Is McDonald's breakfast menu healthier than dinner?

In this Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012, file photo, Carlos Gonzalez and Elsa Guzman eat breakfast at a McDonald's restaurant, in New York. (AP Photo / Mark Lenniha, File)

When dining at McDonald’s, is it healthier to have breakfast for dinner?

The answer: mostly, but not always.

As McDonald’s expands its all-day breakfast menu to 1,100 locations across Canada, CTVNews.ca took a closer look at the fast-food giant’s nutrition facts to figure out whether a McMuffin was really a healthier indulgence than a Big Mac.

Here’s how McDonald’s breakfast offerings stack up to their dinnertime counterparts.

FRIES VS. HASH BROWNS

Want fries with that? If you’re watching your calories, you may want to opt for a hash brown. With half the calories and carbs of a medium-sized order of fries, a single hash brown is significantly less sinful than an order of fries. That is, if you can eat just one.

HEALTHIER: Hash brown

160 calories

16 carbohydrates

10 grams of fat

360 milligrams of sodium

1 gram of protein

Medium French fries

350 calories

46 grams of carbohydrates

17 grams of fat

260 milligrams of sodium

4 grams of protein

HOTCAKES VS. APPLE PIES

For those looking for something sweet, breakfast for dessert isn’t the healthiest treat. With 600 calories, hot cakes pack more than double the calories of a baked apple pie, at 270 calories. Surprisingly, both have nearly the same amount of fat – a fact worth noting, since the hot cakes are, by weight, almost three times more food than an apple pie.

HEALTHIER: Baked Apple Pie

270 calories

34 grams of carbohydrates

14 grams of fat

180 milligrams of sodium

3 grams of protein

Hot cakes with syrup and butter

600 calories

106 grams of carbohydrates

16 grams of fat

660 milligrams of sodium

8 grams of protein

EGG MCMUFFIN VS. BIG MAC

The Egg McMuffin and Big Mac are the marquee menu offerings of the respective morning and evening menus. But, when dissected for health details, the two couldn’t be less alike. Even with its thick, perfectly circular slice of “Canadian bacon,” the Egg McMuffin has less calories, fat, sodium and carbohydrates than the Big Mac. The burger does carry a bit more protein, but only by eight grams.

HEALTHIER: Egg McMuffin

290 calories

29 grams of carbohydrates

11 grams of fat

760 milligrams of sodium

16 grams of protein

Big Mac

520 calories

45 grams of carbohydrates

28 grams of fat

950 grams of sodium

24 grams of protein

BLT MCWRAP VS. CHICKEN BACON MCWRAP

Wrap battles often end in a mic drop, and this time, the honour goes to the Zesty BLT More-ning McWrap. Across every category, the breakfast menu offering is healthier than its comparable dinner offering. However, that gap shrinks significantly when crispy chicken is traded for grilled – a decision that shaves 120 calories off the order.

HEALTHIER: Zesty BLT More-ning McWrap

440 calories

37 grams of carbohydrates

23 grams of fat

740 milligrams of sodium

21 grams of protein

Chicken & bacon Signature McWrap with crispy chicken

600 calories

47 grams of carbohydrates

33 grams of fat

1,320 milligrams of sodium

31 grams of protein

SAUSAGE MCGRIDDLE VS. DOUBLE QUARTER POUNDER WITH CHEESE

Sure, you can try to make McDonald’s a not-so-unhealthy meal. The restaurant has even started serving kale.

But what about the more indulgent options? In that department, McDonald’s double quarter pounder with cheese and sausage McGriddle are nearly equally matched. The McGriddle – a breakfast sandwich that swaps out the English muffin for two syrup-laced hotcakes – has 200 fewer calories than its hamburger cousin, but 110 more milligrams of sodium and 8 grams more carbs.

In this matchup, there really isn‘t a healthier choice.

Double Quarter Pounder with cheese

740 calories

42 carbohydrates

43 grams of fat

1,240 milligrams of sodium

47 grams of protein

Sausage, egg and cheese McGriddle

540 calories

48 grams of carbohydrates

29 grams of fat

1,350 milligrams of sodium

20 grams of protein

EGG, LETTUCE AND TOMATO BAGEL VS. GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH

Vegetarians don’t have many options at the Golden Arches. But, between the grilled cheese sandwich and the breakfast bagel with egg, lettuce and tomato, the dinner option is healthier. The grilled cheese sandwich carries half the calories, carbs and fat of the breakfast option.

HEALTHIER: Grilled cheese sandwich

250 calories

31 grams of carbohydrates

9 grams of fat

620 milligrams of sodium

11 grams of protein

Egg, lettuce and tomato bagel with multigrain bagel

520 calories

62 grams of carbohydrates

20 grams of fat

810 milligrams of sodium

20 grams of protein