The Winner of worst Frozen burrito

Judging the worst frozen burrito may seem pointless. They are all pretty bad, right? Not really. I have found a few that are pretty tasty including 2 different types at Wal-Mart.

My local Meijer store was going out of business so I decided to take some chances on a few different things, including a few frozen food items I don't normally buy. At 30-70% off it seemed worth it.

Well, I picked up a frozen burrito from Skyline Chili, a chili cheese bean burrito. The thing was horrible. Microwaved according to directions, the burrito came out half soggy and half dried out. It had no taste and was barely edible. Even with the discount it was also more expensive than the Wal-Mart frozen burrito.

I don't even know the brand ( maybe Patio?) of the frozen burrito, but Wal-Mart has them for 33 cents. And after 2 minutes in the microwave they are actually pretty good. They also offer a fresh ( not frozen) type in their sandwich/salad area. It's near the excellent Chinese tv dinners that you can also only find at Wal-Mart. The fresh type is 99 cents and a very substantial portion. When it comes to food like frozen burritos, you can actually find some cheap tasty ones. And some of the more expensive brand name ones just suck.

Steak N' Shake Wins Fast Food Breakfast Review

I have always been a breakfast person, and when it comes to eating out I'd rather eat breakfast than any other meal. This is especially true of fast food and casual dining restaurants. I would rather have a breakfast sandwich, potatoes,and coffee over a greasy burger with fries and Coke any day.

I had a coupon for Steak 'n Shake's new breakfast combo and decided to give it a try. I went with the Bacon sandwich, which is a bagel with eggs, bacon, and cheese. They also offer sausage or a steakburger instead of bacon. This breakfast combo comes with hash browns and coffee.

I have decided to compare this food to similar offerings from McDonald's and Tim Horton. Steak n Shake does have sit down dining with waiter service. So it might be more casual dining than "fast food." However, I use the drive through window and the wait time and price is comparable to McDonalds and other fast food. Steak n Shake cooks food to order but does it quickly.

1. McDonalds: Bacon, Egg, and Cheese bagel Value Meal- Like all breakfast value meals, this comes with a hashbrown and coffee. Other drinks may be substituted at an additional cost. The bagel is always rubbery. I suspect this is from the microwave nuking. There is also an undefined sauce. The egg and bacon is decent, though it really has that "manufactured" quality. The sandwich is like the microwave Jimmy Dean sandwiches you can find in your grocer's freezer case. The hashbrown is adequate. It can be a little soggy at times, but it has that salty addictive McDonald flavor. The winner here is the coffee. McDonald's has good coffee that is comparable to any franchise. Overall the meal is alright. It's the type of thing you can eat on the run for three bucks and fill your stomach.

2. Tim Horton: Bagel B.E.L.T. Combo: BELT= Bacon, Egg, Lettuce, Tomato on a bagel. Tim Horton's is known for donuts and other baked breakfast goods. And coffee, of course. This sandwich is satisfying. Tim Horton's actually sells bagels, which is a good sign when it comes to bagel sandwiches. It's not like anyone would go to McDonald's for a rubbery microwaved bagel. People do go to Tim's just for a bagel, with or without cream cheese. It's a nice breakfast bagel, and the lettuce and tomato are a good touch on a breakfast sandwich. They always serve fresh coffee, and it's very good. They probably win the coffee category. Their "hash brown" needs some work, a lot of work. The hashbrown is an afterthought. Their meals come with a donut by default. Or you can get a muffin or other baked good. I can't see eating a donut with an egg bagel. No thanks. And when I say " I am a breakfast person", that does not include donuts. Donuts are not breakfast in my book. They are a dessert, at best. it is only natural that a breakfast combo comes with breakfast potatoes. So Tim Horton's now offers a hash brown. I don't really know how to describe it. It is roundish and like cardboard. There is pepper or some other seasoning that seems like a good idea but just doesn't work. I am not sure how it is prepared, but it seems like some frozen patty that is ironed and dropped in a toaster. It definitely does not have the value of a donut ( which is only 75 cents), and I could not see anyone ordering it a la carte. Overall I think the meal is "OK" but they need a better side.

3. Steak n Shake ( My Winner): The Bacon Bagel Breakfast Combo- I had a coupon for $1.50 off but the regular price of $3.99 is a good value. The first thing you notice about the sandwich is that it has the taste and texture of normal food- you know, the kind of food you would cook on the stove at home. The bagel is fresh and not chewy. The bacon is nice and crispy. The egg looks like a normal sandwich style egg ( scrambled without the scramble- omelet-ish). It is obviously cooked to order, but takes only a few minutes. The hashbrowns are also a category winner. It comes with hashbrownS ( as in more than one). I got five substantial potato patties. They were crispy on the outside and light on the inside, not soggy like McDonalds or hard in the middle like Tim Horton. The coffee is pretty good also. A nice taste, not too weak or too strong. It goes down well. Steak and Shake wins this round of my bagel sandwich combo competition.