First Watch Seed Oil Report Card
Based on our menu research, First Watch cooks with: no deep fryer in store; First Watch markets "no fryers, heat lamps, or microwaves" as a core scratch-kitchen brand promise. Potatoes/hash are seared or griddled in oil (secondary sources, including copycat recipes and a seed-oil review site, consistently point to canola oil), eggs are cooked with butter or margarine, and a Vegalene-brand pan spray is used as a release agent (a dairy-free version is kept on hand for allergy requests).. Across the 88 menu items we analyzed, it averages 9.6g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of D (Very High Risk).
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Safest Orders at First Watch
Learn this once: a salad with grilled protein and the dressing left off is nearly always the lowest seed oil order anywhere. So the list below sticks to real meals, salads included, never just a water.
Cleanest full order: Steel-Cut Oatmeal + Fresh Seasonal Fruit + Project Sunrise Coffee, 1.0g total
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Fresh Seasonal Fruit | 0.0g |
| Cheesy Grits | 0.3g |
| Tomato Basil Soup Cup | 0.5g |
| Million Dollar Bloody Mary | 0.7g |
| Steel-Cut Oatmeal | 1.0g |
What to Avoid at First Watch
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Farmhouse Skillet Hash | 57.0g |
| The Traditional Breakfast | 43.0g |
| Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowl | 32.0g |
| Tri-Fecta | 30.0g |
| Biscuits & Turkey Sausage Gravy with Eggs | 30.0g |
Every First Watch item, ranked
All 88 items we have for First Watch, safest first. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Fresh Fruit (side) | 0.0g |
| Fresh Seasonal Fruit | 0.0g |
| Fountain Drink | 0.0g |
| Cheesy Grits | 0.3g |
| Iced Coffee | 0.3g |
| Tomato Basil Soup Cup | 0.5g |
| Hollandaise Sauce | 0.5g |
| Vera Cruz Sauce | 0.5g |
| Million Dollar Bloody Mary | 0.7g |
| Honey Caramel Crunch Iced Coffee | 0.8g |
| Mint Mocha Iced Coffee | 0.8g |
| Steel-Cut Oatmeal | 1.0g |
| Tomato Basil Soup Bowl | 1.0g |
| Smoked Ham | 1.3g |
| The Triathlete (eggs, turkey, avo) | 1.4g |
| Tri-Athlete | 1.4g |
| Healthy Turkey | 1.5g |
| Kids Steel-Cut Oatmeal | 2.3g |
| Power Wrap | 2.7g |
| Superfood Kale & Quinoa Bowl | 3.0g |
| English Muffin | 3.1g |
| Chicken Apple Sausage Patties | 3.1g |
| Million Dollar Bacon | 3.2g |
| Hardwood Smoked Bacon | 3.2g |
| Sunrise Granola Bowl | 3.2g |
| Buttered Grits | 3.4g |
| Avocado Toast | 3.6g |
| Cobb Salad | 3.8g |
| Elevated French Toast | 4.0g |
| Kids Pancakes | 4.0g |
| Kids Breakfast | 4.0g |
| A.M. Superfoods Bowl | 4.0g |
| Sweet Honey Pecan Salad | 4.0g |
| Turkey Sausage Links | 4.2g |
| Kids Half Waffle | 4.4g |
| Kids Bacon & Egg | 4.4g |
| Seasoned Potatoes (side) | 4.5g |
| Fresh Seasoned Potatoes | 4.5g |
| Chicken Avocado Chop Salad | 4.7g |
| Kids French Toast | 4.7g |
| Belgian Waffle | 4.8g |
| Strawberry Tres Leches French Toast | 5.0g |
| Smoked Salmon Benedict | 6.2g |
| Whole Grain Toast | 6.8g |
| Kale & Berry Salad | 7.0g |
| French Toast | 7.0g |
| Classic Benedict | 7.6g |
| Million Dollar Potatoes | 7.7g |
| The Floridian (eggs benedict style) | 8.0g |
| Turkey, Bacon & Avocado Sandwich | 8.0g |
| Cinnamon Chip Pancake | 8.0g |
| Kids Chocolate Chip Pancake | 8.9g |
| Market Hash | 8.9g |
| Floridian French Toast | 9.0g |
| Smoked Salmon and Roasted Vegetable Frittata | 9.1g |
| BLT Benedict | 9.6g |
| Frittata Rustica | 9.7g |
| Pork Sausage Links | 9.7g |
| Carnitas Breakfast Burrito | 10.0g |
| Chickichanga (fried burrito) | 10.4g |
| Chickichanga | 10.4g |
| Lemon Ricotta Pancakes | 11.6g |
| Million Dollar Breakfast Sandwich | 12.2g |
| Farmhouse Hash | 12.7g |
| Kids Grilled Cheese | 12.7g |
| The Works Omelet | 12.7g |
| Multigrain Pancakes | 13.6g |
| Farm Stand Breakfast Tacos | 13.8g |
| Freshly Baked Blueberry Muffin | 13.9g |
| Chile Chorizo Omelet | 14.0g |
| Bacado Omelet | 14.3g |
| Barbacoa Breakfast Tacos | 14.6g |
| Elevated Egg Sandwich | 18.0g |
| Ham and Gruyere Melt | 18.8g |
| Veggie Burger | 19.0g |
| Market Veggie Sandwich | 20.2g |
| Barbacoa Chilaquiles Breakfast Bowl | 21.1g |
| Baja Turkey Burger | 21.1g |
| Pesto Chicken Power Bowl | 21.7g |
| Monterey Club | 23.8g |
| Roast Beef & Havarti | 24.4g |
| BLTE | 25.7g |
| Power Breakfast Bowl | 26.4g |
| Tri-Fecta | 30.0g |
| Biscuits & Turkey Sausage Gravy with Eggs | 30.0g |
| Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowl | 32.0g |
| The Traditional Breakfast | 43.0g |
| Farmhouse Skillet Hash | 57.0g |
Frequently asked
Does First Watch use seed oils?
Based on our menu research, First Watch cooks with: no deep fryer in store; First Watch markets "no fryers, heat lamps, or microwaves" as a core scratch-kitchen brand promise. Potatoes/hash are seared or griddled in oil (secondary sources, including copycat recipes and a seed-oil review site, consistently point to canola oil), eggs are cooked with butter or margarine, and a Vegalene-brand pan spray is used as a release agent (a dairy-free version is kept on hand for allergy requests).. Across the 88 menu items we analyzed, it averages 9.6g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of D (Very High Risk).
What oil does First Watch cook with?
Our research indicates: no deep fryer in store; First Watch markets "no fryers, heat lamps, or microwaves" as a core scratch-kitchen brand promise. Potatoes/hash are seared or griddled in oil (secondary sources, including copycat recipes and a seed-oil review site, consistently point to canola oil), eggs are cooked with butter or margarine, and a Vegalene-brand pan spray is used as a release agent (a dairy-free version is kept on hand for allergy requests).. Preparation can vary by location, so treat PUFA numbers as estimates.
Does First Watch use beef tallow?
No. Our research indicates First Watch cooks with no deep fryer in store; First Watch markets "no fryers, heat lamps, or microwaves" as a core scratch-kitchen brand promise. Potatoes/hash are seared or griddled in oil (secondary sources, including copycat recipes and a seed-oil review site, consistently point to canola oil), eggs are cooked with butter or margarine, and a Vegalene-brand pan spray is used as a release agent (a dairy-free version is kept on hand for allergy requests)., not beef tallow. For chains that fry in tallow or other real fats, see Tallow Watch.
Is First Watch seed oil free?
No. Our research indicates First Watch cooks with no deep fryer in store; First Watch markets "no fryers, heat lamps, or microwaves" as a core scratch-kitchen brand promise. Potatoes/hash are seared or griddled in oil (secondary sources, including copycat recipes and a seed-oil review site, consistently point to canola oil), eggs are cooked with butter or margarine, and a Vegalene-brand pan spray is used as a release agent (a dairy-free version is kept on hand for allergy requests)., which includes seed oils. See the lower-PUFA orders above for the cleanest picks.
What is the safest thing to order at First Watch?
Fresh Seasonal Fruit is the lowest-PUFA item we analyzed at First Watch, at an estimated 0.0g PUFA. See the Safest Orders list on this page for more options.
What should I avoid at First Watch?
Farmhouse Skillet Hash is the highest-PUFA item we analyzed at First Watch, at an estimated 57.0g PUFA. Fried items and creamy, mayo-based sauces are usually the heaviest.
What are seed oils?
Seed oils — canola, soybean, sunflower, corn, and similar vegetable oils — are extracted from seeds using high heat and chemical solvents. They are very high in polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs), which are unstable at cooking temperatures and can oxidize easily. Many health-conscious eaters choose to minimize seed oils and prefer foods cooked in beef tallow, butter, coconut oil, or olive oil instead. This page shows estimated PUFA grams per menu item to help you make more informed choices. These are estimates — actual values vary by preparation and location. New to the topic? Start with what seed oils are and the complete list, or read the evidence on why people avoid them.
Compare other chains
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See where First Watch lands on the full Seed Oil Index, or check which chains cook in real fats on Tallow Watch. Wondering about a specific dish instead? The Is It Seed Oil food guide answers it for 200+ everyday foods, and the distributor oils page covers what independent restaurants fry in.