High-Protein Breakfast Options at Jack in the Box (Under 500 Calories)
What “high-protein breakfast” means at Jack in the Box
Most nutrition guidance suggests aiming for around 20–30 grams of protein at breakfast to support muscle maintenance, appetite control, and more stable energy through the morning.
Jack in the Box absolutely has plenty of protein… but a lot of it lives inside huge breakfast burritos and heavy sandwiches that blast past 500 calories:
Meat Lovers / Meaty Breakfast Burritos: around 790–810 calories, about 39–40 g protein.
Extreme Sausage Sandwich: around 660 calories.
Ultimate Breakfast Sandwich: about 520 calories, roughly 31–33 g protein.
Great protein, but not great if you’re trying to keep breakfast under 500 calories.
The sweet spot is finding simpler sandwiches and grilled items that keep you under 500 while still delivering decent protein.
Best traditional Jack in the Box breakfast items under 500 calories
These are actual breakfast-menu items that fit under 500 calories and still give you a meaningful hit of protein.
1. Breakfast Jack (Ham, Egg & Cheese)
Several nutrition databases and Jack in the Box–focused guides put the Breakfast Jack roughly in this range:
Calories: about 320–360 (some listings show 280–350 depending on size/version)
Protein: about 14–18 g (commonly listed at 16 g)
What it is: a soft bun with ham, a freshly cracked egg, and American cheese.
Why it’s a solid option:
Under 400 calories with mid-teens grams of protein is pretty decent for a fast-food breakfast sandwich.
Fairly balanced: protein from ham, egg, and cheese; reasonable portion size.
Paired with black coffee or diet soda, you’re comfortably under 500 calories for breakfast.
2. Bacon Breakfast Jack
The Bacon Breakfast Jack is very similar, swapping ham for bacon. A 2025 high-protein Jack in the Box breakdown lists it at:
Calories: about 340–380
Protein: about 15–19 g
Why it works:
Slightly higher calories than the ham version, with a similar protein range.
Still fits easily under 500 calories even with a zero-cal drink.
If you prefer bacon, this is the better choice than jumping all the way up to the big burritos or platters.
3. Sausage Breakfast Jack (Borderline but workable)
For the Sausage Breakfast Jack, one nutrition source shows:
Calories: roughly around 480–500 (listed as about a quarter of a 2,000-calorie day)
Protein: about 19 g
It’s heavier because sausage is fattier than ham or bacon.
Why it’s “borderline”:
If you order it as-is, you’re basically right on or just under 500 calories.
You do get close to 20 g of protein in a single sandwich.
How to make it safer under 500:
Ask for no cheese or light cheese.
Skip any extra sauces.
That can shave enough calories to keep it clearly under your 500-cal goal while still delivering solid protein.
High-protein “breakfast” options from the all-day menu (under 500 calories)
Jack in the Box is known for serving many items all day, so you don’t have to stick to the classic breakfast board. Some of the best high-protein choices under 500 calories come from the regular menu and work great as a morning meal.
4. Chicken Fajita Pita
A nutrition breakdown of Jack in the Box’s menu calls out the Chicken Fajita Pita as one of the healthiest items:
Calories: about 330
Protein: about 27 g
Why it’s a top pick:
That’s nearly ideal “high-protein breakfast” territory: mid-20s grams of protein at just 330 calories.
Pita, grilled chicken, veggies, and cheese give you a balanced mix of protein, carbs, and fiber.
If you’re okay eating something a bit more “lunchy” in the morning, this is arguably the best overall under-500 choice.
5. Grilled Chicken Salad (no dressing, no croutons)
The same nutrition write-up notes that a Grilled Chicken Salad ordered without dressing or croutons is:
Calories: about 230
Protein: about 30 g
That’s insanely good protein per calorie for fast food.
Why it works as a breakfast:
If you don’t mind “salad for breakfast,” you get 30 g of protein for only 230 calories.
You can then add a piece of fruit or toast later and still be under 500 calories.
This is perfect if you’re cutting, tracking macros, or just want the leanest possible start to the day.
6. Classic Grilled Jack Wrap (New wraps)
In early 2025, Jack in the Box rolled out Jack Wraps—including a Classic Crispy Jack Wrap, Spicy Crispy Jack Wrap, and a Classic Grilled Jack Wrap with grilled chicken. A report on the launch notes that the Spicy Crispy Jack Wrap is about 380 calories, with the other wraps in a similar range.
The grilled version uses grilled chicken instead of breaded, so you can reasonably expect:
Calories: roughly 350–400
Protein: likely in the 20+ g range, thanks to the grilled chicken and cheese (inference based on typical grilled wraps with similar calories).
Why it’s a good “modern breakfast”:
Feels like a breakfast-style wrap you can eat on the go.
Under 500 calories, with much better protein than a random pastry and large soda.
If you see “Classic Grilled Jack Wrap” on the board, it’s a great high-protein under-500 move.
High-protein Jack in the Box breakfast combos under 500 calories
The easiest way to stay under 500 is to pick one solid protein item + a zero-calorie drink. Here are realistic combos that hit that mark.
Combo 1: Breakfast Jack + Black Coffee
Breakfast Jack: ≈ 320–360 calories, ~16 g protein
Black coffee / diet soda / unsweet tea: ~0–5 calories
Total: about 325–365 calories, ~16 g protein
Why it’s good:
Classic breakfast sandwich feel.
Leaves you 140–170 calories of “wiggle room” if you want a small snack later (like a piece of fruit or some Greek yogurt at home).
Combo 2: Bacon Breakfast Jack + Zero-Cal Drink
Bacon Breakfast Jack: ≈ 340–380 calories, ~15–19 g protein
Black coffee / diet soda / unsweet tea: ~0–5 calories
Total: about 345–385 calories, mid-teens to high-teens protein
Why you’d choose it:
You’re “team bacon” and want that flavor without blowing your day’s calories.
Still under 400, with protein solid enough to keep you going for a while.
Combo 3: Chicken Fajita Pita + Black Coffee
Chicken Fajita Pita: 330 calories, 27 g protein
Black coffee / unsweet tea: ~0–5 calories
Total: about 330–335 calories, 27 g protein
Why it’s arguably the best combo:
Nearly perfect high-protein breakfast macros for a fast-food place.
You can still eat a small snack later and be comfortably under 500 for the morning if you want.
Combo 4: Grilled Chicken Salad + Coffee
Grilled Chicken Salad (no dressing, no croutons): 230 calories, 30 g protein
Black coffee or unsweet tea: ~0–5 calories
Total: about 230–235 calories, 30 g protein
Why it’s a macro cheat code:
Extremely high protein for very low calories.
Leaves massive room for carbs and healthy fats later in the day—oats, toast, fruit, etc.
This is the move if you’re cutting weight or trying to increase daily protein without feeling stuffed early.
Combo 5: Classic Grilled Jack Wrap + Zero-Cal Drink
Classic Grilled Jack Wrap: roughly 350–400 calories, estimated 20+ g protein (based on Jack Wraps being ~380 calories with a full chicken strip).
Black coffee / water / diet soda: ~0–5 calories
Total: about 350–405 calories, solid protein (likely in the 20 g range)
Why it’s practical:
Perfect “handheld” breakfast for commuting or errands.
Under 500 calories with a good protein bump, especially if you get the grilled version.
How to customize Jack in the Box breakfast to stay high-protein and under 500
Even if you don’t memorize item macros, a few simple rules keep you on track.
1. Avoid the giant burritos and platters
Items like the Meat Lovers / Meaty Breakfast Burrito, Extreme Sausage Sandwich, and Jumbo Breakfast Platters are designed to be huge:
Meat Lovers / Meaty Breakfast Burrito: around 790–810 calories, 39–40 g protein.
Extreme Sausage Sandwich: around 660 calories.
Jumbo Bacon or Sausage Breakfast Platter: 560–640 calories before you add a drink.
They’re protein-packed but simply don’t fit a sub-500 plan.
2. Keep drinks essentially calorie-free
Because almost none of your protein comes from drinks at Jack in the Box, spending calories there is usually a waste if you’re trying to stay under 500.
Stick to:
Black coffee
Unsweetened iced tea
Diet soda
Water
Skip:
Sugary sodas
Large sweet teas
Cream-heavy or sugar-heavy coffee drinks
Those just add 150–300 calories with essentially zero extra protein.
3. Go easy on extra cheese, mayo, and sauces
Cheese and creamy sauces are where breakfast sandwiches quietly gain weight. If you’re close to the 500-cal limit already:
Ask for no extra cheese (stick to what the sandwich normally comes with).
Skip mayo-heavy sauces or special spreads when possible.
Shaving off just 50–100 calories from add-ons can be the difference between “around 400” and “accidentally 550+.”
4. Use grilled options whenever they’re available
In general:
Grilled items like the Chicken Fajita Pita, grilled salads, and grilled wraps give you more protein per calorie than heavy fried options.
So if you have a choice between:
Grilled vs crispy chicken in a wrap or pita
go grilled if you care about macros.
5. Think of Jack in the Box as just one piece of your breakfast day
Realistically, even the better choices here will get you:
Around 16–20 g protein from a Breakfast Jack–style sandwich, or
Around 27–30 g if you lean on the chicken pita or grilled salad.
You can then top up protein later in the morning with:
Greek yogurt
A small protein shake
Cottage cheese or boiled eggs at home
That way the whole morning hits that 20–30+ g protein window while still keeping each visit to Jack in the Box under 500 calories.
Quick Jack in the Box high-protein breakfast cheat sheet
If you don’t want to think about numbers at all, here are simple “just say this” orders that fit the theme:
Simple classic breakfast
“Breakfast Jack and a black coffee.”
Roughly 325–365 calories, ~16 g protein.
Bacon version
“Bacon Breakfast Jack and an unsweet iced tea.”
Roughly 345–385 calories, mid-teens to high-teens protein.
Best overall macro play
“Chicken Fajita Pita and a black coffee.”
Around 330 calories, 27 g protein.
Ultra-lean high-protein start
“Grilled Chicken Salad, no dressing or croutons, and a black coffee.”
About 230 calories, 30 g protein.
Wrap-style option with decent protein
“Classic Grilled Jack Wrap and a diet soda.”
Roughly 350–405 calories, with 20+ g protein expected from the grilled chicken.
Use those as your default go-tos and you’ll consistently get higher-protein breakfasts at Jack in the Box that stay under 500 calories, without having to memorize the entire nutrition PDF.
