Wendy's Is Releasing 3 New Menu Items for Spring—Including a Grilled Chicken Ranch Wrap

Now that spring has sprung and the days are warming up, all kinds of places are debuting new menu items to bring in the season. We've already seen the arrival of a brand-new Starbucks cold brew, a new protein at Chipotle and now a mini springtime menu at Wendy's.

The drive-thru chain is amping up its lemonade and chicken offerings with its new Blueberry Pomegranate Lemonade, Grilled Chicken Ranch Wrap and Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad. Each item is bursting with fresh, light flavor for folks who need some sunshine as they swing through the to-go line.

Blueberry Pomegranate Lemonade

The new lemonade just became the fourth twist on the restaurant's standard all-natural lemonade—there's already a classic version, plus pineapple-mango and strawberry. The fusion of blueberry, pomegranate and lemon will make for a tart-sweet beverage that's sure to please fruit lovers. Here's how the nutrition information breaks down for a small Blueberry Pomegranate Lemonade:

• 240 calories
• 25 milligrams sodium
• 61 grams carbohydrate
• 58 grams sugar

"The Blueberry Pomegranate Lemonade does fit under our healthy drinks nutrition guideline for calories, but it does have 58 grams of added sugar in a 12-ounce serving," says Annie Nguyen, M.A., RD, EatingWell's Pinterest editor and one of our team's dietitians. "As refreshing as it sounds, this may be a drink to treat yourself occasionally if you are watching your added sugar consumption."

To put that 58 grams into context, the American Heart Association recommends no more than 36 grams of sugar each day for men and no more than 25 grams for women. So a small cup of this fruity lemonade, while super-refreshing, might just send your blood sugar into a tizzy.

Grilled Chicken Ranch Wrap

The wrap is bundled up in a warm flour tortilla and stuffed full of grilled chicken, Cheddar cheese, romaine and a drizzle of creamy ranch dressing. Here's how the nutrition information breaks down for a Grilled Chicken Ranch Wrap:

• 420 calories
• 16 grams total fat
• 5 grams saturated fat
• 1230 milligrams sodium
• 41 grams carbohydrate
• 2 grams fiber
• 2 grams sugar
• 27 grams protein

The folks at Wendy's tout this wrap not as a tidy little snack, but a flavorful meal in and of itself. With 27 grams of protein in a single wrap, this roll-up definitely lives up to the promise of being a filling meal. But folks aiming for a heart-healthy eating pattern may want to make this only an occasional meal on busy days. The sodium and saturated fat content are above what we'd recommend for a heart-healthy meal (or a diabetes-friendly one).

Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad

The new salad also promises to be a filling meal—just with a few more veggies. The salad begins with a pile of lettuce blend, which gets topped with grilled chicken, tomatoes, Cheddar cheese, hard-boiled eggs, bacon and crispy fried onions. Like the wrap, the salad also comes with a drizzle of savory ranch dressing. Here's how the nutrition information breaks down for a small Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad:

• 430 calories (or 680 calories with dressing)
• 24 grams total fat (or 50g with dressing)
• 8 grams saturated fat (12.5g with dressing)
• 1030 milligrams sodium (or 1340mg with dressing)
• 17 grams carbohydrate (or 19g with dressing)
• 3 grams of fiber
• 4 grams sugar (or 5g with dressing)
• 36 grams protein (or 37g with dressing)

Like the new chicken wrap, this salad is packed to the gills with protein, with more than twice the amount it would take for us to label the dish high-protein. That makes it a very appealing quick option for folks who need a recovery meal after doing strength workouts. But folks who are trying to eat heart-healthy and diabetes-friendly diets may want to approach this salad with a little caution. This bowl of greens is high in sodium and saturated fat even without dressing. (Our target for sodium content in a full meal is 750mg of sodium—this salad contains 1340mg.)

"The Cobb Salad and Grilled Chicken Wrap are great high-protein choices, packing a whopping 36g and 27g of protein respectively for the whole entrée," Nguyen says. "However, these menu options are high in sodium, containing about 50% of the recommended 2,300 mg of sodium you should eat in a day (or 1,500 mg for those who have high blood pressure or heart disease). The salad and wrap are also a little higher in saturated fat if you are trying to follow a heart-healthy diet. If you are looking for a quick high-protein meal, these meals are good to enjoy once in a while, especially if you are on the go."

Bottom Line

Wendy's new slate of menu items for spring includes Blueberry Pomegranate Lemonade, Grilled Chicken Ranch Wrap and Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad. While all of these dishes are fun options to shake up your routine when you're in a rush, we wouldn't recommend making them a regular part of your diet—especially if you have diabetes or are concerned about your heart health. The entrées are high in saturated fat and sodium, two nutrients that can be tough on your heart when enjoyed in excess. The lemonade is also high in sugar, making it more an occasional treat than a routine sip.

But just about anything can be enjoyed in moderation, and that wisdom remains true for these menu items. Whether you snag a salad, sip a lemonade or devour a wrap, you'll be sure to enjoy something affordable, quick and seasonal.