to scan your grocery store for the ones with the least sugar count. Some brands also use natural sugar-free sweeteners in order to minimize your carb intake.

But while you are dining at Sonny’s BBQ, just stick to other options like Ranch or Mustard dressing.

FAQs

Can I eat Sonny’s BBQ on keto?

Absolutely ‘Yes’. Keeping in mind, you can’t just pour sugary barbeque sauces all over. It’s a good idea to use keto-friendly barbeque sauces to slather your meat.

Should I eat at Sonny’s BBQ daily to remain in ketosis?

Barbeque dishes are generally low carb, high-fat dishes which are a perfect combination for your body to remain in ketosis. Again, stay away from side dishes, sugary sauces, and high-carb desserts and go for their keto-friendly alternatives.

Are there any limitations to a barbeque diet?

With so many benefits, there are some drawbacks too. Since barbeque is a meat-heavy diet, many people might feel very constipated after having keto-friendly barbeque food. You also will have to sacrifice the necessary nutrients from fruits and vegetables since they are high in carbs.

How is coleslaw at Sonny’s BBQ keto-approved?

Coleslaw comes in all shapes, sizes, and flavors. Generally speaking, coleslaw is just sliced raw cabbage mixed with mayonnaise and other vegetables. But most restaurants add a ton of sugar to entertain your tastebuds.

Luckily, that’s not the case with Sonny’s, and hence you can enjoy their Coleslaw even on the ketogenic diet!

Conclusion

As we saw, there’s a huge variety of keto-friendly dishes here at Sonny’s BBQ. From their keto salads to keto BBQ dishes such as briskets and pork, to sides such as chicken wings, Sonny’s BBQ has definitely got you covered!

With that being said, you should be careful about sugary barbeque sauces or high-carb beverages. Instead, go for their low-carb alternatives (also mentioned in the article) such as diet drinks and keto-friendly sauces.

We’ve equipped you with all the necessary information you need to continue your keto journey at Sonny’s BBQ. If you still have any doubts, visit their nutritional page here.

Next: Keto Choices at Ono Hawaiian BBQ