What is your go-to bagel? Perhaps you enjoy the simple things in life, such as a lightly toasted bagel topped with nothing more than a small pat of butter. Or maybe cream cheese is your topping of choice. Do you prefer to turn your bagel into a sandwich with egg, cheese, and bacon? (We’re starting to get hungry now.) Or is the Jewish delicacy of bagels and lox your ride-or-die?
Along with virtually unlimited topping possibilities, bagels also come in a wide variety of flavors, from plain to cinnamon raisin to onion to the very popular everything bagel.
No matter how you take your bagel, the chewy, bready goodness is a delightful way to start your day. However, as with most good things in life, not all bagels are created equal. We set out to find some bagel brands that do not measure up. (And while we’re on the subject of breakfast, here are six coffee brands to avoid.)
24/7 Wall St. consulted five different food review websites, blogs, and vlogs. Using an aggregate scoring system, we found seven bagel brands that were consistently rated as subpar. There was also one very clear winner or, more accurately in this case, loser.
Here is a look at the seven bagel brands to avoid.
First Things First
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As we get started, it must be noted that we only included store-bought bagels in our survey. Any bagel aficionado will tell you that no store-bought bagel can compete with the bagels made in a legit bagel shop. Some bagel purists even refuse to call these store-bought bread products “bagels.”
One of the main reasons for the disparity between store-bought and artisan bagels is the cooking process. In a true bagel shop, the bagels are hand-rolled. Then they are boiled before they are baked. The crust is cooked during the boiling, which gives it a nice, chewy texture.
Store-bought bagels are typically not boiled. They are steam-baked, which adds a little moisture to the product while it bakes. The difference is stark, though.
As one Redditor put it, “Bagels are supposed to be boiled. If you buy them from a bagel store fresh, then they are probably real bagels. Grocery stores on the other hand don’t have boiled bagels…just bagel-shaped bread trying to lie to you.”
As we evaluate these bagel brands, we readily admit that no store-bought bagel is on the same level as one from a bagel shop. However, if you don’t live near a New York City or Montreal bagel shop, then a grocery store bagel might be your only option. If so, there are some pretty good choices available to you.
As we searched for bagel brands to avoid, we also found some brands that scored rather well with our reviewers. Aunt Millie’s, Costco’s Kirkland Signature, and Dave’s Killer Bread Plain Awesome Organic Bagels received high praise from the critics. If you must opt for a store-bought bagel, give these brands a shot.
However, the following seven brands did not fare as well in our survey. Prices may vary depending on the retailer and location.
7. Thomas’
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- Product: Plain Bagels, 6-count
- Expected Price: $4.18
Thomas’ Bagels Review
Source: Courtesy of Mike Edmisten via 24/7 Wall St.
Thomas’ bagels are larger than many other store-bought bagels. They are also not refrigerated or frozen, but instead are found in the bread aisle at the grocery store.
One rather harsh review compared the taste to a “decent store-bought hamburger bun.”
Other reviewers were a bit more generous in their critiques. One noted that the bagel featured a slight sweetness which made for a more pleasant experience. However, in the end, it is a store-bought bagel without any real appeal.
Thomas’ English Muffins are some of the best you will find at your local grocery store. Buy them, for sure. However, if bagels are on your list, Thomas’ won’t “wow” you in any way. It also doesn’t help that they are among the priciest bagels on this list.
6. Whole Foods 365
Source: Whole Foods Market / Wikimedia Commons
- Product: Plain Bagels, 6-count
- Expected Price: $2.69
Whole Foods 365 Bagels Review
Source: Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA / Wikimedia Commons
Reviewers noted that these bagels were small. One compared them to the size of a hockey puck. However, the size could be overlooked if they tasted like a quality bagel. Sadly, that is not the case.
These bagels are quite bland. One reviewer said that a Whole Foods 365 bagel reminded them of “the type of bagel that would be sitting in a plastic case at a motel’s free continental breakfast.”
There is nothing overtly offensive about these bagels. The same cannot be said about some of the other bagels on this list. However, Whole Foods 365 bagels are also wholly unremarkable. Given Whole Foods’ reputation for quality, shoppers can and should expect more than these bagels deliver.
5. L’Oven Fresh
Source: Courtesy of Mike Edmisten via 24/7 Wall St.
- Product: Plain Bagels, 6-count
- Expected Price: $2.15
L’Oven Fresh Bagels Review
Source: Courtesy of Mike Edmisten via 24/7 Wall St.
Aldi is the fastest-growing grocery store chain in the U.S. Shoppers seem more than willing to “rent” grocery carts for a quarter and bag their own groceries in return for the significant savings offered by this off-beat grocery chain.
More than 90% of products sold at Aldi are private label, many of which can easily go toe-to-toe with pricier major brands. The L’Oven Fresh bagels, however, are not among them.
One reviewer described it as more of a roll than a bagel. A slightly strange aftertaste was also noted.
4. Lender’s
Source: Courtesy of Mike Edmisten via 24/7 Wall St.
- Product: Plain Bagels, 6-count
- Expected Price: $2.74
Lender’s Bagels Review
Source: Courtesy of Mike Edmisten via 24/7 Wall St.
Lender’s was founded in 1927. The company pioneered the frozen and the pre-cut bagel. These innovations allowed the company to mass-market its product, though bagel purists may find such things abhorrent.
Lender’s bagels were described as “bland and pillowy” by one reviewer. They lack the chewy texture that is the hallmark of a high-quality bagel.
Another reviewer was even harsher in their criticism, saying the bagel simply tasted like enriched white bread and it “should only be used as a conduit to get cream cheese into your face.”
3. Pepperidge Farm
Source: Courtesy of Mike Edmisten via 24/7 Wall St.
- Product: Mini Bagels, 12-count
- Expected Price: $4.78
Pepperidge Farm Bagels Review
Source: Courtesy of Mike Edmisten via 24/7 Wall St.
Pepperidge Farm produces a wide variety of cookies named after European cities such as Milano, Brussels, and Bordeaux. However, it is perhaps most famous for its Goldfish crackers. This childhood favorite is still going strong more than 60 years after its initial release.
Pepperidge Farm has a long line of products to be proud of, but its bagels cannot be counted among them. One of our reviewers described these bagels as “dry and chalky, even dusty.” This critic went on to say that cream cheese was a necessary “throat lubricant” just to swallow the bagel. Is that an overstatement? Possibly. Are there better bagels than Pepperidge Farm? Definitely.
2. Sara Lee
Source: Courtesy of Mike Edmisten via 24/7 Wall St.
- Product: $2.18
- Expected Price: Plain Bagels, 5-count
Sara Lee Bagels Review
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Sara Lee’s longtime advertising mantra said, “Everybody doesn’t like something, but nobody doesn’t like Sara Lee.” Well, several of the critics we consulted would take issue with that statement, because they certainly did not like Sara Lee’s bagels.
The consistency of these bagels was compared with that of a Kaiser roll. One reviewer even noted a chemical-like taste.
Sara Lee is certainly a go-to brand for pies and pound cakes. For bagels, though, consider looking elsewhere. Oh, and it’s also just bad form to offer 5-count packs instead of the usual 6-count. C’mon, Sara. Do better.
1. Trader Joe’s
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- Product: Cinnamon Raisin Bagels, 6-count
- Expected Price: $2.99
Trader Joe’s Bagels Review
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Trader Joe’s was clearly the least favorite among the bagel critics in our survey. When a reviewer refers to this bagel as “all out abysmal,” that probably tells you all you need to know.
Reviewers noted the interior of the bagel was “jagged and shaggy.” The dry texture was compared to sawdust. The taste was likened to water crackers, with one reviewer calling it “vaguely cardboardy.”
Another critic compared these bagels to “really thick toast made with unsatisfactory bread.”
Yet another reviewer said that, after toasting, the bagel’s texture was “extremely crumbly” and the taste was exceedingly bland.
We could go on, but you get the point.
On its website, Trader Joe’s claims that its cinnamon raisin bagels are “really good bagels.” We couldn’t find a single reviewer that agreed with this assessment. There are plenty of good, even amazing, products available at Trader Joe’s. The bagels? Not even close.
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