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Jimmy Dean Delights: Delightful or Destructive?

July 24, 2012   28 Comments

What? A 260 calorie Turkey Sausage Muffin? Where can I get one of those?

Jimmy Dean Delights Healthy

You can find Jimmy Dean Delights In the freezer section of the grocery store. They are low calorie grab-and-go breakfast sandwiches that look like the McDonald’s Egg McMuffin. They cost about $7 for four of them (maybe McD’s is a better deal).

Before I get into the ingredients, here are the nutritional facts:

One sandwich = 260 calories, 8 g fat, 28 g carbohydrates, 2.0 g sugar, 18 g protein, 1 g fiber, 750 mg sodium, 7 Points+

Holy, moly, guacamole! Check out that sodium amount - it is 31% of your daily value.

Here is something that I don’t get about sodium in frozen food. Sodium is used as a preservative (as well as a flavoring agent). You don’t need it for preserving because the food is frozen so why not lay off the sodium and add something else - like pepper?

The other thing that gets my panties in a wad is it says on the package “made with whole grain”. Hmmmmm. This means they added a wee bit of whole wheat flour so they could put that phrase on the front of the package. Not cool, Jimmy Dean.

How does this compare to the famous Egg McMuffin? Here are the nutritional facts for one Egg McMuffin:

300 calories, 12 g fat, 30 g carbohydrates, 18 g protein, 2 g fiber, 820 mg sodium, 8 PointPlus

So you are doing a little better than McD’s in terms of sodium and calories. I tried making my own breakfast sandwiches and ended up with 280 calories. I used whole wheat English muffins, cheddar cheese, egg, and ham.

The Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage Muffin tasted a pretty good for a frozen breakfast sandwich that includes artificial colors, artificial flavors, and carrageenan gum (among other creepy ingredients).

While I love a good ham, egg, and cheese sandwich for breakfast I realize that this is more of a “treat” than a healthy choice. My suggestion is to lay off the cheese, use a 100% whole grain bread, and add some vegetables like a slice of tomato, green peppers, onions, spinach, etc, in the eggs to add fiber and flavor.

The Jimmy Dean sandwich is trying to convince you it is healthy because it is low in calorie. You guys are way too smart to fall for that!

Have you tried the Jimmy Dean Delights? What do you think of them?

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28 Comments:

I've tried them and they're not bad for artificial, like you've said... better with a little hot sauce. But I prefer real cheese, whole wheat (if not sprouted) muffins and whole eggs, so http://www.target.com/p/back-to-basics-egg-n-muffin-toaster… is my best breakfast friend. (Yes I have it, and yes it's awesome... though the egg part on mine died after a couple years or so so I need a new one now.)

I would like a review on the Jimmy Dean Lite Breakfast Bowls. I have used these on occasion for a quick breakfast. I tried these breakfast muffins before and I just didn't like the taste so easy for me to stay away from them. But the bowls have more flavor (when I add S&P)

I was buying these from SAm's club for a while. They do taste good, however, I stopped buying them when I decided to get rid of the bread in my diet. I usually took them apart, toasted the muffin and nuked the sausage, egg and cheese. I don't like microwaved bread products. Tasty, but you're right, for a treat.

This is what REALLY bugs me! 260 calories of fruit 0 points. 260 calories of breakfast burger 7 points! No wonder I'm losing on a calorie based diet and couldn't do so on WW

I'll stick to make my own at home like you did. It tastes better and just as quick to make! Crazy how they use all that sodium!!

Going by flavor alone, Jimmie Dean Sausage and Biscuits fall far behind a competitors.

I've tried them and, like you, found them not bad. But after reading this I likely won't be trying them again!

I bought a microwave container (at Wal-Mart) that is made for eggs that is a perfect fit for an englishmuffin or round bread thins. One egg takes 1 minute to cook. Then I add a tomato and fresh spinach.

I make my own, 5 PointsPlus.

One Thomas' Light Multi-grain English Muffin, 1/4 of egg substitute, two slices of Canadian bacon and one slice of a fat free American single. It is very good and very filling.

I cook the egg substitiute in a custard dish I've sprayed with cooking spray and then let it rest for a few minutes. I then dump it out onto a plate and then set the custard dish on top of it for a few more to make it into a pattie.

I make my own, I don't have them very often because I have cut way back on bread products. I am a kitchen utensils queen and have a gadget that makes your eggs round so they fit on your muffin perfectly. My boys love to use the round egg gadget, makes them feel like it is a Mcmuffin, but way better!

Thanks for the article! We have been buying the pancake/sausage ones. We eat them on occasion, but I will quit buying them now. All that sodium is scary!

Even if you aren't saving a lot of calories by making you're own, you at least know what ingredeints are going into it. My guess is that the quality you use is better than Jimmy Dean's (I'm assuming you don't add carrageenan gum...). And that is more important!

I have not had the Jimmy Dean Delights. However, this morning, I had a breakfast treat (don't do it that often): a Chicken Apple Sausage Daybreaker from Caribou Coffee. While I know the calorie count in this baby, your blog post prompted me to check out the sodium count: 820 mg! OUCH! And 20g of fat? Wow. Guess that's it for those for a while...

I saw these at Sam's but we make our own breakfast sandwiches and I didn't think they were worth the gamble. Granted our homemade ones aren't always healthy, but at least they don't have creepy ingredients in them!

I tried these Jimmie Deans Taste was ok however

the salt was not. It was like eating a salt lick.

I agree if frozen why cant they reduce the salt level to around 200 mg

I liked them when I bought them for B1G1. But it's probably because they were giving me my "being bad" fix--soft, salty, microwaved, gooeyness. I haven't purchased since, and have resisted the B1G1s since.

Hi Lisa, I look forward to your ideas every day!

While I definitely consider cal, sodium, vits, protein, fiber, sugar, etc., I specifically look for organic ingredients not masquerading as something safe. I agree Jimmy Dean has some creepy stuff in these bad boys. Think about what's not on that label since FDA HAS NO LABELING LAWS for trace amounts and the use of ''natural''! Back in March you did a McMuffin makeover

that was very good. A reader, Kim, passed along a great

recipe for easy home-made english muffins, which I baked and fork-split before freezing. [Thanks, Kim!] They are 190 cals each but ingredients I could live with! [pun intended :^)] For folks on the run, the night before whip up an 8 eggs & 1C milk with add-ins you choose pour in 8x8 oiled baking dish, cover and refrigerate;in the A.M., bake while getting ready [350,30min], cut up & slap between whatever bread you love, eat or wrap to go! Makes 9. This can copy McMuffin flavors or take

advantage of seasonal veggies. I love Applegate's organic cheese and ham, some peppers 'n onions, fresh herbs, and a juicy tomato slice. Cheers!

The added salt gives the food a longer shelf life than freezing alone would. Bacteria aren't able to grow in that environment. So making at home is definitely the way to go! Easy, tastes better and is better for you!

Barb, thanks so much for sharing that great idea - I will definitely be using it since my whole family loves breakfast sandwiches. Lisa, I love learning from your research, and all the resources your wonderful readers share too!

I tried the Delights and found them gummy and hard to chew. I'll stick with my home made version - we like to add a tiny bit of maple syrup to our whole grain muffins with lean meat so it tastes like a McGriddle but is much healthier.

If you like egg sandwiches, take a look at Subway's offerings ... you can get the Ham, Egg and Cheese English Muffin Melt, order it with egg whites, and it's 5 WW Points Plus, according to my calculations off their website. I add a tomato and some spinach and salt pepper, and it's tasty. Last I checked I think McD's Egg McMuffins are 8 Points Plus.

just ONE mcmuffin is $4, that is NOT a better deal!

AND it does NOT taste like a McGriddle...

I prefer the Smart Ones Breakfast Quesadillas. They taste better for those occasions when I need something portable when it's too early to make something myself (I'm not a morning person at all). And the not quite 600 mg is quite reasonable for a meal.

I love your blog! I learn so much. Thank you :) One of my favorite breakfasts is 1/2 an english muffin, toasted, spread with a wedge of laughing cow light cheese with an egg on top (poached or over-medium) It's about 150 calories and filling.

Try adding spinach and mushrooms instead of ham and cheese. You are already getting protein from the egg, and now it is like Eggs Florentine in a sandwich! This also cuts sodium and adds iron, fiber, and potassium. Plus it tastes great.

@Karen, that is a cool gadget! Next time I'm in the market for a toaster, that will be one I'll consider. Thanks for the link!

Total agree about the sodium comment, why have some much sodium for freezer items. Probably won't have the same great taste, but should have a low sodium line for salt sensitive consumers or consumers who are trying to eat healthy. A lot of items are considered healthy, however, sometimes the salt contents makes them absolutely unhealthy.

Could it be made with less sodium?

I just tried one & actually really enjoyed it, so I was researching regarding the nutrition. I hope it's not a bad choice, because it was really nice to have some decent protein in the morning! Geez, I feel like I could conquer the world! :) I usually just have a piece of multigrain bread & orange juice. I can't eat egg substitute & can't crack eggs, so making my own egg containing dishes is kinda out of the question! Lol.. I've done Boca vegan patties with a little cheese on multigrain bread & that's good. The egg is a nice addition though. Maybe I'll add some guacamole. I also love Starbucks turkey bacon egg white sandwich!

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