How Many Calories Are in a McDonald’s Sausage McMuffin Meal? A Detailed Breakdown

McDonald’s Sausage McMuffin is a popular breakfast sandwich that has been on the menu for decades. But with growing health consciousness many people want to know exactly how many calories are in the full Sausage McMuffin meal. In this article we’ll take a close look at the nutritional facts for a McDonald’s Sausage McMuffin meal and breakdown the calories and other nutrients.

An Overview of the Sausage McMuffin Meal

The Sausage McMuffin meal from McDonald’s includes the following components:

• Sausage McMuffin sandwich
• Hash brown
• Small coffee (Premium Roast Coffee)

The Sausage McMuffin sandwich itself contains an English muffin, sausage patty American cheese slice, and a freshly cracked egg.

When you combine the sandwich, hash brown, and small coffee, the total calorie count for the full Sausage McMuffin meal is 625 calories.

Here is a breakdown of the calories in each component:

• Sausage McMuffin sandwich: 480 calories
• Hash brown: 150 calories
• Small Premium Roast Coffee: 5 calories

So the sausage sandwich itself makes up the bulk of calories at 480, while the hash brown adds 150 calories, and the small coffee is negligible at just 5 calories.

Nutrition Facts for the Sausage McMuffin Sandwich

Now let’s take a more in-depth look at the nutrition facts for just the Sausage McMuffin sandwich itself.

The McDonald’s website lists the Sausage McMuffin sandwich as containing 480 calories, with the full nutrition facts as follows:

• Calories: 480
• Total Fat: 28g (43% DV)
  • Saturated Fat: 10g (50% DV)
  • Trans Fat: 1.5g
• Cholesterol: 215mg (72% DV)
• Sodium: 930mg (40% DV)
• Total Carbohydrates: 33g (11% DV)
  • Dietary Fiber: 2g (8% DV)
  • Total Sugars: 3g
• Protein: 21g
• Vitamin D: 15%
• Calcium: 20%
• Iron: 15%
• Potassium: 6%

As you can see, the Sausage McMuffin packs nearly a full day’s worth of saturated fat and sodium. The cholesterol count is also very high.

On the positive side, it does contain a decent amount of protein and some calcium and iron. The dietary fiber amount is lower than ideal but not insignificant.

Overall, the Sausage McMuffin sandwich is a high fat, high sodium option that should probably be limited to an occasional treat.

Calorie and Nutrition Analysis of the Hash Brown

The McDonald’s hash brown patty adds another 150 calories to the meal. Here is its nutritional breakdown:

• Calories: 150
• Total Fat: 8g (12% DV)
  • Saturated Fat: 1.5g (8% DV)
  • Trans Fat: 0g
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Sodium: 230mg (10% DV)
• Total Carbohydrates: 19g (6% DV)
  • Dietary Fiber: 2g (8% DV)
  • Total Sugars: 0g
• Protein: 2g

The biggest concerns with the hash brown are the amounts of fat and sodium, which are significant contributions to your daily recommended limits. However, the hash brown does contain a small amount of fiber. There are no natural sugars since it is made from processed potatoes.

Overall, the 150 calories and fat/sodium content of the hash brown are additional reasons to consider the Sausage McMuffin meal an occasional indulgence.

Coffee Has Negligible Calories

The small coffee that comes with the Sausage McMuffin meal has a minimal calorie count. McDonald’s lists its small Premium Roast Coffee as containing just 5 calories.

The nutrition facts for the small coffee are:

• Calories: 5
• Total Fat: 0g
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Sodium: 10mg (1% DV)
• Total Carbohydrates: 1g (0% DV)
• Protein: 0g

So the coffee itself has no real impact, nutritionally speaking. The calories and nutrients come almost completely from the sandwich and hash brown.

How the Sausage McMuffin Compares to Other McDonald’s Breakfasts

To put the Sausage McMuffin meal’s 625 calories into context, here’s how it compares to some other McDonald’s breakfast options:

• Egg McMuffin meal: 300 calories
• Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit meal: 520 calories
• Hotcakes and sausage meal: 610 calories
• Big Breakfast with Hotcakes: 1,150 calories

As you can see, the Sausage McMuffin falls somewhere in the middle calorie-wise. It has significantly fewer calories than the huge Big Breakfast, but more than the Egg McMuffin.

When comparing sandwiches only:

• Sausage McMuffin: 480 calories
• Egg McMuffin: 250 calories
• Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit: 450 calories

The Egg McMuffin is the clear lowest-calorie option. The biscuit sandwich has slightly fewer calories than the Sausage McMuffin.

So if you are looking for the lowest calorie McDonald’s breakfast sandwich, go for the Egg McMuffin. But if you prefer sausage over bacon or eggs alone, the Sausage McMuffin is a reasonable choice that still keeps you under 500 calories.

Tips for Enjoying the Sausage McMuffin More Healthfully

The Sausage McMuffin with a hash brown and coffee definitely adds up to a high-fat, high-sodium meal. But here are some tips to enjoy it a bit more healthfully:

• Get it without cheese to cut 70 calories and 5g of fat
• Swap the hash brown for fruit like apple slices to save calories and fat
• Split the sandwich in half and share it to cut calories in half
• Order a small milk or orange juice instead of coffee if you want something other than water
• Eat slowly and savor it since it has high calorie density
• Balance it out with a light dinner to maintain calorie balance

While the Sausage McMuffin meal may be high in calories, sodium, and fat, it can still be incorporated into an overall healthy diet. Used occasionally and mindfully, it can be an enjoyable treat for breakfast.

The Bottom Line

A McDonald’s Sausage McMuffin meal containing the sandwich, hash brown, and coffee totals 625 calories. The sandwich itself is 480 of those calories, coming mostly from its high fat and sodium content. The meal also provides nearly a full day’s worth of saturated fat and cholesterol.

As an occasional breakfast indulgence, the Sausage McMuffin meal is perfectly fine for most people. But daily eaters should consider lower calorie McDonald’s options or lighter customizations.

At the end of the day, being aware of the calorie content and nutritional values of your food allows you to make informed choices and enjoy fast food responsibly as part of an overall balanced diet.