Whoever said dieting isn’t easy, wasn’t kidding. Many people find it incredibly hard weeding through nutritional values and serving sizes only to end up with something that sounds decent but tastes like last week’s cardboard. Like many Americans I am a breakfast person. I love breakfast and prior to my health conscious days of dieting my favorite breakfast of choice (on the go) was McDonalds. One of my favorite items was McDonald’s Egg McMuffins. I did not think I would find a suitable replacement worth eating and as McDonald’s is not exactly dieting food it had been cut out of my menu.
Imagine my surprise when I saw that red Weight Watchers box holding the Smart Ones English Muffin Sandwich in the grocer’s freezer this afternoon. I was skeptical, but felt the need to try it. In comparison I have to say that it was much better than I expected.
Convenience
By convenience I am referring to the time that it takes to buy/make the breakfast sandwich. As the Weight Watchers Smart Ones English Muffin Sandwich and the McDonald’s Egg McMuffin are both the same type of food there is no need to compare the ease of use in eating the food. When it comes to the Weight Watchers English Muffin Sandwich, the convenience lays solely in the method in which you plan to cook the sandwich. Using the Oven will mean about 35 minutes of cook time. However, the microwave only takes two minutes.
When choosing to go with McDonald’s, depending on the location and the time of breakfast you are entering the line, it could also take you 30 minutes to get an Egg McMuffin. This is especially true if you are stuck in a drive thru line behind some woman that is digging in her purse for change.
For this reason alone I offer a tie for convenience between the Weight Watchers Smart Ones English Muffin Sandwich and the McDonald’s Egg McMuffin.
Winner: Tie
Taste
There are several factors that can influence taste. I attempted to be as impartial in this area as I could and just speak as a person that loves breakfast sandwiches.
The Weight Watchers Smart Ones English Muffin Sandwich comes out hot, fresh, and better tasting than anything you would expect to have a Weight Watchers label. The sandwich was placed in the microwave, which caused the muffin to be incredibly soft, but not soggy. The softness of the muffin complimented the rest of the sandwich perfectly. The egg is similar to a scrambled and shaped disc that is placed atop a slice of Canadian bacon and a small square of cheese. Assuming the Canadian bacon is healthier and contains less fat, it is nearly impossible to tell. I noticed no taste difference in the bacon or the egg, which likely was egg substitute. The sandwich, while holding one major difference from the McDonald’s Egg McMuffin, was completely satisfying, especially when you normally are not allowed such pleasure foods.
The taste of a McDonald’s Egg McMuffin can depend on a number of factors. Each McDonald’s has a different chef and the longer your food is waiting for you, the worse it is going to end up tasting. However, let’s say you are eating a fresh egg McMuffin for this comparison. The muffin having been toasted and then placed in the microwave tends to be a little crunchy on the end and the center will be somewhat chewy. The Canadian bacon tastes about the same as the Weight Watchers and has American cheese placed on the Canadian bacon, which will melt slightly when it is placed in the microwave. The egg, where the real difference between the two sandwiches lies, is poached as opposed to a scrambled egg patty.
If you like the egg yolk and the thicker egg portion you are definitely going to lean towards the McDonald’s Egg McMuffin. Otherwise, there is no difference at all. As an egg lover I would normally award this to McDonald’s, but I noticed an overall freshness to the softer, more delicate, Weight Watchers English Muffin Sandwich. For that reason, with freshness being more important to me, I am going to award the points to Weight Watchers in this round.
Winner: Weight Watchers
Cost
The one advantage, while small, to Weight Watchers Smart Ones English Muffin Sandwiches is that you can buy them in a grocery store. This means there is the option for sale prices. However, going general store price to restaurant price you are going to be fairly close when it comes to cost. A Weight Watchers Smart Ones English Muffin Sandwich comes to around two dollars. A McDonald’s Egg McMuffin also comes to about two dollars. For this reason, the issue of cost between the English Muffin Sandwich and the Egg McMuffin would have to be a tie.
Winner: Tie
When it comes to nutritional value, as one would expect the Weight Watchers item is going to win out here. Of course, it does not only win, it wins big. The McDonald’s Egg McMuffin is only 300 calories, but 110 of those calories are from fat. However, the Weight Watchers Smart Ones English Muffin Sandwich is only 200 calories with 5 calories from fat. There is not much to dispute about why Weight Watchers receives this point.
Winner: Weight Watchers
Packaging
McDonald’s will give you your Egg McMuffin wrapped up in a piece of thin paper while your Weight Watchers Smart Ones Egg McMuffin Sandwich will come in a box and in a plastic, sealed pouch to ensure safety and freshness. Environmentally speaking, McDonald’s would have to win this one as there is less to throw away. While both are somewhat environmentally sound, Weight Watchers would have won the point had they choose to use recycled products to make their boxes.
Winner: McDonald’s
Overall
While the race was close, Weight Watchers surprisingly ended up winning with 4 out of 5 points in the above listed categories. The Weight Watchers Smart Ones English Muffin Sandwich ends up being a light and tasty breakfast that will not add to many calories and is a healthy option for people looking to maintain their weight.
