Extra Sharp Yellow

What's in the Extra Sharp Yellow?

At 110 calories per serving, the Extra Sharp Yellow represents about 6% of a 2,000-calorie daily intake. On the macronutrient side, roughly 22% of those calories come from protein, 82% 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 180mg, or about 8% of the FDA's daily reference value. If you're watching salt, pairing the Extra Sharp Yellow 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 Extra Sharp Yellow supplies 110 calories, which represents roughly 6% 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 21% protein, 0% carbohydrate and 79% 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 6g 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 180mg, or about 8% 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.

Allergen profile

Milk

The Extra Sharp Yellow 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 Extra Sharp Yellow at Cracker Barrel sits roughly 82% lighter than the category average. It also delivers 246mg less 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 Extra Sharp Yellow 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

Cheddar cheese (pasteurized nonfat milk and milk fat, cheese culture, salt, enzymes, annatto [color]), natamycin (a natural mold inhibitor).

The bottom line

The Extra Sharp Yellow from Cracker Barrel is a light entry on the chain's menu at 110 calories and 180mg of sodium per serving. Protein content is on the lower side for an entrée — pairing with a protein-forward side or starter is the obvious adjustment. 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.