What a Dietitian Would Order on Tim Hortons’ Fall Menu

Step aside, Dunkin’ and Starbucks—there’s a regional breakfast chain we should stop overlooking. We’re talking about Canadian and northeast U.S. staple, Tim Hortons. Tim Hortons is entirely underrated, according to EatingWell nutrition editor and registered dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S. RD. 

“When I go home to Michigan to visit my family, I drive through Canada almost the entire way. And for me, that almost always means a stop at Tim Hortons,” Ball shares. “It feels kind of special since they don’t have them that close to where I live.”

They’re top of mind right now as they made it official: fall is here. Tim Hortons just released their fall menu, featuring drinks and pastries welcoming seasonal flavors. This includes a brand-new drink in the lineup, a Caramel Apple Latte, served iced or hot.

Nostalgic memories aside, we asked Ball for her RD-perspective on the new menu, and the healthier way she would order the drink that excites her most. Here’s what to know before adding one of these autumnal beverages to your routine.

Alongside the Caramel Apple Latte, which highlights the sweetness of your favorite fair food, seasonal drinks like the Maple Cinnamon Sugar Cold Brew, the Pumpkin Spice Latte and the Pumpkin Spice Iced Capp are back for a limited time. The Maple Cinnamon Sugar Cold Brew blends maple syrup, brown sugar and cinnamon for a vibrant sip. And each pumpkin-themed coffee embraces warm and aromatic flavors by using Tim Hortons’ signature pumpkin spice syrup.

We know we have your mouth watering now, but here’s what Ball wants you to keep in mind before walking into TH or pulling up to the nearest drive-thru.

“These drinks are packed with fall flavors and sound really fun, but they are all very high in added sugar,” she explains. “For reference, the American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugar intake to at most 36 grams per day—and every drink on this list contains more than that in one serving.”

As an example, here’s the nutritional breakdown for one small, hot Caramel Apple Latte:

Calories: 300

Carbohydrates: 48 g 

Dietary Fiber: 0 g

Total Sugars: 45 g

Added Sugars: 45 g

Protein: 7 g

Total Fat: 9 g

Saturated Fat: 8 g

Cholesterol: 20 mg

Sodium: 200 mg

Yes, 45 grams of added sugar is a lot. But at EatingWell, we are firm believers that any food or beverage can be enjoyed in moderation, so if a dessert-like coffee is something that you love on occasion, we say go for it. And if you want one of these featured concoctions more regularly, there are ways to reduce the sugar. Here’s what Ball would personally recommend and how she would help cut down the added sugar in her order.

“I love iced coffee all year round, so if I had to choose one, I’d probably order the Pumpkin Spice Cold Brew,” she says. “To help reduce the added sugar and saturated fat it contains, I’d skip the cold foam and the pumpkin spice drizzle on top.”

By making small adjustments, it’s easy to appreciate the new fall menu at Tim Hortons. If you don’t have the chain nearby, try making a healthier version of their seasonal drinks at home with our Pumpkin Spice Latte recipe.