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Dinner rolls, with their soft and fluffy texture, are a beloved staple at any meal. Their subtle, yeasty aroma and golden-brown crust invite you to indulge in their warm, comforting goodness. Whether served plain or adorned with a pat of butter, dinner rolls perfectly complement a variety of dishes, from hearty soups and stews to succulent roasts and fresh salads.
While delicious, some dinner rolls are healthier than others. Classic dinner rolls fill you up but don’t provide much nutrition, and many aren’t made with the highest-quality ingredients. Thankfully, newer dinner roll options are on the market that have an impressive ingredient list and provide more nutrients than what you may find in an OG version.
How We Chose the Healthiest Rolls
To identify the most nutritionally beneficial brands of rolls, we focused on three key factors:
- Fiber: We evaluated each product’s fiber content, as fiber is essential for maintaining a healthy digestive system and may support satiety. When possible, we opted for rolls that have at least 2 grams of fiber per serving.
- Low in Added Sugar: We prioritized products with minimal or no added sugars since excessive sugar consumption is linked to various health issues, including obesity and diabetes. While avoiding added sugars in all of our best dinner rolls wasn’t possible, most are relatively lower in this addition.
- Quality Ingredients: We focused on rolls made from high-quality ingredients, such as whole grains and natural additives, to maximize nutritional value and minimize exposure to artificial substances.
If you love having a dinner roll with your meal, keep reading to find which choices made our “best” and “worst” list. Then, check out The 50 Healthiest Weight Loss Snacks on Grocery Shelves.
Best Dinner Rolls
Best: Dave’s Killer Bread Rock ‘n’ Rolls
Nutrition (per 1 roll)
Calories: 110
Fat: 2.5 g (Saturated fat 0 g)
Sodium: 230 mg
Carbs: 19 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 3g)
Protein: 5 g
Dave’s Killer Bread Rock ‘n’ Rolls are made with a signature 21 whole grains and seeds blend, packing 12 grams of whole grains per serving. These rolls’ fiber and protein content are impressive, and as a bonus, they are USDA Organic certified.
Best: Hero Hawaiian Rolls
Nutrition (per 1 roll)
Calories: 50
Fat: 4.5 g (Saturated fat: 2.5 g)
Sodium: 200 mg
Carbs: 11 g (Fiber: 11 g, Sugar 0 g)
Protein: 4 g
With a hint of sweetness but 0g net carbs, Hero Hawaiian Rolls are a surprising source of 11 grams of fiber. The secret to these rolls is the use of resistant starch, which acts as a prebiotic fiber and doesn’t get absorbed by the body.
Best: St. Pierre Brioche Rolls
Nutrition (per 1 roll)
Calories: 120
Fat: 3 g (Saturated fat: 1 g)
Sodium: 120 mg
Carbs: 20 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar 5 g)
Protein: 3 g
When you want the taste of what you’d find at a Parisian dining spot but without the transatlantic flight, St. Pierre Brioche Rolls fit the bill. While they are lower in fiber and protein than what we typically look for, they make up for it in the ingredients used to make these rolls, like real eggs and milk. And if you like rolls that taste as fresh as possible, know that these are individually wrapped, preserving the freshness as long as possible.
Best: The Better Bun Pretzel Buns
Nutrition (per 1 roll)
Calories: 140
Fat: 3 g (Saturated fat: 0.5 g)
Sodium: 530 mg
Carbs: 38 g (Fiber: 28 g, sugar: 1 g)
Protein: 20 g
BetterBrand’s Pretzel Better Buns are low-carb, high-protein, and plant-based with no added sugar. The 28 grams of fiber provided in each roll is enough to meet the recommended intake of this nutrient for most females per the Dietary Guidelines, and the 20 grams of protein helps support muscle health. Ingredients like agave fiber, avocado oil, and modified wheat starch make this possible. Note these rolls are made with erythritol, an ingredient that some may be sensitive to.
Best: Sister Schubert’s Wheat Dinner Yeast Rolls
Nutrition (1 roll)
Calories: 140
Fat: 4g (Saturated fat: 1 g)
Sodium: 240
Carbs: 22 g (Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4g)
Protein: 4g
With 13 whole grains per serving, Sister Schubert’s Wheat Dinner Yeast Rolls are a no-brainer addition to a balanced diet if you want a boost of fiber and protein. Made with 65% whole wheat flour, these rolls are ready to enjoy in five to 10 minutes.
Best: Julian’s Recipe Wheat Rolls
Nutrition (1 roll)
Calories: 100
Fat: 0.5 g (Saturated fat: 0g)
Sodium: 160 mg
Carbs: 19g (Fiber: 2g, Sugar 0g)
Protein: 3g
Julian’s Recipe Wheat Rolls are made with sprouted wheat, which may offer some unique benefits. Specifically, when grains are sprouted, they undergo a natural process that breaks down starches, making the nutrients more accessible and easier to digest. The rolls’ higher fiber content aids digestion and promotes a feeling of fullness, which can benefit weight management.
Best: Martin’s Sweet Dinner Potato Rolls
Nutrition (1 roll)
Calories: 90
Fat: 1 g (Saturated fat: 0g)
Sodium: 90 g
Carbs: 16 g (Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 5g)
Protein: 4g
Martin’s Sweet Dinner Potato Rolls don’t top our list as the healthiest dinner rolls—but they aren’t the worst choice, either. While they lack fiber and have added sugars, they are also relatively low in sodium and free from saturated fat. Not all of the ingredients used are our first choices, but they are all non-GMO, and these rolls are free from artificial dyes.
Worst Dinner Rolls
Worst: King’s Hawaiian Savory Butter Rolls
Nutrition (1 roll)
Calories: 90
Fat: 2.5 g (Saturated fat: 1.5 g)
Sodium: 110 mg
Carbs: 13 g (Fiber: less than 1 g, Sugar: 3 g)
Protein: 3g
Delicious? Sure. The best choice for you? Not really. These rolls are low in fiber, contain added sugars, and are relatively low in fiber. King’s Hawaiian Savory Butter Rolls are also made with a laundry list of ingredients, including some that people who eat more “naturally” tend to avoid, like mono and di-glycerides and sodium stearoyl lactylate.
Worst: Wonder Bread Dinner Rolls
Nutrition (1 roll)
Calories: 80
Fat: 1 g (Saturated fat: 0g)
Sodium: 135 mg
Carbs: 14 g (Fiber:0, Sugar: 4g)
Protein: 2g
Wonder Bread doesn’t conjure thoughts of the healthiest food products in general. So, it should be no surprise that Wonder Bread Dinner Rolls are not listed as one of the “best” dinner roll choices. They are free from fiber, have added sugars, and are low in protein. Plus, they are made with preservatives and emulsifiers, ingredients that some tend to avoid when trying to live a healthy lifestyle. However, more data is needed to confirm they are detrimental to our health.
Worst: Against the Grain Original Rolls
Nutrition (per 1 roll)
Calories: 250
Fat: 10g (Saturated fat: 2.5 g)
Sodium: 290 mg
Carbs: 36 g (Fiber: 0g, Sugar: 0g)
Protein: 3g
Against the Grain Original Rolls are far higher in fat than most other dinner rolls. Plus, the 36 grams of carbs, none of which are fiber, don’t make us jump for joy, either. And with almost 300 milligrams of sodium and only 3 grams of fiber, it is clear that these dinner rolls, while likely delish, aren’t getting a glowing review for nutrition.
