3 McDonald’s Meals You Can Make Cheaper at Home by Shopping at Trader Joe’s
Written by
Nicholas Morine
Edited by
Amen Oyiboke
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Trader Joe’s has established itself as both a customer service standout — having famously rebuffed the idea of adding self-checkout lanes to its stores — and as a quality foods leader. But can it beat McDonald’s when it comes to offering up lower prices on fast-food favorites?
There’s only one way to tell. A brief comparison of some popular McDonald’s favorites, and Trader Joe’s copycats made at home, follows — condiments not included as Trader Joe’s makes up ground on the sides and beverage options, and most people hold staple foods at the ready. Veggies are priced in at 30 cents per serving, based on Trader Joe’s listed prices for Campari tomatoes, jumbo yellow onions, and butter / Romaine lettuce.
Here are three McDonald’s combos you can make cheaper from Trader Joe’s.
Double Quarter-Pounder With Cheese Combo
If you’re feeling like a feast fit for a king (but not at Burger King), it’s going to set you back $11.89 to snag a Double Quarter-Pounder with cheese combo from the Golden Arches.
Trader Joe’s, on the other hand, offers an 8-pack of its brand of classic hamburger buns for $2.49 (31 cents per bun) and one pound of organic 80/20 ground beef for the perfect patty at $6.49 ($1.62 per patty, so $3.24 to meet the McDonald’s meat quota). Sliced sharp cheddar — no processed American cheese here — rings up at 43 cents per slice, and you’ll be getting two.
Add in a serving of Trader Joe’s seasoned waffle fries — $3.79 for a 20 ounce bag, which equates to five servings of McDonald’s medium fries at 76 cents per order — and replace a fountain drink with a far superior Spindrift Island Punch sparkling water at 94 cents, and you’re all set.
The total cost for the upscale Trader Joe’s option? $6.41, saving you a little more than five bucks for an undeniably superior meal.
Deluxe McCrispy Combo
The Deluxe McCrispy gets all dressed up with lettuce and tomato to enhance its peppery flavor profile, complete with a fancy potato bun. So why not do the same for Trader Joe’s taste-alike, all things being equal?
A potato bun from Trader Joe’s will set you back 44 cents, and enough organic, free-range boneless chicken breast to make up the weight of a McCrispy — even if you overestimate the weight of the patty to 150 grams — is priced at $2.33. You’ll also need a small portion of pantry staples: bread crumbs, an egg, flour, salt and pepper to taste. We’ll see if the price difference at the end affords room here.
As priced above, the rest of the combo (waffle fries and sparkling water) adds another $1.70 to the cost of the McDonald’s Deluxe McCrispy combo (priced at $10.09) substitute.
In total, the Trader Joe’s breaded chicken sandwich meal is costed out at $4.77. Even with the still-high price of eggs, you will be saving a great deal of cash by preparing this one at home, and it will almost certainly taste better, too.
6-Piece Chicken McNugget Combo
Everyone loves chicken nuggets, no matter the age. While often described as children’s favorite, adults are equally as likely to take down a 6-piece Chicken McNugget Combo (priced at $7.69) when hunger strikes, even though it might cost a pretty penny — 769 pennies, in fact.
Trader Joe’s offers organic chicken nuggets in a 12-ounce size for $4.99, which balances out to three-and-a-half servings (or about 21 nuggets), at a cost of $1.43 per order.
Add in the fries (76 cents) and a can of Spindrift (94 cents), and the Trader Joe’s McNugget meal copycat rings up at $3.13, less than half of the price of ordering at McDonald’s. Dipping sauces not included.
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