LightLife Smart Bacon Review

We’ve talked about plant-based burgers and hot dogs but what about another type of bacon besides the tempeh strips? I have tried this LightLife Smart Bacon before and thought it was just okay. Recently, my friend cooked some, and I added it to my Impossible burger. It was actually pretty good with all of the other ingredients! So I decided to get some to make for myself and give you all a review. Let’s just say this time did not go very well. 😂 I’ll tell you more why in the cooking section. I also didn’t care for the bacon strips by themselves. They definitely taste better on a sandwich.

Nutrition Facts

Like the LightLife tempeh strips, these smart bacon strips are made with soy. Unlike real bacon, no nitrates are added. There’s actually not much to the ingredients, so it’s low in fat and the calories aren’t bad per strip. The sodium is even WAY less than real bacon.

Cooking

So here’s way this time didn’t work out so well. You should actually follow the instructions which say to brush the baking sheet and top of the bacon strip with oil. No clue why I decided not to listen to this step but I didn’t. 😂The result is burnt pieces. I also had the box in the freezer and tried to defrost the strips in the microwave but didn’t let them fully defrost. I ended up with a lot of broken pieces. This was a learning experience for sure so now you know what not to do. Tips for making these strips: defrost completely and brush with oil! As I said, my friend had made them correctly, and they turned out pretty good on my burger. They just added a nice extra texture to it.  

Stores

As with most of the items I buy, I found these plant-based bacon strips at Giant. The LightLife site says you can find these at Stauffers and Weis in Lancaster, PA. I know Whole Foods also sells LightLife products but haven’t specifically looked for these bacon strips.

Between the LightLife Smoky Tempeh Strips and the LightLife Smart Bacon strips, I’d say the Smart Bacon strips are a little bit better. They’re not as grainy as the tempeh strips. However, the tempeh strips have a stronger flavor. If you’re looking for an alternative bacon, try these smart bacon strips out. They’re the best ones I’ve tried so far when they’re made correctly!