What Is in Each Box
Apples & Cheese Trio Protein Box
The Apples & Cheese Trio Protein Box pairs Gouda, Colby Jack and aged cheddar with apple slices and multigrain crackers. 470 calories, 22 g of protein, 15 g of sugar, 27 g of fat, $7.65.
- Why choose it: the most protein of any cold item in the store.
- Best for: a desk lunch, or a snack split across an afternoon.
- Allergens: Milk, Wheat.
Cheese Trio Protein Box
The Cheese Trio Protein Box swaps in Brie, Gouda and sharp cheddar with olive oil crackers, dried fruit and nuts. 520 calories, 20 g of protein, and 40 g of sugar, most of it from the dried fruit. The reference store does not list a pickup price for it, and it declares Milk, Sulphites, Wheat, the sulphites coming from the dried fruit.
- Why choose it: the Brie, and a box that reads as a cheese plate.
- Nutrition tip: leave the dried fruit and the sugar drops by more than half.
The Two Boxes Compared
| Item | Calories | Sugar | Caffeine | Protein | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apples & Cheese Trio Protein Box | 470 | 15g | - | 22g | $7.65 |
| Cheese Trio Protein Box | 520 | 40g | - | 20g | not listed |
Both clear 20 g of protein. The apples box does it for fewer calories and a quarter of the sugar, because fresh apple carries far less sugar than the dried fruit in the cheese trio. If the box is the whole lunch, the difference is small; if it is a snack, the apples box is the one to pick.
Protein per Dollar: Box vs Sandwich vs Pocket
| Item | Protein | Calories | Price | Served |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apples & Cheese Trio Protein Box | 22 g | 470 | $7.65 | Cold |
| Ham & Swiss on Baguette | 25 g | 510 | $8.45 | Warm |
| Chicken Bacon Protein Pocket | 20 g | 310 | $5.15 | Warm |
The pocket wins on protein per dollar and per calorie; the box wins on variety and on not needing the oven. The sandwich is the fullest meal of the three. A box is the right call when you want to eat over an hour rather than in five minutes.
Who a Protein Box Suits
- Anyone working through lunch; the box keeps for hours and eats with one hand.
- Vegetarians: both boxes are meat free.
- A car or a flight: sealed, cold, no smell, no crumbs to speak of.
- Children, split between two; the apples box is the usual choice.
- It suits nobody avoiding dairy, since the cheese is the protein.
Both boxes contain wheat and milk. The cheese trio adds sulphites and nuts. They are assembled off site and sold sealed, so the cross-contact question is about the factory, not the store; the allergen guide lists what Starbucks declares.