I Tried And Ranked America's Cheapest Frozen Beef Burritos

In today's economy, who can justify stopping by a local taco shop every other day? Thankfully, there are other options, perhaps not as fresh, that you can find in the freezer aisle of your local grocery or convenience store. These are inexpensive beef burritos that aren't very big, but you could probably get two for the price of a single Taco Bell bean burrito.

I have a fondness for frozen burritos because they are quick; I can just put them in the microwave for under two minutes, and they also appease my snack craving in the middle of the day. I also love brands that sell them individually rather than as part of a package. That means I can grab a variety from the freezer on shopping day and don't have to commit to a single flavor, seven days a week. When it comes to beef burritos in particular, I found that options are somewhat limited. I was only able to find a few at the grocery store and online priced under $2. There are others that exceed that amount, such as Tina's Big Burrito and the El Monterey XX Large. However, those typically cost about $1 more (unless you can find them at a dollar store).

There are some things to consider if you decide to purchase a frozen beef burrito. For such small bites, they typically pack a lot of sodium. The American Heart Association recommends a daily maximum sodium intake of 2,300 milligrams for adults. Some of these burritos have over 600 milligrams per serving, which provides a hefty chunk of that allowance. However, my number one priority when ranking these burritos was flavor — find out more about my criteria in the methodology at the end.

What I have found in my many decades of eating fast Mexican food is that two-ingredient burritos are usually the cheapest for several reasons. One, because they're boring. That's not to say they're bad; many people have dietary restrictions, and that's their only option. But Tina's Beef & Bean Burrito is so incredibly bad, you might as well splurge on drive-thru.

This offering takes humdrum to a whole new level. If you're looking for a quick meal, opt for a protein bar instead. I cooked the burrito as per the package instructions, taking it out of the wrapper and turning it every 30 seconds in the microwave. The tortilla began to unwrap during the last few seconds, and I think it allowed the last bit of moisture to escape.

Gertrude Stein famously coined the phrase, "There is no there there." That idiom perfectly describes this flavorless, dried-out foodstuff. When you bite into it, the insides feel like kindergarten paste after the lid has been off for a few hours, and it tastes about the same. The ingredients say it contains green chili peppers and jalapeño puree, but I couldn't taste either in my serving. Instead, what I got was a hint of tomato paste and onions. This has 330 calories and 410 milligrams of sodium per serving. It was only $0.99 at my local Safeway, but that might be for a good reason. This product isn't representative of what Tina's usually produces with its budget brands, and is one to be avoided if you can help it.

Considering the fact I thought Tina's Beef & Bean Burrito was bland, dry, and just an overall bad eating experience, I was surprised to learn that Tina's Beef & Bean Green Chili Burrito (which costs slightly more at $1.98) is a lot better. The former is probably for those who don't like spiciness, and the latter is for those who do. But honestly, neither is hot to me.

I love the flavor of green chilies in any form. I feel like they add excitement to a dish and open your taste buds so you can savor every individual ingredient, but there should be a balance. That's exactly how I would describe Tina's Beef & Bean Green Chili Burrito: balanced. There isn't a lot here, and it's loaded with whole beans, so much so that they ooze out if you cut it open. That's a good thing; they add texture and creaminess to an otherwise ordinary burrito.

I'm glad Tina's made good on its promise of green chilies because they really come through in a way that's almost comforting. The burrito itself is a tad thin and might break open in the microwave. As far as taste, the tortilla is a basic enriched flour wrap with no discernible profile. This 4-ounce burrito has 330 calories, the same as the version without chiles, and slightly more sodium at 460 milligrams. It's a tasty mid-meal that might appease you in the moment, but if you're anything like me, you might find yourself feeling hungry again not long after.

Tina's has become one of my favorite small frozen burrito choices when I need something to eat but not quite a full meal. These burritos are smaller than other brands, and thankfully, the price reflects that. All that being said, how do they taste when they dial up the spice factor? Well, Tina's Red Hot Burrito isn't going to wow you as much as, say, a José Olé burrito, and maybe that's because it's not packed with as many ingredients. However, as a small bite, it might satisfy you for an hour or so.

The garlic and onion powders really come through in each bite, and since it's made with jalapeño puree, there's a hint of that. The burrito takes liberties with its "red hot" qualifier as it's not much spicier than a jalapeño popper. If you're sensitive to heat, it might have you reaching for sips of milk to cool your mouth, but for me, it was mild and inconsequential.

Inside, the burrito looks like paste — a thick filling that has no discernible ingredients — which works well for bean burritos. However, when beef is in the title, you do expect to at least see some. This heated up nicely in the microwave. The instructions say to remove it from the wrapper, but keep in mind that if you do that, it might split up the middle. This was only 340 calories with 540 milligrams of sodium per 4-ounce serving. It didn't fill me up enough to feel satisfied, but I also ate an apple afterward, and that was enough to tide me over until dinnertime.

I don't think José Olé gets the recognition it deserves amid all the other frozen burrito brands, which is a shame because they put out a delicious product. Perhaps they could use a more up-to-date mascot rather than the stereotypical mustachioed Mexican man in a sombrero, but that's just my opinion.

In my opinion, the José Olé Beef & Cheese Burrito ($1.59) is delicious. Each serving is 5 ounces, and this tiny little burrito is loaded. It's heavy on flavor, which may not be as complex as a taco shop offering, but still far from disappointing if you're seeking something for an on-the-go lunch. The one thing I really enjoyed is that this isn't made from ground beef. José Olé uses shredded beef in this one, and the mouthfeel is extremely satisfying, with some inevitably sticking in your teeth like a restaurant-quality burrito. The cheese doesn't add much flavor, but it creates this creamy, smooth texture that's so satisfying you might want another one immediately afterward.

These tasty little snacks contain 670 milligrams of sodium per serving, so if you're concerned about eating too much salt, you might want to limit yourself. However, the calorie count is reasonable at 350. Another thing I loved is that the instructions suggest you cut the end off the package and microwave it in the wrapper for about a minute and a half. That might give pause to those mindful of the absorption of microplastics via food packaging, but preparing it in this manner gives you a softer tortilla and evenly heated ingredients. There's no spiciness, but the green chili peppers give this convenient and budget-friendly burrito a robust flavor.

For a budget frozen burrito, El Monterey Signature Cheese and Rice Burrito shoots to the top of the list. At about $1.93 per burrito, you're getting a lot of product, flavor, and visual appeal. I think El Monterey is probably the gold standard for frozen burritos. You can find them in eight-pack bricks in your freezer section, and they make perfect impromptu enchiladas. The brand has everything from breakfast burritos to chimichangas, and its products are nicely priced if you buy in bulk. Its individual burritos are a little harder for me to find at my local Fry's or Safeway. But if you see them, grab a few and stock up just in case you're in a pinch for a quick meal.

While I have never found the wrapper picture to resemble the actual product inside, the El Monterey Signature Shredded Steak & Cheese Burrito's packaging picture looks just like what comes out of your microwave. This is also the first frozen burrito that has a proper cheese pull. The shredded beef in this is so nice; it's tender and stringy for that perfect taco shop dupe. The cheese oozes out in a deluge of cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Monterey Jack with peppers. You can even taste the rice!

All of these flavors are spiced up with garlic, dehydrated onions, and chili pepper blended together in perfect harmony, making you wonder how the company could make such a decadent burrito for under two dollars. It only contains 260 calories per burrito with 490 milligrams of sodium, which, to me, is perfect for an afternoon snack or quick supper.

I love food on the go, and I especially love food that can be microwaved in minutes so I can get back to whatever I was doing beforehand. As a fan of Mexican food, I consider frozen beef burritos my jam, but I found some of them don't quite measure up to what's pictured on the wrapper; things seldom do nowadays. But with the bad comes the good. For the most part, you get what you pay for, as they say, and scoring a burrito for under $2 can be hit or miss.

For this review, I scoured my local Fry's, Walmart, and Safeway for individually packed frozen beef burritos. They all had to be under the $2 ceiling and had to contain beef. I was surprised at how hard it was to find beef products in that price bracket; frozen chicken burritos are much easier to find at the grocery store. However, I did track down five. I paid the supermarket price, but the exact price may vary depending on where you live and where you find them.

I ranked each burrito primarily on flavor. I also took into consideration the size and cost, and what they offered for that cost. Although I did include sodium and calorie content, I did not rate them on those criteria. Overall, it came down to flavor and how satisfied I felt after a single serving.