Whataburger is a popular fast food chain known for its burgers, fries, shakes, and other tasty menu items. The Whataburger Jr is one of their classic burger options – a smaller patty with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and onions on a toasted bun. But how many calories are actually in a full Whataburger Jr meal?
What’s in a Whataburger Jr Meal?
A standard Whataburger Jr meal includes the following:
– Whataburger Jr burger (single 2 oz beef patty)
– Small order of french fries
– Small soft drink (21 oz)
The total calorie count will depend on customization options and portion sizes. Whataburger allows customers to customize their burgers with various toppings and condiments. The fries can be ordered in different sizes. And the drink can be customized from a variety of sodas, juices, shakes, and other beverage options.
Calories in a Whataburger Jr Burger
The Whataburger Jr burger on its own contains the following calories:
– Bun: 150 calories
– 2 oz beef patty: 230 calories
– Lettuce: 5 calories
– Sliced tomatoes: 5 calories
– Pickles: 0 calories
– Onions: 15 calories
That puts the basic Whataburger Jr sandwich at around 405 calories.
However, customers can customize their burgers with extra toppings and condiments that will increase the total calorie count:
– Ketchup: 20 calories per packet
– Mustard: 0 calories
– Mayonnaise: 90 calories per packet
– Lettuce: 5 calories per serving
– Tomatoes: 5 calories per slice
– Pickles: 0 calories per slice
– Onions: 15 calories per serving
– Cheese slice: 50 calories per slice
– Bacon: 45 calories per slice
Ordering a Whataburger Jr with cheese and bacon would add an extra 100 calories, bringing the total burger calories to around 500. Adding ketchup, mustard, lettuce, and tomato would add another 30 calories.
Calories in Whataburger Fries
Whataburger offers french fries in three portion sizes:
– Small fries: 230 calories
– Medium fries: 350 calories
– Large fries: 470 calories
A standard Whataburger Jr meal comes with a small order of fries, so that adds 230 calories to the total meal.
Customers can also get seasoned fries or fries with toppings like cheese and bacon. These customized options can add 50-150 calories extra.
Calories in Whataburger Drinks
Whataburger allows customers to choose from a variety of fountain drink options to complete their Whataburger Jr combo meal.
Here are the calorie counts for some popular Whataburger drink choices in a small 21 oz serving:
– Coca-cola: 230 calories
– Diet Coke: 0 calories
– Sprite: 200 calories
– Dr Pepper: 200 calories
– Root beer: 230 calories
– Hi-C Orange: 210 calories
– Minute Maid Lemonade: 250 calories
– Sweet Tea: 180 calories
– Unsweetened Tea: 0 calories
– Coffee: 5 calories
A standard Whataburger Jr meal comes with a 21 oz soda, so that adds around 200-250 calories depending on the drink choice.
Some other high-calorie Whataburger drink options include:
– Small chocolate shake: 530 calories
– Small strawberry shake: 490 calories
– Small vanilla shake: 520 calories
So choosing a sugary shake instead of a diet soda can add 500+ calories to your meal.
Total Calories in a Whataburger Jr Meal
If you order a basic Whataburger Jr meal with the standard options, here is the calorie breakdown:
– Whataburger Jr burger: 405 calories
– Small french fries: 230 calories
– Small soda: 230 calories
That puts the total calorie count at around 865 calories.
Of course, the total can be higher or lower based on customization choices.
Here are some examples of total calorie counts for different Whataburger Jr meal options:
– Whataburger Jr with cheese and bacon + medium fries + medium Coke: 1115 calories
– Whataburger Jr with lettuce, tomato + small fries + small lemonade: 905 calories
– Whataburger Jr with ketchup and mustard + large fries + small chocolate shake: 1515 calories
As you can see, certain customizations like larger fries, sugary drinks, bacon, cheese, and creamy sauces can really drive up the calorie total. A customized Whataburger Jr meal can easily contain well over 1,000 calories.
But even just the standard Whataburger Jr combo meal packs nearly 900 calories. That’s almost half the recommended daily calorie intake for an average adult!
Nutrition Facts for a Whataburger Jr Meal
In addition to calories, a Whataburger Jr meal contains the following nutrition facts:
Whataburger Jr Burger
– Total Fat: 24g
– Saturated Fat: 9g
– Trans Fat: 1.5g
– Cholesterol: 55mg
– Sodium: 360mg
– Total Carbohydrates: 31g
– Dietary Fiber: 1g
– Total Sugars: 3g
– Added Sugars: 0g
– Protein: 15g
Small French Fries
– Total Fat: 11g
– Saturated Fat: 1.5g
– Trans Fat: 0g
– Cholesterol: 0mg
– Sodium: 270mg
– Total Carbohydrates: 26g
– Dietary Fiber: 3g
– Total Sugars: 0g
– Added Sugars: 0g
– Protein: 3g
Small Soda (21 oz)
– Total Fat: 0g
– Saturated Fat: 0g
– Trans Fat: 0g
– Cholesterol: 0mg
– Sodium: 15mg
– Total Carbohydrates: 55g
– Dietary Fiber: 0g
– Total Sugars: 55g
– Added Sugars: 55g
– Protein: 0g
As you can see, a Whataburger Jr meal is high in calories, fat, saturated fat, sodium, carbohydrates and added sugars. The meal provides some protein as well as a small amount of fiber (from the bun and fries). But overall, it is very low in nutrients.
Health Impact of Eating Whataburger Jr Meals
What are the health implications of frequently eating high-calorie Whataburger Jr combo meals? Here are some things to consider:
– High calorie intake can lead to weight gain and obesity over time, increasing risk for diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers.
– High saturated fat intake raises LDL “bad” cholesterol levels and increases risk for cardiovascular disease.
– High sodium levels put strain on the heart and cardiovascular system, increasing hypertension risk.
– Added sugars provide empty calories without any nutritional benefit, and excess added sugar is linked to fatty liver disease and diabetes.
– Low fiber intake can contribute to digestive issues and doesn’t promote feelings of fullness as well as fiber-rich meals.
– Eating too many processed foods from fast food chains instead of whole, minimally processed foods reduces intake of vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients.
Research clearly shows that diets high in processed foods, sodium, sugar and unhealthy fats lead to increased risk for obesity, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and more.
So while an occasional Whataburger Jr meal won’t do too much damage, making a habit of eating fast food frequently can negatively impact overall health in the long run. It’s best to treat these high-calorie, low-nutrient meals as an occasional indulgence rather than a dietary staple.
Tips for Reducing Calories in a Whataburger Jr Meal
If you want to enjoy a Whataburger Jr without consuming too many calories, here are some tips:
– Order a Whataburger Jr with mustard instead of mayo
– Choose a soda water or unsweetened iced tea instead of a sugary soda
– Opt for a small fries instead of medium or large
– Add extra vegetables like lettuce, tomato, and onion for more nutrition
– Skip the bacon and cheese since they drive up calories and fat
– Choose apple slices or a side salad instead of french fries
– Order a burger with no bun (low-carb option)
– Ask for sauces and dressings on the side to control how much you use
– Share a meal with a friend so you don’t overeat
Making simple substitutions and downsizing portions can reduce the calorie count substantially. You can also offset the meal by eating lighter and healthier for the rest of the day.
Healthier Fast Food Options
If counting calories is a priority, there are some lower calorie fast food options to consider instead of a Whataburger Jr meal:
Salads
– McDonald’s Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad (350 calories)
– Wendy’s Apple Pecan Chicken Salad half size (280 calories)
– Chick-fil-A Grilled Market Salad (320 calories)
Grilled Chicken Sandwiches or Wraps
– Chick-fil-A Grilled Chicken Sandwich (440 calories)
– McDonald’s Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich (380 calories)
– Wendy’s Grilled Chicken Wrap – half size (320 calories)
Soup or Oatmeal
– Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup – bowl (300 calories)
– McDonald’s Fruit & Maple Oatmeal (300 calories)
– Chick-fil-A Chicken Noodle Soup (120 calories)
Lighter Burgers
– In-N-Out Hamburger with Onion Protein Style (mustard instead of spread) (210 calories)
– Five Guys Little Hamburger (410 calories)
– Wendy’s Jr. Hamburger (280 calories)
Happy Meal Options
– McDonald’s Happy Meal Hamburger (470 calories)
– Chick-fil-A Grilled Nuggets Kid’s Meal (415 calories)
– Burger King Kids Cheeseburger (550 calories)
So you don’t have to give up fast food entirely to control calorie intake. Just focus on grilled chicken, salads, lighter sandwiches, burgers without bacon and cheese, and kid’s meal options. Watch portion sizes as well. With a few simple adjustments, you can reduce the calories at a fast food meal by half.
Conclusion
A standard Whataburger Jr combo meal with a burger, small fries and small soda contains about 865 calories. But customized additions like bacon, cheese, larger fries and sugary shakes can drive the total well over 1,000 calories or more.
While an occasional indulgent fast food meal is perfectly fine, making a habit of eating high-calorie, high-fat, low-nutrient meals like these can lead to negative health effects over time. To keep calories under control when eating fast food, opt for grilled chicken, salads, and lighter sandwiches. Skip sugary sodas and shake, cheese, bacon and large portion sizes. With smart choices, you can still enjoy grabbing a quick meal without excess calorie intake.
