We were left with more than a few questions after last week’s article on meat sticks. Even after answering some of the bigger picture stuff like, are they just Slim Jims dressed up at higher price points; what should we look for on the package; and, are meat sticks really a good protein source for runners?
After all of our interviews we still had one more question: how do they taste? There’s only one way to know, so we dove into taste-testing the most highly-rated and recommended meat sticks. Specifically, the ones we could find at our neighborhood Publix. We opted for the smaller, single-serve types, since we had to eat a lot of meat sticks for this article.
Meat Stick Taste Test Methodology
We rated our selections on convenience, chew (the way it felt to actually eat it); ratio of calories, fats and protein; and taste. Then, we gave each an overall composite score to determine the overall “best.” Not an exact science, but we’re going with it.
CHOMPS Original Beef Mini Sticks
Convenience: 4/5 – Yes, 6 individually-wrapped servings in a pouch is a lot of packaging. But it is convenient.
Chew: 4/5 – These actually had a little “bite” to them. Not in a spicy way, but in the sense that you needed to chomp down on them just a bit. Careful taking them out of the individual wrapper. They’re a little slick.
Calorie, Fat, Protein Ratio: 4/5 – Serving is 1 meat stick @ 45 calories, with 3g of fat and 4 grams of protein
Taste: 4/5 – Pretty good flavor. Not too salty, not too fatty-tasting.
Composite: 4 – Overall, good choice.
Country Archer Provisions Grass-Feb Beef MINIS
Convenience: 5/5 – Individually-wrapped servings in a pouch. But with 8 sticks per package.
Chew: 4/5 – It takes a few more PSI to bite through the Country Archer MINIS, but it’s a satisfying, not-quite-beef-jerky bite. Sticks are smooth, but not slippery.
Calorie, Fat, Protein Ratio: 4/5 – Serving is 1 meat stick @ 45 calories, with 3g of fat and 4 grams of protein
Taste: 4.5/5 – Mild flavor, but a little more complex than the others.
Composite: 4.375 – The 8 servings per package had us from the jump, but the well-rounded taste sealed the deal.
CHOMPS Original Turkey Mini Sticks
Convenience: 4/5 – Individually-wrapped servings in a pouch. 6 per package, like their beef counterpart.
Chew: 5/5 – Just right, in our opinion. Just enough give, a satisfying chew, and no slippery mouth feel.
Calorie, Fat, Protein Ratio: 5/5 – Serving is 1 meat stick @ 35 calories, with 1.5g of fat and 5 grams of protein
Taste: 4.5/5 – Mild flavor, with no “poultry” taste. Even the most beef-centric types would dig it.
Composite: 4.62 – Maybe it was the surprisingly good taste, but it’s hard to argue with the 5 grams of protein in a low-cal and low-fat package.
DUKE’S Original Recipe Smoked Shorty Sausages
Convenience: 2/5 – No individually-wrapped sausages, but 12 weenies swimming around in a single package isn’t terribly convenient. Neither is the need to refrigerate after opening.
Chew: 3.5/5 – These look like mini hotdogs that spent a little too much time on the grill. But they bite easily, with no greasy taste.
Calorie, Fat, Protein Ratio: 3/5 – Serving size is 2 meat sticks @ 130 calories, with 11g of fat and 7 grams of protein
Taste: 5/5 – Honestly, the best-tasting. But, this is a pork sausage, and we have lots of feels for that.
Composite: 3.37 – With all the fat, these probably aren’t the best choice for mid-run snacking. And the lack of single-serve convenience is a bummer, too.
Overall Winner
Interestingly, we’re going with the CHOMPS Original Turkey Mini Sticks for the win here. Even if all things were equal, we’d still preferred the mild flavor versus the others we tried. We expect these will be a regular part of our long-run fueling strategy during the sodium-depleting days of summer.
Did we miss a meat stick brand that deserves a test? Let us know! Hit us up at ed@runcharlotte.com
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