Double Cheddar

What's in the Double Cheddar?

At 400 calories per serving, the Double Cheddar represents about 20% of a 2,000-calorie daily intake. On the macronutrient side, roughly 23% of those calories come from protein, 75% from fat, and 0% from carbohydrates — a profile typical of Cracker Barrel's Imported section. Sodium is often the line to watch with sit-down chain entrees, and this dish delivers 700mg, or about 30% of the FDA's daily reference value. If you're watching salt, pairing the Double Cheddar with a side salad (dressing on the side) and water rather than a sweetened beverage is the standard mitigation. Like most items at Cracker Barrel, the dish is built for shareable portions and is plated at restaurant scale rather than a strict single serving. Boxing half of it before you start is one of the simplest ways to bring the per-meal calorie load down meaningfully without giving up the experience.

How this fits a 2,000-calorie day

One serving of the Double Cheddar supplies 400 calories, which represents roughly 20% of a 2,000-calorie reference day. That is on the lighter side for a sit-down restaurant entrée and gives a comfortable margin to add a starter, a side, or even dessert without crowding the day's caloric budget.

The macronutrient split lands at roughly 24% protein, 0% carbohydrate and 76% fat by calorie share — a useful frame because raw gram counts often understate how much of a dish's energy actually comes from fat. Protein delivery at 23g is in the ordinary mid-range for the category — enough to anchor a meal, not high enough to be the dish's selling point.

Sodium clocks in at 700mg, or about 30% of the FDA's 2,300mg daily reference value. That is well within a reasonable share for a single meal and gives plenty of room for the rest of the day. Saturated fat is the other line worth watching at 23g — about 115% of the daily reference value — primarily a long-term cardiovascular consideration rather than a single-meal one.

Allergen profile

Milk

The Double Cheddar is flagged for Milk in the chain's posted allergen panel. The dairy component is most often in the sauce, the cheese topping or the butter used to finish the plate; an unsauced or sauce-on-the-side preparation can sometimes reduce — but rarely eliminate — the exposure. Cross-contact in a shared kitchen is always possible, so when in doubt, ask the floor manager.

How it stacks up against the casual-dining category

Across the 61 Imported entries we track in this category — averaging 620 calories and 426mg sodium per serving — the Double Cheddar at Cracker Barrel sits roughly 35% lighter than the category average. It also delivers 274mg more sodium than the typical Imported item we list, which is the more useful number if you're cross-shopping menus on the way to a reservation.

For direct cross-shopping, here are the closest Imported matches we track at competing chains:

Ordering strategy

If the Double Cheddar is the entrée you want, the highest-leverage adjustments are usually the ones that change the surrounding meal rather than the dish itself. Because the entrée itself is moderate, you have headroom for an appetizer or a starter side without dropping into restrictive territory — useful for a longer dinner where the goal is to stretch the meal rather than minimize it. Sauces, dressings and finishing oils are routinely the largest hidden source of calories on a casual-dining plate; getting them on the side gives you direct portion control without changing the dish you actually want to eat.

Ingredients summary

white and coloured cheddar cheese [milk, modified milk ingredients, cream, salt, bacterial culture, calcium chloride, microbial enzyme, colour (annatto)], cellulose powder (to enhance flow), natamycin (natural preservative).

The bottom line

The Double Cheddar from Cracker Barrel is a light entry on the chain's menu at 400 calories and 700mg of sodium per serving. Protein delivery is in the typical mid-range for the category. Anyone tracking sodium specifically — including most people on blood-pressure medication — should weigh this dish against the chain's lower-sodium options on the same menu before committing.