The Calories in Grilled Cheese

The calorie count of a grilled-cheese sandwich can add up quickly if you use extra cheese or large amounts of butter or oil. However, grilled cheese can fit into a sensible diet if you use just one cheese slice and no more than 1 teaspoon of fat for grilling. For optimal nutrition, use whole-grain bread and natural cheese, grill in heart-healthy olive oil and add some tomato slices for extra nutrients.

A grilled cheese sandwich on a cutting board. (Image: msheldrake/iStock/Getty Images)

Calorie Breakdown

To figure out the calorie content of grilled cheese, combine the data from all ingredients. You get about 160 calories in two slices of whole-wheat bread, 115 calories in 1 ounce of cheddar cheese and 40 calories in 1 teaspoon of olive oil or a small pat of butter. That totals 315 calories. Switch to low-fat cheddar, which has about 50 calories per ounce, and the sandwich will now only contain 250 calories. If you're dining out, calorie count depends on the ingredients used. Fast-food, grilled-cheese sandwiches may contain more than 400 calories.