13 Unhealthiest Frozen Breakfast Sandwiches You Can Buy
Frozen breakfast sandwiches are such a convenience. Hearty pieces of breakfast meat made complete with egg and cheese, all atop soft bread — sigh. And when you're in a hurry, this filling breakfast comes together in a blink of an eye, making it that much more appealing.
And although breakfast sandwiches you can eat on the go are often thought of as a wholesome meal, those same wholesome qualities don't always compute when it comes to overly processed frozen food. Eggs aren't always just eggs. Sausage isn't just pork and spices. And who knows what lurks beneath when we're talkin' about frozen breakfast sandwich bread. Ick.
Not only are ingredients usually an issue when it comes to your typical frozen breakfast sammie, but the nutrition facts on those things can also be enough to prompt you to look for some new ideas for your morning meal. Don't believe us? Just wait. We're getting real about what's included in the typical frozen breakfast sandwich, and we're naming names. Let's get into the savory details regarding the unhealthiest frozen breakfast sandwiches you can buy.
Read more: 20 Frozen Foods Costco Shoppers Swear By
1. White Castle Sausage Egg & Cheese Breakfast Sliders
Mmm, White Castle. Known for the original slider, the brand serves up a mean sausage, egg, and cheese sandwich. But when it comes to staying healthy, this one's a huge pass. For starters, just one of these little sandwiches packs a wallop in terms of fat, cholesterol, and sodium. The fat content is 18 grams, saturated fat is 6 grams, cholesterol is 90 milligrams, and sodium is 600 milligrams. And this is just one sandwich, people. Because of their small size, the breakfast sliders come in two-packs, which means those nutritional stats double if you eat both sandwiches in a single wrapper. Catch our drift?
Beyond fat, cholesterol, and sodium is the addition of icky additives that have the potential to cause health complications further down the road. Additives like dextrose, BHT, guar gum, and more come with their own set of risks that you'll want to be aware of before downing these breakfast sandwiches daily. Because of this, there's no doubt that White Castle Sausage, Egg & Cheese Breakfast Sliders are among the unhealthiest frozen breakfast sandwiches around.
2. Rudi's Rocky Mountain Bakery Gluten Free Egg & Cheese Frittata With Sausage Breakfast Sandwiches
Surprised to see a gluten-free breakfast sandwich making our list of unhealthiest frozen breakfast sandwiches? Don't be. Actually, gluten-free doesn't necessarily mean healthier, and this is the perfect example of just that. Rudi's Rocky Mountain Bakery gluten-free breakfast sandwiches may come topped with a wheatless brioche bun, but inside comes the same old artery-clogging ingredients, complete with sausage, egg, and cheese. Chowing down on one of these sandwiches means ingesting 24 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 720 milligrams of sodium, and — get this — a whopping 210 milligrams of cholesterol. That's 70% of your recommended daily value for cholesterol!
As if that isn't enough, there are also quite a few additives in this sammie that may or may not be cause for concern in terms of your health. Additions like xanthan gum are controversial, since consumption should remain limited to prevent gastrointestinal issues, and exposure to the substance may cause nose, lung, and throat irritation in some individuals. Other ingredients like hydroxypropyl methylcellulose and cellulose gum don't exactly sound like something we'd throw in homemade bread and can cause issues for people with food sensitivities. Enjoy Rudi's breakfast sandwiches mindfully.
3. Red's All Natural Sausage Breakfast Sandwiches
Yes, these sausage, egg, and cheese sandwiches are free of GMOs and rBST (an artificial growth hormone used in milk production), are made with cage-free eggs, and are formulated without the use of antibiotics, but are Red's All Natural Sausage Breakfast Sandwiches healthy? Nope, not in the slightest. Despite bold claims from the manufacturer, Red's All Natural Breakfast Sandwiches are still your standard heart attack in a package — even if they've cleaned up the ingredients a bit.
Look, we're all for fewer additives and wholesome eats, but we just can't designate a product like this as healthy. A quick glance at the nutrition facts shows us that in the category of fat, cholesterol, and sodium, these are pretty much the same as any other frozen breakfast sandwich grab. There are 19 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 150 milligrams of cholesterol, and 630 milligrams of sodium. On the upside, we can say that these contain mostly clean ingredients that are very similar to the ingredients you'd find in a breakfast sandwich made at home, and for that, we salute Red's All Natural. But when it comes to general healthiness, don't be fooled by high-quality ingredients; this grab is still a fatty choice, which could spell trouble in more ways than one down the line.
4. Sausage, Egg, And Cheese Hot Pockets
You may not find Hot Pockets synonymous with breakfast sandwiches, but since they contain bread, cheese, egg, and sausage, we think they could qualify for the sandwich category. In any event, these sammies (or "pockets," as they're called) don't necessarily contain the exorbitant amount of fat in them that other sammies do, but they do contain enough additives to cause us to want to place these breakfast finds back in the freezer.
Hot Pockets aren't known to be the greatest food for your health, and after looking over the ingredients, we see why. Additives like l-cysteine hydrochloride, mono- and diglycerides, calcium hydroxide, calcium lactate, disodium phosphate, and so much more have us scratching our heads, wondering whether these ingredients truly contribute to a satisfying breakfast. Also, make sure you only eat one Hot Pocket if you expect to do any better than others on this list in terms of nutritional counts. Each pocket has 12 grams of fat, 500 milligrams of sodium, 280 calories, and 45 milligrams of cholesterol. If you consume two, then this Hot Pocket breakfast may be even worse for you than a typical frozen breakfast sandwich. Yikes!
5. Field Roast Classic Style Sausage Egg And Cheese Plant-Based Breakfast Sandwiches
You might be shocked to find a vegan pick on this list, and honestly, we were too. We thought a plant-based breakfast sandwich would be a lot lower in fat and calories, but actually, in the case of the Field Roast brand, the plant-based version is quite similar to traditional breakfast sammies in several areas. How strange! One glance at the nutrition facts for one of Field Roast's breakfast sandwiches reveals 22 grams of fat per sandwich. This is despite the fact that there's no meat or actual egg in the sammie. There are also over 5 grams of saturated fat, 1,170 milligrams of sodium, and 41 grams of carbs. Wow.
We did note that the sandwich has zero cholesterol, which we assume is because the sandwich is plant-based. Nevertheless, the fat and sodium content on this one are so high that we're not sure the lack of cholesterol matters anyway. One thing we are happy to see when it comes to the Field Roast brand is that very few additives are used. Sure, there are a few here and there, but overall, this one is a better pick in terms of wholesome ingredients compared to some of the other grabs on this list.
6. MorningStar Farms Veggie Sausage Egg And Cheese Sandwiches
MorningStar Farms Veggie Sausage, Egg, and Cheese breakfast sandwiches were another surprising addition to the list. Again, it isn't necessarily the fat content here (8 grams) that offends us. Or the 620 milligrams of sodium or the 120 milligrams of cholesterol. Rather, it's the insurmountable number of foreign ingredients that leaves us wondering whether this vegetarian pick is truly better for you. We know that replacing meat, egg, and cheese while still maintaining the savory taste of a breakfast sandwich must be difficult, but sheesh! With so many additives present, we're beginning to doubt that eating one of these instead of the real thing is even worth it.
MorningStar Farms breakfast sandwiches feature modified food starch, hydrolyzed corn gluten, methylcellulose, and more. And if you're avoiding soy, forget adding this sandwich to your grocery list. Besides soy protein isolate, you'll also have to look out for soybean oil, soy flour, and hydrolyzed soy protein. Are we saying it's all bad? Maybe, maybe not. What we do know is that the more additives you consume, the more risk you take, as many additives cause health problems down the road. So, it's totally up to you whether you think this sammie is worth it. We think you might be better off skipping it.
7. Realgood Foods Co. Sausage Egg & Cheddar Cheese Breakfast Sandwiches
This brand might be "real good" in terms of flavor, but man oh man is it unhealthy! This is one of the most fattening options on the list, and that's saying a lot. A single Realgood Foods Co. Sausage, Egg, and Cheddar Cheese breakfast sandwich contains 35 grams of fat, with the 14 grams of saturated fat accounting for 70% of your recommended daily value. Its 135 milligrams of cholesterol and 710 milligrams of sodium are quite high, too. Each sandwich clocks in at 420 calories.
Despite the alarming amount of fat and calories this thing packs, the company seems to be advertising to the keto crowd. Within this context, it makes sense that the fat content is so high, given that the focus of the keto diet is eliminating carbs, not necessarily fat. With that in mind, you can expect to consume only 7 grams of net carbs (total carbohydrates minus the dietary fiber) per sandwich along with 18 grams of protein on a new and improved gluten-free bun.
Yeah, it may be low-carb and a good source of protein, but the amount of fat and calories in this one is a no-go. Enjoy this sandwich by Realgood Foods Co. if you wish, but just know that you could be adding an unnecessary amount of fat to your plate, which may prove to be problematic later on.
8. Great Value Sausage, Egg, And Cheese Croissant Sandwiches
We've learned over time not to expect the best ingredients from Great Value brand items, and indeed, the frozen breakfast sandwiches produced by this brand aren't great. In terms of fat, the sausage, egg, and cheese variety has about 24 grams of fat, making it the unhealthier choice when compared against the brand's bacon, egg, and cheese counterpart, which only has 17 grams of fat. In addition to the fat, expect your Great Value Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Croissant to come with 390 calories, 100 milligrams of cholesterol, and 620 milligrams of sodium.
Sadly, this isn't all. When it comes to the healthiness of your breakfast sandwich, we're concerned just as much with the ingredients label as we are the nutrition facts. Expect to see all sorts of additives, from preservatives to artificial flavoring and more. There's even high fructose corn syrup thrown in for good measure. Hey, we know Great Value has a few good products out there, but health-wise, this isn't it.
9. Jimmy Dean Croissant Sausage, Egg And Cheese Breakfast Sandwiches
Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches dominate the market, but make no mistake: They don't fare any better than the others in terms of fat, calories, and sodium. Buying one of these meaty grabs won't be the greatest for your health.
When it comes to Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches, not all sammies are created equal. Some have a higher fat content and more calories, with the worst being the sausage, egg, and cheese varieties. Expect the Jimmy Dean Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Croissant to pack 26 grams of fat, 120 milligrams of cholesterol, and 610 milligrams of sodium. Of course, Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches also pack plenty of additives. Medium chain triglycerides, monosodium glutamate, artificial flavor, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, and soy protein concentrate are among the many we spotted. High fructose corn syrup is there too.
Think you'll dodge the bullet by purchasing the Jimmy Dean Broccoli and Cheese Frozen Frittata sandwich instead? Think again. You might be skipping the bread on this one, but you certainly won't be skipping the fat and calories. The seemingly better for you breakfast option still contains 19 grams of fat, 175 milligrams of cholesterol (58% of your recommended daily value), and 780 milligrams of sodium. Yeah, you're getting a little broccoli in your diet, but honestly, that won't amount to much when you're consuming this much fat and sodium in a single serving. To be honest, you might as well just eat the traditional Jimmy Dean sammies.
10. Kroger Croissant Sausage Egg And Cheese Sandwiches
Just when we thought it couldn't get any worse, it did. Kroger Croissant Sausage Egg and Cheese breakfast sandwiches are not only gross in terms of nutritional value but also in the slew of unwanted additives that really cause our stomachs to churn. Starting with the nutritional facts, these sausage, egg, and cheese croissants have 27 grams of fat, 11 grams of saturated fat, 115 milligrams of cholesterol, and 830 milligrams of sodium. There's even 4 grams of added sugar per serving thrown in there for good measure.
In terms of ingredients, you're still flooding your system with artificial flavors, additives, preservatives, dough conditioner, propyl gallate, modified cornstarch, BHA, and so much more. Look, we understand that most frozen foods contain additives of some sort, but this is just ridiculous. And considering that there are cleaner, healthier frozen breakfast sandwich options out there, we deem the consumption of these sausage, egg, and cheese croissant sandwiches from Kroger quite unnecessary.
11. Kirkland Signature Breakfast Sandwiches
Kirkland Signature Breakfast Sandwiches can be found at Costco, and while we're sure these are plenty delicious, they sure do bring with them a ton of fat. A single sandwich contains 23 grams of fat, but what's most concerning is the 12 grams of saturated fat, which is 60% of your recommended daily value. Like with most of the sandwiches featured in this list, Kirkland Signature breakfast sandwiches also come injected with 760 milligrams of sodium — about one third of your recommended daily value. Add to that 33 grams of carbs per serving, and you're looking at a pretty hefty bite in terms of unhealthiness.
Of course, we couldn't stop at the nutrition facts -- we had to take a peek at the ingredients list as well. While it's not necessarily the worst ingredient list we've seen here, it certainly isn't the best. We're seeing high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, xanthan gum, and other additives. At least there's no artificial flavoring, which is a small victory. Overall, when it comes to having a healthy and wholesome breakfast in the morning, Kirkland's Signature Breakfast Sandwich probably shouldn't be your first pick.
12. Mason Dixie Cheddar Breakfast Sandwiches
Online retailer Thrive Market is known for having high-quality, all-natural products, so we were curious not only about the nutritional profile of a breakfast sandwich it carries but also about how its ingredients stack up against others we've encountered. Interestingly enough, Mason Dixie Cheddar breakfast sandwiches weren't much different from the breakfast sandwiches we found in other markets. You'll find the same high-fat content at 22 grams, the same high saturated fat content at 10 grams, high cholesterol at 215 milligrams, and one of the highest amounts of sodium we've seen at 910 milligrams.
One positive thing we can say about this Mason Dixie breakfast sandwich is that it certainly has cleaner ingredients than the rest. It contains eggs that are actually just eggs. They literally have only whole eggs, salt, and citric acid in them. Even the sausage patty is impressive as it contains no monosodium glutamate or any strange and hard-to-pronounce additives. Finally, we're pleased to see that the biscuit on this Mason Dixie breakfast sandwich has no high fructose corn syrup in it, making it automatically a better choice than some of the other contenders here. We're not saying this sandwich is healthy; it's actually far from it. We're just trying to give credit where credit is due, and in this case, Mason Dixie has simpler ingredients than some of the others.
13. Bob Evans Croissant, Sausage, Egg & Cheese
The Ohio-based Bob Evans restaurant chain is known for dishing up some pretty great eats. Because of this, you might be tempted to cop this breakfast sandwich in a hurry. But before you do, we have a few nutritional facts to fill you in on before you take your first bite. First and foremost, your Bob Evans breakfast sandwich is bound to be high in sodium and fat. Cholesterol is also an issue. And calories? Well, they certainly aren't low. The fat is 21 grams, the sodium is 560 milligrams, the cholesterol is 110 milligrams, and each sandwich has 310 calories.
As if that weren't bad enough, Bob Evans has — unsurprisingly — decided to stuff its sandwiches with plenty of icky ingredients, including monosodium glutamate, preservatives, soy, and more. Caramel coloring, sodium alginate, propylene glycol alginate, and a whole slew of additives you've probably never heard of grace the list as well. Hey, if you don't know what it is, you probably should be cautious of letting it enter your system. Additives get a bad rep for a reason, so be sure to limit your consumption of over-processed frozen breakfast sandwiches like this whenever you can.
Methodology
The unhealthiest frozen breakfast sandwiches you can buy were determined by examining the options available at local retailers and comparing their nutritional values against one another in the categories of fat, saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol content. Ingredients and serving sizes also played a key role in the process, as anything containing an excessive number of additives or featuring an unlikely serving size was up for critique. Ultimately, what's deemed "unhealthy" by one person may seem just fine to another, so please, bear with us here. At the end of the day, the choice as to whether or not to include any of these frozen breakfast sandwiches in your morning routine is completely up to you.
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