The Store-Bought Sausage McMuffin Copycat To Stock Your Freezer With
McDonald's might have become famous from its burgers, but the chain has many more options that consumers love these days — including breakfast sandwiches. The Egg McMuffin debuted on menus across the country back in 1975. Designed to be a less expensive version of eggs Benedict, it's been a McDonald's staple ever since, with variations like the Sausage McMuffin also becoming popular. But if you're craving this classic breakfast sandwich and would rather some stocked in your freezer, buy the frozen Jimmy Dean sausage, egg, and cheese sandwiches.
The frozen breakfast sandwiches are just one of many McDonald's copycat items. They're made with the same general ingredients as the McDonald's version: a round sausage patty, an egg, and a slice of yellow American cheese all stuffed between two halves of an English muffin. Plus, they're meant to be cooked in the microwave, so you can skip waiting in the drive-thru line early in the morning; these breakfast sandwiches are ready to eat in just a few minutes out of the freezer.
Which sandwich is the better bang for your buck?
While the McDonald's Sausage McMuffin is iconic, it's not saving you any money; you're better off buying the Jimmy Dean version since the flavors are so similar. According to the McDonald's app, one Sausage McMuffin costs $3.79 (keep in mind that prices may vary by location). A four-pack of the Jimmy Dean sandwiches runs $7.19, meaning each sandwich costs just $1.80.
The Jimmy Dean version of a sausage, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich is also arguably healthier. The frozen ones land at 350 calories and 20 grams of fat. The McDonald's version, on the other hand, comes in at 400 calories and 26 grams of fat. Both sandwiches have 760 milligrams of sodium and offer 14 grams of protein. While neither sandwich is the healthiest breakfast option in general on a daily basis, the easy access plus the lower cost, calorie count, and fat content might make the Jimmy Dean sausage sandwich the better choice if you plan to eat these regularly. Not to mention Chowhound ranks Jimmy Dean as one of the best store-bought sausage brands, so you know the flavor is pretty good.