Bacon, Bacon, Baaaaaaayyyy---kiinnnn

I'm a bacon lover, it's salty, it's crispy, it brings flavor to just about anything and it's comforting.

I've had my share of bacon trials... some good... some mediocre... some I'd rather toss than eat. Here's a run down of bacon I've swallowed gleefully and those I've choked down.

Thick Cut Bacon

Sure, who doesn't love a big, thick, chewy, crispy cut of bacon... especially the peppercorn kind... but... then you discover the nutrition facts. On average 1 slice of thick cut bacon is about 60 calories.



Original Cut Bacon 

My general complaint about this bacon is the slice looks to be a pretty decent size, until you cook it, then it shrinks! Sure, all meat shrinks when heated but for some reason I've had more issues with the regular cut than the others. Calorie breakdown - 80 calories for 2 slices. Less than thick cut, but not as low as center cut. Speaking of...








Center Cut Bacon  


Not only is this a better cut of bacon, with less fat, but it's also the most calorie friendly of all the pork bacon. I find it to be my favorite choice for taste, crispness, calorie content and most versatile. The only downside, it's generally more expensive. Oscar Mayer Center Cut comes in the lowest, 50 calories for 2 slices.







Turkey Bacon 

I used to be okay with this product until I ate center cut. Recently I gave it another try with Jennie-O extra lean. The result? An overall disappointment. Sure it's less calories, coming in at 20 calories per slice, but I'd rather spend 5 more calories per slice and get something that actually has taste and texture. It's virtually impossible to crisp this bacon, no matter how you cook it (pan fry or broil) it still comes out limp. Microwaving is not recommended, and being the curious person I am, I zapped some and now I get why. It dries the bacon out even more and you end up with pieces similar to a tough jerky, with less flavor.

Morningstar Veggie Bacon 

I would rather eat and rather enjoy the flavor of this bacon substitute. As a matter of fact, there were several years where this is all the bacon I would eat - and obviously I'm not vegetarian. It crisps well, is good on a sandwich and has good overall value. Sometimes, it's even cheaper than real bacon. Calories come in at 60 for 2 slices.