Dino Buddies are popular frozen chicken-based crunchy dinosaur-shaped nuggets.
These were launched in 1998 and feature dinosaurs like stegosauruses and T-rexes, making them a favorite among children and parents seeking nutritious and fun food.
These nuggets come in different flavors, such as original, gluten-free, organic, alphabet-shaped, and more.
However, are Dino Buddies truly a healthy choice?
Short answer: Dino Buddies are healthy choice as they are good source of protein and omega-3 and made without the use of artificial ingredients.
Read on to find out more about Dino Buddies, including their ingredients, protein, fiber, sodium content, and more.
Also read: Are Teddy Grahams Healthy? Everything You Need To Know
What are Dino Buddies made of?
At the time of writing this, Dino Buddies comes in 8 flavors, which includes
- Original
- Gluten-free (Fries)
- Organic
- Alphabet-shaped
- Whole grain
- Chicken & veggie
- Gluten-free
- Meatless plant-based
Therefore, the exact ingredients can vary depending on the flavor you choose.
In general, Dino Buddies are made of boneless skinless chicken breast with rib meat, water, wheat flour, and yellow corn flour as the main ingredients.
Other common ingredients that you might find across different flavors (in less than 2%) include
- Flaxseed Meal
- Sea Salt
- Natural Flavor
- Yeast
- Extractive Of Paprika (Color)
- Canola Oil
- Corn Starch
- Guar Gum
- Isolated Soy Protein
- Leavening (Sodium Bicarbonate)
The ingredients list of Dino Buddies is quite long.
However, the good thing is that they are free from artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, and antibiotics.
Therefore, the ingredients in Dino Buddies can be considered healthy.
Let’s move to the nutrition part.
Are Dino Buddies a good source of protein?
Dino Buddies nuggets are made with chicken breast meat with ribs mixed in – giving them a good protein punch.
A single serving, about 4 to 5 pieces, contains 8 to 13g of protein, depending on the flavor. This is really good for a bite-sized snack!
Dino Buddies nuggets are made with white meat chicken, providing high-quality lean protein, less fat, and fewer calories.
To compare, a single serving of Dino Buddies provides the protein content of two average-sized eggs, 150g of tofu, 50g of almonds, or 120g of Greek yogurt.
Here’s the table showing the protein content of all flavors.
| Flavor | Protein(g) |
|---|---|
| Original | 10 |
| Gluten-free (fries) | 10 |
| Organic | 13 |
| Alphabet-shaped | 12 |
| Whole grain | 10 |
| Chicken & veggie | 10 |
| Gluten-free | 8 |
| Meatless plant-based | 8 |
How much fiber is in Dino Buddies?
Dino Buddies are not a good source of fiber, providing anywhere between less than 1 to 2g of fiber per serving, depending on the flavor.
That’s not even 10% of the daily recommended fiber for adults.
Fiber is an essential part of the diet as it helps in many ways, such as promoting digestion and keeping you full for long periods.
The reason for low fiber in Dino buddies is due to their animal origin, as fiber is a component found in the cell walls of plant cells.
Here’s the table showing the fiber content of all flavors.
| Flavor | Fiber(g) |
|---|---|
| Original | <1 |
| Gluten-free (fries) | 0 |
| Organic | <1 |
| Alphabet-shaped | 2 |
| Whole grain | 1 |
| Chicken & veggie | 2 |
| Gluten-free | 0 |
| Meatless plant-based | 2 |
How much sodium is in Dino Buddies?
Dino Buddies are high in sodium, containing 270 to 390mg per serving, depending on the flavor.
That’s about 18 to 26% of the daily ideal sodium limit (1500mg) set by the American Heart Association.
Sodium is an essential part of the diet, but too much can result in heart-related issues.
If you are limiting sodium in your diet or are suffering from heart-related disease, it’s best you consume these nuggets in moderation.
Here’s the table showing the sodium content of all flavors.
| Flavor | Sodium(mg) |
|---|---|
| Original | 390 |
| Gluten-free (fries) | 390 |
| Organic | 390 |
| Alphabet-shaped | 340 |
| Whole grain | 270 |
| Chicken & veggie | 310 |
| Gluten-free | 290 |
| Meatless plant-based | 390 |
Do Dino Buddies contain omega-3?
Dino Buddies are a good source of Omega-3, containing 580 to 700mg coming from canola oil and flax.
That’s more than half the daily recommended intake of omega-3s.
Omega-3s provide various benefits, including promoting heart health, boosting brain function, supporting eye growth, and contributing to child growth and development.
Here’s the table showing the omega-3 content of all flavors.
| Flavor | Omega-3(mg) |
|---|---|
| Original | 650 |
| Gluten-free (fries) | 625 |
| Organic | 675 |
| Alphabet-shaped | 700 |
| Whole grain | 650 |
| Chicken & veggie | 700 |
| Gluten-free | 580 |
| Meatless plant-based | 650 |
Are Dino Buddies good for weight loss?
Dino buddies are good for weight loss, with a calorie range of 190 to 230 per serving, keeping it on the lower side.
What’s even better? Most of these calories comes from good fats and protein—no empty calories here!
Note that weight loss depends not only on one food but overall diet and lifestyle.
Are Dino Buddies gluten-free?
Dino Buddies are available in both gluten and non-gluten variations.
However, the majority of the flavors are non-gluten.
Specifically, only those flavors labeled as gluten are gluten-free.
Final words
After looking at the ingredients and nutritional value of Dino Buddies, it can be concluded that they are a healthy choice.
Here’s why.
- They are good source of protein
- They are free from artificial additives and antibiotics
- They are a good source of omega-3
However, they are high in sodium, and it’s important that you consume them in moderation.
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