Foster Farms Corn Dogs Review
Author’s Note: I bought these corn dogs with my own dad-gum money. I have no affiliation with Foster Farms or Costco.
Decisions were made.
These were on sale. So I bought them. Did I need a 3.5 pound sack of them? Of course not. But here we are. Decisions were made.
Breading texture and flavor
The breading is a bit less “plump” than what the product picture suggests. I do like the crispy outer texture, but it lacks that sinful, oily crunch (followed by moist cornbread satisfaction) that a full-size fried corn dog has. Just a tad drier, and less “rounded” in flavor. There’s a lightly sweet “honey” taste, but not much past that.
On the upside, these doggies aren’t drowning in too much breading. It could certainly be worse.
Hot dog quality
The miniature hot dogs are made from chicken, which surprised me. I wouldn’t have been able to guess the meat origin. They have a smooth, mechanical taste. They’re not unpleasant, but not memorable either. It’s acceptably juicy meat, but fairly dense. They don’t have as much rich smokey flavor as some hotdogs, but they’re fine. Especially when dipped in a smokey BBQ sauce. Behold:
Sauce helps the flavor. Natch.
I did prefer to eat these corn dogs after they’d cooled down for at least 1o minutes. Both to avoid burning my mouth, and because the flavors seem to taste better after they’ve “married.”
I ate mine with Aldi Burman’s Gold BBQ Sauce, which has a tangy-sweet mustard satisfaction. This is my second-favorite BBQ sauce, BTW. What’s my first-favorite? It’s this Kansas City BBQ Sauce. Now you know.
Party food or snack time?
Size-wise, these mini corn dogs are less than 2 inches long. They make great finger food. For when your fingers are hungry.
If you are having a casual party, these are a simple, quick alternative to pigs in blankets. They’re self-contained enough to be easy to pick up, and they’re not overly greasy or messy.
Ingredients in Foster Farms Corn Dogs
Whew. These ingredients are…something. Here’s my best attempt at typing them out:
Chicken Frank Ingredients:
- Mechanically Separated Chicken
- Water
- Salt
- Contains less than 2% of: Corn Syrup, Potassium Lactate, Potassium Acetate, Spices, Sodium Phosphate, Sodium Diacetate, Flavorings, Sodium Erythorbate, Sodium Nitrite. May also contain Calcium Alginate casing.
Batter Ingredients:
- Water
- Enriched Flour
- Sugar
- Yellow Corn Flour
- Enriched Degermed Yellow Corn Meal
- Contains less than 2% of: Soy Flour, Leavening, Soybean Oil, Salt, Dextrose, Egg Yolk, Potato Flour, Dried Honey, Egg White, Artificial Flavor.
Breading Ingredients:
- Enriched Wheat Flour and Enriched Degermed Yellow Corn Meal (Both enriched with Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid)
- Sugar
- Modified Corn Starch
- Contains less than 2% of: Leavening, Soy Flour, Nonfat Milk, Salt, Egg Yolk, Sodium Caseinate. Fried in vegetable oil.
More information from the label:
- No added hormones or steroids
- No by-products
If you typically buy nitrite-free food, it’s worth noting that this one contains … nitrites. There are also added preservatives, artificial flavors, and other “stuff.” For party food, I don’t personally have a huge problem with this. But it’s not something I’d want to eat regularly as sustenance. You know.
Nutrition Facts
A serving is 4 little corn dog bites and contains 220 calories. You get 13 grams of fat (3.5 grams saturated fat) and 7 grams of protein. There are 19 grams total carbohydrates, of which 0 grams are fiber and 7 grams are sugar (all of which is “added sugars”). That’s a lot of sugar for a savory food snack. There’s as much sugar as protein! Yikes. You also get 22% your daily value of sodium per serving.
Price and Servings
The 56 ounce bag cost $13.99 at my local Costco, but I got mine on sale for $10.99. Since there are 21 servings per bag, each serving is 67 cents at the regular price. There are 84 mini corn dogs per bag, so each nugget costs 17 cents.
(Don’t have a Costco membership? You can also find these at Publix or Walmart or Target. There are also full-size versions of Foster Farms corn dogs.)
Shelf Life
The “best by” date on my bag allowed approximately a year to consume.
Cooking Instructions
The bag provides three ways to cook these doggies. Here’s a simplification:
- Oven: 350 degrees for 15 minutes (frozen)
- Microwave: 60 seconds on “high” (4 dogs frozen)
- Air Fryer: 360 degrees for 8 minutes (frozen)
Dramatic Conclusion
On my highly accurate “Awesome-o-Meter,” these Foster Farms Corn Dogs score somewhere between “Meh” and “Maybe.” They’re not bad, but they’re not amazing. I don’t personally love the ingredients enough to buy these again. But I would eat them if they magically appeared in front of me. Especially if there was sauce. Yes.
The End.
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