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Fat Jack:
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Jack in the Box Nutrition
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Jack in the Box has a l a r g e menu...
...Yes, there are lots of selections, but when I say large, I (meet me) mean large in calories and fat.
What Jack doesn't include as part of the huge menu are very many healthy options to choose from.
| 250-350 calorie option | 400-500 calorie option | 600-700 calorie option | |
| Best Choices | Chicken Fajita Pita OR Asian Chicken Salad with Grilled Chicken, only 1/2 packet of almonds, 1/2 packet of Asian Sesame dressing, no wonton strips | Chicken Fajita Pita + fruit cup OR Asian Chicken Salad with Grilled Chicken, 1/2 packet of Asian Sesame dressing, no wonton strip | Chicken Fajita Pita + side salad with 1/2 packet Asian Sesame dressing + fruit cup + applesauce |
I was able to find a few good choices that I'll share with you, but first the bad news...
Jack in the Box Nutrition Facts:
At least 6 burgers have over 70 grams of fat...you could eat 3 McDonald's cheeseburgers and a large order of fries for less fat than that!
The majority of the burgers have over 600 calories (at least 5 of them are over 1000 calories) and many will provide you a full day's worth (or more) of artery-clogging saturated fat.
So your personal Jack in the Box Nutrition Guide says: Skip the burgers if you can!
To add insult to injury, trans fat can currently be found in almost every meal Jack in the Box serves, with numbers as high as 10-12 grams in some of the food. (The American Heart Association recommends that people limit trans fats to less than 2 grams per day.)
The trans fat levels in the foods at Jack in the Box are much higher than at most of their fast food competitors.
But now, on to the good news...
There are 2 menu items I can recommend without feeling like I should lose my dietitian license ;-) (See the criteria I used.) And while 2 choices don't really seem like very many...
...if you eat three menu items every time you go out for fast food, you've got bigger problems than trans fats!
So if you find yourself at the Jack in the Box drive thru, hungry for something yet wanting to stick with your healthy eating or weight loss plan:
Your best two choices are:
- Asian Chicken Salad with Grilled Chicken (but without the wonton strips) + 1/2 packet of Asian Sesame Dressing (or full serving lowfat Balsamic Dressing)
- Chicken Fajita Pita
You also have a great opportunity to eat a couple of servings from the fruit food group by ordering:
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- the fruit cup
- the applesauce
Try adding the fruit cup to your salad...
...or plan ahead and order the fruit or applesauce to have later as an afternoon snack.
Jack in the Box Nutrition Guide to Best Choices
How indulgent can you afford to be? (Establish your personal calorie count.)
OR, use the following rough guidelines:
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250-350 calorie menu suggestions could be considered a "mini meal" for a larger or more active person, or a full meal for a smaller person or someone in need of a lower calorie intake.
400-500 calorie menu suggestions would be appropriate for an average size person or an active smaller person.
600-700 calorie menu suggestions would be appropriate for a very active or larger person.
Oh, and one more small bit of good news. If you opt for breakfast at Jack in the Box, the Breakfast Jack is one of the few items without trans fat. Granted it's more fat and sodium than is ideal, but it's the lesser of evils.
Want to see how your favorite meals stacks up? Get the nutrition facts for your favorite item combinations with this official Jack in the Box Nutrition Guide.
Back to Surviving Fast Food.
Back to Personal Nutrition Guide Home.
** Note: Jack in the Box Nutritional information current as of August, 2007 **
