Everything You Need to Know About the Calories in Wawa’s Hot Turkey & Mashed Potato Hot Bowl

Wawa’s hot turkey and mashed potato hot bowl is a popular menu item, but how many calories does it actually contain? In this article, we’ll break down the complete nutrition information for Wawa’s hot turkey and mashed potato hot bowl and look at how it fits into a balanced diet.

An Overview of Wawa’s Hot Bowl

Wawa first introduced their line of hot bowls back in 2017. The hot bowls are prepared fresh in store and contain hearty ingredients like turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, and vegetables The hot turkey and mashed potato option combines sliced turkey breast with creamy mashed potatoes, herb stuffing, turkey gravy, and a medley of carrots, celery, and onions It’s a comforting and delicious meal, perfect for a cold day.

Wawa’s hot bowls are available all day and make for a satisfying quick lunch or dinner. They are portioned as individual servings in 16 oz bowls. The chain offers several other hot bowl varieties as well, like broccoli cheddar and chicken noodle, but the hot turkey and mashed potato is one of the most popular choices.

Nutrition Facts for Wawa’s Hot Turkey & Mashed Potato Hot Bowl

Now let’s look at the complete nutrition facts for this popular menu item

• Calories: 660
• Total Fat: 37g
• Saturated Fat: 22g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Cholesterol: 130mg
• Sodium: 1960mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 64g
• Dietary Fiber: 7g
• Sugars: 6g
• Protein: 21g

As you can see, while tasty, the hot turkey and mashed potato bowl is quite high in calories, fat, and sodium The entire bowl contains 660 calories, which is about 1/3 of the daily recommended caloric intake for most adults

It also contains high amounts of fat – 37g total, with 22g coming from unhealthy saturated fat. The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat to just 13g per day, so this one hot bowl exceeds that amount.

With 1960mg of sodium, the hot bowl accounts for 82% of the daily recommended limit for sodium as well. Most dietary guidelines recommend limiting sodium to 2300mg per day, so this single serving brings you close to that limit.

On the positive side, the hot bowl does contain 21g of protein from the turkey, as well as 7g of fiber from the potatoes, veggies and stuffing. It also has vitamin A, calcium, and iron. Still, the high calorie, fat, and sodium contents are things to be aware of.

Putting the Wawa Hot Bowl’s Calories into Perspective

To put the 660 calories in the Wawa hot turkey and mashed potato bowl into perspective, here are some examples of other foods with similar calorie amounts:

• Big Mac from McDonald’s: 563 calories
• Large slice of Domino’s pepperoni pizza: 630 calories
• Burrito bowl with rice, beans, chicken, etc from Chipotle: 650-750 calories
• Average restaurant cheeseburger and fries: 600-700 calories

As you can see, the hot bowl contains a comparable amount of calories as some less than healthy fast food meals. The bowl would need to be your main meal of the day to fit it into a 2000 calorie diet.

For another comparison, here are some moderate calorie meals with around 400-500 calories:

• Roasted chicken breast with veggies: 450 calories
• Veggie omelette with fruit: 400 calories
• Tuna salad sandwich and soup: 500 calories
• Stir fry with tofu and vegetables over rice: 475 calories

So while delicious, Wawa’s hot turkey and mashed potato bowl should be thought of more as a splurge meal, rather than an everyday light lunch. Pay attention to portion size if you want to keep your daily calorie count in check.

Tips for Enjoying Wawa’s Hot Bowl as Part of a Balanced Diet

If you want to enjoy Wawa’s hot turkey and mashed potato bowl while still maintaining healthy nutrition habits, here are some tips:

• Make it your main meal of the day, avoiding additional high calorie menu items
• Split the bowl in half and share with a friend or save half for leftovers
• Opt for a side salad and water instead of fries and a sugary soda
• Stick to just one bowl instead of getting refills
• Balance it out by choosing lower calorie foods for the rest of your meals and snacks that day
• Increase your physical activity to allow for the extra treat meal

Overall, Wawa’s hot turkey and mashed potato bowl can absolutely be part of a healthy diet when enjoyed in moderation alongside plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, proteins, and healthy fats. Just be mindful of portion size and frequency to keep the calories, fat, and sodium in check.

Wawa’s hot turkey and mashed potato bowl provides a tasty and comforting meal, but clocks in at 660 calories per 16 oz serving. With high amounts of fat and sodium as well, enjoy the hot bowl in moderation as part of an overall balanced diet, not on a daily basis. Follow the portion size, fill up on produce and lean proteins the rest of the day, and get in plenty of physical activity. This will allow you to enjoy Wawa’s delicious hot bowl while still meeting your health and nutrition goals.