Does Jack in the Box have milk?

Chocolate milk is a sweetened chocolate-flavored milk. It can be made by mixing chocolate syrup (or chocolate powder) with milk (from cows, goats, soy, rice, etc.). It can be purchased pre-mixed with milk or made at home by blending milk with cocoa powder and a sweetener (such as sugar or a sugar substitute), melted chocolate, chocolate syrup, or a pre-made powdered chocolate milk mix. Other ingredients, such as starch, salt, carrageenan, vanilla, or artificial flavoring are sometimes added. To add nutritional value to the product, sometimes some minerals like zinc oxide or iron are added.

The carrageenan is used at very low concentrations to form an imperceptible weak gel that prevents the large, dense particles of chocolate from sedimentation. Chocolate milk should be refrigerated like unflavored milk, with the exception of some ultra high temperature (UHT) pasteurized drinks, which can be stored at room temperature. Chocolate milk was first created in Jamaica by Irish physician Hans Sloane during the 1700s, and is generally served cold. The nutritional qualities of chocolate milk are the subject of debate: while some studies criticize the high sugar content of chocolate milk, other studies suggest that chocolate milk is nutritionally superior to white milk.

Chocolate milk was served at Jack in the Box,[1] but appears to have been discontinued.

References[]

1. ↑ Jack in the Box Chocolate Lowfat Milk Chug Nutrition Facts. Fast Food Nutrition.

Jack (outside of his box, apparently)

After work today, I was hungry. It was the kind of hungry that could not wait and I knew with all the errands I was about to do I would not have time to stop at home for a snack. So I found myself salivating at the menu at a Jack-In-The-Box drive through.

“Welcome to Jack in the Box. May I take your order?”

I acknowledge what I was about to ask the drive-thru lady was somewhat unfair. I’m pretty sure I already knew the answer to this question before I asked. Speaking into to the Box, I asked it anyway, “Do you know if your crispy chicken strips are made with soy?”

Silence. Then I hear, “No”.

A moment of hope! She continues, “They’re made with chicken.”

“Right,” I say, “But, the breading on the outside…Is there any soy in there?”

Ok, people, stop laughing at me. I know I should have stopped after the first question.

“No, the breading is made with bread.”

Sigh.

“Ok, never mind. I’ll just have an order of fries.”

She gave me my total and as I waited patiently behind another car, I grabbed my iPhone and did a Google search on “Jack in the Box Ingredients.” I selected the appropriate link and a pdf of the ingredients list for every item on their menu appeared. After scrolling through several pages, I found the ingredients list for French Fries:

• Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (Contains One Or More Of The Following Oils: Canola, Soybean, Cottonseed, Sunflower, Corn), Potato Starch – Modified. Contains 2% or less of Dextrose, Leavening (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate), Rice Flour, Salt, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate Added To Maintain Natural Color, Tapioca Dextrin, Xanthan Gum. Cooked in All Vegetable Frying Oil (High oleic canola oil and dimethylpolysiloxane). 

Shoot. I’m likely allergic to their fries. By the time I got to the window, I didn’t care how my body will revolt against me. I wanted those hot salty fries and I wanted them now. And yes, they were finger-licking good. (Note: since then I have conceded it wasn’t worth it and my skin hates me. Sigh.)

Upon further investigation of the menu when I got home, the crispy chicken strips were indeed made with soy. Although…I should say there were two sets of ingredients for this – one recipe contained soy and the other did not – how do we know which one we’re getting when we order?! I’ll just assume it will be the recipe containing soy and avoid it altogether.

So, is there anything I can eat there? That is, may I order something soy and milk free? Am I the only one who wants to know these things?

Assuming I’m not, I’ll scour entire menu, categorizing the entrees into items that contain milk (no soy), items that contain soy (no milk), items that contain soy and milk, and items that are soy and milk-free. Please know that the menu may change at any time and I may misinterpret or overlook something. If you must eat something at Jack in the Box, please verify the ingredients list for yourself at www.jackinthebox.com/pdf/Ingredients.pdf.

• Jack in the Box items that contain milk (no soy): Shredded Cheddar Cheese, Provolone Cheese, Real Cheddar Cheese, Sliced Real Swiss Cheese, Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese, Chiquita Apple Bites with caramel, Coffee Creamer (Half & Half), Milk, Minute Maid Banana Smoothie, Minute Maid Mango Smoothie, Minute Maid Strawberry Smoothie, Sour Cream
• Jack in the Box items that contain soy (no milk): Bacon Ranch Dressing, Barbecue Dipping Sauce, Beef Regular Taco, Bourbon Barbecue Sauce, Bakery Style Bun, Jumbo Bun, Regular bun, Julienne Chicken, Chipotle Sauce, Cinnamon Sugar, Creamy Italian Sauce, Creamy Ranch Sauce, Egg Rolls, Fill Fillet, French Fries, Hash Brown Sticks, Heinz Mayonnaise, Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce, Low Fat Balsamic Dressing, Mayo-Onion Sauce, Mini Churros, Mini Funnel Cake, Mini Pancakes, Seasoned Curly Fries, Secret Sauce, Bulk Secret Sauce, Sirloin Beef Patty Seasoning, Soy Sauce, Spicy Corn Sticks, Sweet ‘N Sour Dipping Sauce, Tartar Sauce, Teriyaki Dipping Sauce, Teriyaki Dipping Sauce, Teriyaki Sauce, Flour Tortilla
• Jack in the Box items that contain soy and milk: Artisan Bread, Toasted Biscuit, Butter Flavored Vegetable Oil, Buttermilk Hous Dipping Sauce, Cheesecake, American Sliced Cheese, Cheddar Cheese Sauce, Sliced Swiss-Style Cheese, Chicken Fajita Patty, Grilled Fillet Chicken, Homestyle Fillet Chicken, Chicken Patty, Spicy Breast Fillet Chicken, Crispy Chicken Strips, Grilled Chicken Strips, Chocolate Overload Cake, Creamy Southwest Dressing, Croissant, Croutons, Fried Egg, Scrambled Egg, Ice Cream Shake Mix, Lit Ranch Dressing, Mozzarella Cheese Sticks, Grilled Onions, Onion Rings, Oreo Cookie Crumbs, Peppercorn Mayo, Pride Margarine Spread, Ranch Dressing, Sirloin Beef Patty, Grilled Sourdough Bread, Steak Strips, Stuffed Jalapeños, Sun Dried Tomato Sauce, Whipped Topping, White Cheese Sauce

So…what can we eat at Jack in the Box without invoking an allergic reaction? Are you really ready for this? Once you know, there’s no turning back…

• Jack in the Box items that are soy and milk-free: Bacon pieces, Bacon slices, Black Beans, Blackberry Syrup, Broccoli, Caramel Syrup, Carrots, Chocolate Syrup, Roasted Corn, Cucumbers, Egg, Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Dipping Sauce, Grape Jelly, Sliced Ham, Hamburger Patty, Heinz Ketchup, Heinz Malt Vinegar, Hot Taco Sauce, Iceberg/Romain Blend Lettuce, Sliced Jalapeños, Log Cabin Syrup, Mango Flavored Syrup, Maraschino Cherry, Minute Maid Lemonade, Mustard, French’s Mustard, Sliced Red Onions, Original Syrup, Peach Fravored Syrup, Pepper Packet, Dill Pickels, Pita Bread made with Whole Grain, Pork Chorizo, Potato Wedges, Raspberry Flavored Syrup, Rice, Sliced Salami, Fire Roasted Salsa, Salt, Sausage Crumbles, Sausage Patty, Splenda, Spring Mix, Strawberry Jelly, Strawberry Syrup, Sugar Packet, Powdered Sugar, Sweet ‘N Low, Taco Sauce, Tomatoes, Sliced Turkey, Vanilla Syrup, Zesty Marinara Dipping Sauce, soft drinks

So wait. Did I just discover that those of us allergic to soy and milk cannot order any entree from Jack in the Box as-is?! The buns/croissants contain soy. The chicken is marinated in soy. The sirloin seasoning contains soy.

The good news is, we can have a lot of condiments. And lettuce. And a sugar packet. I can just see it now…

“Welcome to Jack in the Box. May I take your order?”

“Hello. Sorry, I’m going to be a problem customer…I’d like a hamburger patty. Yes, just the patty. And don’t season it. With anything. That’s right, I can’t have the sirloin beef patty seasoning. Maybe could they just salt it a little? Thanks. Also, I’m allergic to the buns. Do you think you can put it in a pita? Great, Thanks. Can you throw a handful of condiments in the bag? Oh no, no, not the mayonnaise. Never mind. One Catsup packet will do. May I have a side of Carrots? No, I can’t have the ranch dressing. Do you think you can give me a side of a couple Maraschino cherries? No, no. I’m not joking…yes, I’d be happy to speak to the manager.”

Sigh.

Does Jack in the Box popcorn chicken have dairy?

Are curly fries dairy free?

What's in Jack in the Box fries?

Do Chicken Tenders have dairy?