It’s a classic grab-and-go breakfast that ticks all the boxes — hearty chunks of sausage or bacon mixed with fluffy bites of scrambled egg and potato, all rolled inside a tortilla. It’s portable, easy to eat and has enough protein to satisfy.

It’s hard to go wrong with freshly made breakfast burritos, but what about the multitude of frozen options? They are convenient and affordable, and they save the pain of investing in a dozen eggs.

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We heated a stack of frozen burritos stuffed with sausage, bacon, potatoes, chiles, tofu and more, then tasted. Some were entirely delicious, but far too many were either flat in flavor — or flat-out disgusting.

Good breakfast burritos are not just moist and tender, they are stuffed with generous spoonfuls of gently seasoned eggs, chunks of meat and potato, and sprinkled tangy cheese. Flavors are vibrant and mouthwatering, with just the right hit of salt to satisfy.

Bad breakfast burritos are filled with sticky, over-processed paste that bears no resemblance to fresh eggs, cheese or meats. The worst are mushy garlic bombs that are guaranteed to pollute the palate.

Here are details on frozen (mostly) breakfast burritos that will disappear in minutes, and those that will wind up in the garbage. As burrito sizes range greatly — from 4 to 8 ounces — nutrition info refers to one burrito.

Good Food Made Simple: Turkey Sausage Breakfast Burrito

Large chunks of breakfast sausage tossed with diced pepper and scrambled egg make these a delicious, toothsome bite. The whole-wheat tortilla offers a welcome nutty note. 310 calories, 12 g fat, 450 mg sodium, 3 g fiber, 14 g protein. $3.19 for 5 ounces at Smart & Final. (4 stars)

Trader Joe’s: Chicken Sausage Breakfast Burrito

As a fresh burrito has better odds, we froze this one — then heated it along with the other contenders. The flavors remained fresh, and still tasted like a great homemade burrito. 550 calories, 26 g fat, 840 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, 25 mg protein. $4.49 for 8 ounces. (4 stars)

Red’s: Canadian Bacon Burrito

Tasty chunks of bacon, moist eggs and pepper Jack cheese make for an impressive breakfast. The only flaw in this brand is the slightly mushy tortilla. 340 calories, 14 g fat, 560 mg sodium, 1 g fiber, 17 g protein. Note that the sausage version suffers from a pasty filling. $2.99 for 5 ounces on sale at Safeway. (3½ stars)

El Monterey Signature: Egg, Applewood Smoked Bacon & Cheese

While this popular brand has a lot more salt than it needs, it’s a pretty good effort. Quality bacon earns it a sold thumbs-up. 300 calories, 12 g fat, 520 mg sodium, 1 g fiber, 12 g protein. $1.99 for 4.5 ounces at Safeway. (3 stars)

Tina’s: Handcrafted Egg, Bacon & Cheese Breakfast Burritos

Plenty of egg and rich bacon flavor make for a bold bite, but grinding the bacon is a mistake. Chewy bits of bacon are so much more appetizing. 290 calories, 13 g fat, 490 mg sodium, 2 g sugar, 10 g protein. $11.99 for 12 4-ounce burritos at Smart & Final. (2½ stars)

Real Good Foods: Sausage, Egg & Cheese Burritos

Lots of egg and sausage in big crumbles make this worth trying, but beware of the big punch of garlic in the sausage. 240 calories, 17 g fat, 700 mg sodium, 1 g sugar, 15 g protein. $11.99 for a box of three 4.5-ounce burritos at Raley’s. (2½ stars)

Evol. Egg & Green Chile Burrito

The idea of eggs and chiles in a burrito sounds mouthwatering — but this is not that. The garlicky filling includes a pinch of the star ingredients, but it’s mostly a mix of pinto beans, carrots and potatoes. 320 calories, 10 g fat, 670 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 12 g protein. $11.99 for eight 6-ounce burritos at Smart & Final. (2 stars)

Jimmy Dean’s: Egg, Sausage & Cheese Breakfast Burrito

This is edible, but it tastes like frozen fast food. The flavors are dull and forgettable. 330 calories, 19 g fat, 930 mg sodium, 2 g sugar, 11 g protein. $9.89 for a box of four 4.25-ounce burritos at Lucky. (1½ stars)

Burrito Kitchens: Spicy Sausage All-Natural Burrito

Substandard cheese, tiny sausage crumbles and a mere hint of egg make this an underwhelming, spicy bite. 450 calories, 21 g fat, 690 mg sodium, 3 g fiber, 22 g protein. $4.49 for 8 ounces at Safeway. (1 star)

Amy’s Kitchen: Breakfast Ranchero Burrito

The idea of filling a burrito with roasted potatoes, cheddar, tofu and ranchero sauce is great, but please don’t puree the ingredients! This has good flavor but the mushy filling is more than off-putting. 360 calories, 16 g fat, 710 mg sodium, 3 g sugar, 14 g protein. $5.99 for 6 ounces at Lucky. (1 star)

Ramona’s: Chorizo, Egg & Bean

Tasteless sausage, specks of egg and minimal seasoning make this underwhelming at best. Call it a refried bean burrito, and it would score a bit higher. 310 calories, 12 g fat, 490 mg sodium, 3 g fiber, 13 g protein. $2.49 for 4.5 ounces at Smart & Final. (1 star)

365 Whole Foods: Bacon & Scrambled Egg Breakfast Burrito

Yikes! This is a bacon bomb, and not in a good way. The filling is basically extra-smoky minced bacon with a few rubbery squares of over-salted egg. 170 g or 6 oz has 410 calories, 15 g fat, 1450 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, 21 g protein. $2.99 for 6 ounces. (½ star)

Tapatio: Pork Chorizo & Egg Burrito

Not only does this vile, ultra-processed filling ooze fat, it tastes like decade-old shortening. 430 calories, 22 g fat, 500 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, 20 g protein. $2.99 for 8 ounces at Food Maxx. (no stars)

Reviews are based on product samples purchased by this newspaper or provided by manufacturers. Contact Jolene Thym at [email protected]. Read more Taste-off columns at www.mercurynews.com/tag/taste-off.