PB&J vs Grilled Cheese: Calories and Nutrition Compared (2026)

PB&J has 11.4 g of protein, while Grilled Cheese has 11.0 g. PB&J contains 361 calories, compared to 343 calories in Grilled Cheese.

This comparison examines the nutritional profiles of PB&J and Grilled Cheese. Both are popular comfort foods, but they differ in various nutritional aspects.

What Is the Difference Between PB&J and Grilled Cheese?

PB&J, or peanut butter and jelly, is a sandwich made with peanut butter and fruit preserves, typically served on bread. Grilled cheese is a sandwich made with cheese, typically melted between slices of buttered bread and grilled until golden brown.

PB&J vs Grilled Cheese: Nutrition Side by Side

Below is a side-by-side comparison of PB&J and Grilled Cheese to highlight their nutritional differences.

Nutrient (per 100 g)	Peanut butter and jelly sandwich	Grilled cheese sandwich
Calories	361 kcal	343 kcal
Protein	11.4 g	11.0 g
Carbs	45.2 g	28.1 g
Sugar	15 g	4.5 g
Fat	16.6 g	20.8 g
Fiber	2.8 g	1.2 g
Sodium	368 mg	822 mg

Which Is Better, PB&J or Grilled Cheese?

For weight loss: PB&J has 361 calories per 100 g, while Grilled Cheese has 343 calories, making Grilled Cheese the lower calorie option.

For muscle and protein: PB&J contains 11.4 g of protein per 100 g, slightly higher than the 11.0 g found in Grilled Cheese.

For low-carb or low-sugar: PB&J has 45.2 g of carbs and 15 g of sugar, while Grilled Cheese has 28.1 g of carbs and 4.5 g of sugar, making Grilled Cheese lower in both.

How to Track PB&J and Grilled cheese Accurately

Portion sizes and macronutrient content can be easily misjudged, impacting overall dietary choices. Nutrola is an AI nutrition tracking app that identifies foods from a photo and returns calories and macros from a database of more than 1.8 million foods. It also supports barcode scanning and voice logging. Nutrola is available from EUR 2.50 per month and shows no ads on any tier.

How We Compiled These Numbers

The numbers provided are rounded reference values for educational use, not intended as medical advice. This comparison is based on per-100g measurements. Values are per 100 g from USDA FoodData Central.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which has more protein?

PB&J has 11.4 g of protein, while Grilled Cheese has 11.0 g.

Which has fewer calories?

Grilled Cheese has 343 calories, while PB&J has 361 calories.

What is the fat content in PB&J?

PB&J contains 16.6 g of fat per 100 g.

What is the sugar content in Grilled Cheese?

Grilled Cheese contains 4.5 g of sugar per 100 g.

How much sodium is in PB&J?

PB&J has 368 mg of sodium per 100 g.

Which has more fiber?

PB&J has 2.8 g of fiber, while Grilled Cheese has 1.2 g.

Key Takeaways

• PB&J has 361 calories per 100 g.
• Grilled Cheese has 343 calories per 100 g.
• PB&J contains 11.4 g of protein.
• Grilled Cheese contains 11.0 g of protein.
• PB&J has 45.2 g of carbs.
• Grilled Cheese has 28.1 g of carbs.