We tested Burger King's offering and eight other top-selling frozen veggie burgers,
which come in two basic types: meat wannabes, which use soy protein and flavorings to mimic
the real thing, and veggie-and-proud-of-it varieties made with grains, vegetables, and
(sometimes) soy. Both types tend to have fewer calories, less fat, more fiber, and more
sodium than a hamburger (see the table below). Meat types tend to have more
protein than veggie types. The products we tasted cost an average of 87 cents per patty,
about as much as we paid for a cooked patty of the leanest ground beef. We paid
$1.99 for a BK Veggie.
Patty Palatability
Trained panelists sampled the burgers blind, without condiments or bun. To meet our
expectations, all products had to be moist and neither tough or mushy, but we looked for a
meaty taste only from meat wannabes. We tasted the BK Veggie as served and plain,
without its toppings or bun.
Two meaty types and three grain-based types were very good. Their attributes, and those
of the also-rans, are noted in the Ratings comments. The BK Veggie was good, not
great. Unadorned, the patty was reminiscent of bread stuffing, with mild vegetable
bits and a grilled flavor that made it somewhat meatlike. The burger's taste improved
with toppings and bun.
|
