The 15 Unhealthiest Items at Dunkin’—and What to Order Instead

Is a stop at Dunkin’ Donuts part of your morning routine? Since America runs on Dunkin’, or so they claim, it’s no surprise that many people start their day there. However, there are many common drinks and food items on the Dunkin’ menu that are unhealthier than most people realize. If you don’t pay attention to the nutritional value of your favorite drink or treat, you may be shocked to find out just how unhealthy your order is.

Before you hop in the drive-thru line, consider the nutritional value of these popular drinks and food items from Dunkin’. Here’s a look at the 15 most unhealthy items at Dunkin’ and what you should order instead!

1. Blue Raspberry Coolatta

It’s not surprising that a drink with “blue raspberry” in the name is packed with sugar. The Dunkin’ Coolatta is a frozen drink that was originally created to keep people cool on warm days. Blue raspberry is one of the most popular flavors, but there are over 20 different flavors overall. A small blue raspberry coolatta has 230 calories and 55 grams of sugar. This amount is pretty high already, but a large coolatta has over 100 grams of sugar.

2. Caramel Swirl Macchiato

While a macchiato without the caramel won’t throw off your caloric intake for the day, the Caramel Swirl Macchiato gives you an unhealthy dose of calories and sugar. A large Caramel Swirl Macchiato brings over 60 grams of sugar to your day, and that’s without the whipped cream. You can order a macchiato at Dunkin’ without the caramel swirl and whipped cream if you’re looking for a healthier alternative.

3. Frozen Chocolate

As tasty as this chocolatey drink looks, it sounds pretty unhealthy right from the get-go. Like most of the frozen drinks at Dunkin’ Donuts, the Frozen Chocolate is made with sugary syrups and whole milk, leading to a drink that’s packed with calories, fat, and sugar. Even a small Frozen Chocolate has almost 700 calories and over 100 grams of sugar.

4. Frozen Chai Latte

You might associate tea with good health, and unsweetened tea does have numerous benefits. However, when you order a chai tea latte at most coffee shops, they’re typically loaded with sugar. On top of that, this frozen drink is essentially a frappuccino. A large order of the Frozen Chai Latte has 690 calories and 129 grams of sugar.

5. Vanilla Bean Coolatta

The Vanilla Bean Coolatta is another drink that’s bound to help you cool down on a warm day, but it’s also high in calories and sugar. One of the many flavors of the famous Dunkin’ Coolatta, the Vanilla Bean Coolatta has nearly 800 calories and 167 grams of sugar in a large. It may be tasty but it’s not necessarily worth the indulgence when you see the nutritional value of this beverage.

6. French Vanilla Swirl Frozen Chocolate

The French Vanilla Swirl Frozen Chocolate is another popular frozen drink for chocolate-lovers. However, the amount of sugar and calories may surprise you. With almost 1,000 calories and 165 grams of sugar, it’s best to stay away from this frozen drink and opt for a healthier alternative.

7. Frozen Caramel Coffee Coolatta

It’s no surprise that a Frozen Caramel Coffee Coolatta isn’t exactly a healthy drink, but the nutritional value of this drink is particularly appalling. This flavor of Coolatta from Dunkin’ is filled with massive amounts of calories, sugar, and fat. A large one has almost 1,000 calories, 47 grams of fat, and 138 grams of sugar. 

8. Caramel Swirl Frozen Coffee with Cream

The Caramel Swirl Frozen Coffee wins the award for highest calorie drink at Dunkin’ Donuts. A large size of this sugary drink has 1,120 calories, 40 grams of fat, and 172 grams of sugar. Not only does this make the drink incredibly high in sugar and fat, but it’s recommended for most people to consume around 2,000 calories a day. That means this drink has over half your daily calorie intake!

9. Kolache

You won’t find this savory breakfast item at every Dunkin’ location, but the kolache is essentially a super-sized pig in a blanket. It includes a sausage wrapped in a blanket of buttery dough. While it may not be as high in calories as some other items on the menu, it’s full of highly processed ingredients. It also contains about 500 mg of sodium.

10. Chocolate Creme Stick

The Chocolate Creme Stick is a tasty treat that may be delicious, but it’s not a good option if you’re watching what you eat. This donut is one of the unhealthiest on the menu with nearly 500 calories and 33 grams of sugar. 

11. Maple Creme Stick

Like the Chocolate Cream Stick, the Maple Cream Stick is also full of calories and sugar, but it has slightly more calories and sugar than the chocolate version. Doughnuts are meant to be a treat, not a healthy food, but some are more unhealthy than others. The Maple Creme Stick is similar in nutritional value to the Chocolate Cream Stick with 480 calories and 35 grams of sugar.

12. Glazed Jelly Stick

Take the sugar and calories of the Maple Creme Stick and the Chocolate Cream Stick, and then fill it with sugary jelly. That pretty much describes this variety of doughnuts. With a whopping 490 calories and 39 grams of sugar, it will certainly hit the spot if you have a sweet tooth, but it may be better to share it with a friend or cut it in half to save some for later.

13. Apple Stick

Don’t let the inclusion of apples fool you, this donut is certainly not a healthy choice. One stick alone has 420 calories, 25 grams of fat, and 20 grams of sugar. Since there is very little protein or fiber, it’s not going to keep you full either. This means you’ll be hungry again shortly after eating it even though it contains the amount of calories of a full meal.

14. Coffee Cake Muffin

There’s something about muffins that trick us into thinking they’re healthy–but unless you’re eating an unsweetened bran muffin, this isn’t usually the case. In fact, at Dunkin’, some of the muffins are actually worse than eating a donut. The coffee cake muffin has 590 calories, 88 carbs, and 51 grams of sugar. There’s not a lot of fiber either, which means it won’t keep you full for long, despite the high amount of calories and carbs.

15. Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Croissant

A sausage, egg, & cheese croissant is one of the tastiest savory breakfast items on the menu, but let’s take a look at the nutritional value. You will get some protein from the sausage and egg, which will help you stay full throughout the morning. However, it’s over 700 calories and has 20 grams of saturated fat. In most cases, that would be your entire recommended daily limit of fat in just one meal.

Healthier Alternatives at Dunkin' Donuts

If you’re looking for a drink or snack at Dunkin' that won’t throw off your whole day, there are some healthier alternatives to choose from. Next time you order, avoid some of the most unhealthy items at Dunkin' and try one of these alternatives instead:

• Americano
• Cappuccino
• Iced Coffee without syrup
• Iced Matcha Latte 
• Unsweetened Berry Hibiscus Iced Tea
• Brewed coffee
• Cinnamon Munchkins
• Multigrain bagel
• French Cruller
• Egg and Cheese Wake-Up Wrap
• Egg White Bowl

Keep in mind most drinks you order can be customized to make them healthier. You might swap out the 2% milk in your drink for skim milk. You can also use less syrup in many of the sugary drinks if you’re trying to reduce the amount of sugar and calories.

Unhealthy Items at Dunkin' Donuts: Final Thoughts

When you get used to having a treat from Dunkin’ Donuts every day, it’s a hard habit to break. You don’t have to break up with Dunkin’ entirely to opt for something healthier. Keep the unhealthiest items at Dunkin’ in mind and next time you’re in the drive-thru, try one of the healthier alternatives instead.

If you'd rather make hot chocolate at home than order it from a place like Dunkin', we understand. Make this from-scratch hot chocolate recipe instead!

The image featured at the top of this post is ©OlgaGubskaya/Shutterstock.com.