Can I make Chipotle’s Burrito Bowl cheaper, healthier, and better tasting?

Summary

In this video, the creator tackles the soaring food prices by recreating Chipotle's double steak burrito bowl at home, aiming for a cheaper, lower-calorie, and tastier version. After analyzing the cost and nutritional content of the original, they set a grocery budget and shop for ingredients, focusing on a chuck roast for the steak and optimizing other components like rice, corn salsa, and a cilantro lime avocado crema. The video demonstrates how to pre-prep these elements for quick, weeknight meals, culminating in a final taste test comparing the homemade version to Chipotle's, highlighting the depth of flavor and freshness of the homemade bowl.

Takeaways

• 📈 Food prices have significantly increased, with Chipotle's prices up 10% in Q1 of this year compared to Q1 of 2022.
• 🍽️ The video aims to create a steak burrito bowl that is cheaper, lower in calories, and just as tasty as Chipotle's.
• 📊 The rice constitutes the majority of the total weight of the Chipotle bowl, followed by steak, while steak, guacamole, and sour cream are the main calorie contributors.
• 💰 A grocery budget of $40.48 (the price of two Chipotle bowls) was set to purchase all components, resulting in a total grocery cost of $32.05.
• 🥩 The homemade steak uses a chuck roast for a leaner and more cost-effective option, prepared with cumin seeds and chili powder for flavor.
• 🍚 A Mexican-style rice is made with tomatoes, serrano peppers, and garlic for added flavor, then frozen for convenience.
• 🌽 The corn salsa is enhanced by grilling the corn first, adding a smoky flavor and texture.
• 🥑 A cilantro lime avocado crema is created as a healthier alternative to guacamole and sour cream, combining the best of both.
• 🔥 Pre-preparing components like steak and rice allows for quick assembly of the burrito bowl, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
• 🍲 The homemade burrito bowl costs just over $8 per serving, contains 325 fewer calories, and offers a similar size and taste experience as Chipotle's.

Q & A

What are the three goals the video aims to achieve with the homemade steak burrito bowl?

The video aims to create a steak burrito bowl that is cheaper, lower in calories but the same weight, and better tasting than Chipotle's offering.

How much did the price of Chipotle's steak burrito bowl increase from Q1 2022 to Q1 of the current year?

The price of Chipotle's steak burrito bowl increased by 10% from Q1 2022 to Q1 of the current year.

What is the total cost of the homemade steak burrito bowl compared to the cost of two Chipotle bowls?

The homemade steak burrito bowl costs $32.05, which is the equivalent of the price of two Chipotle bowls at $40.48.

What are the four key areas the video identifies for enhancing the flavor of the homemade burrito bowl?

The four key areas are improving the steak, creating a cilantro lime avocado crema, making a more flavorful Mexican-style rice, and enhancing the corn salsa by grilling the corn first.

What is the method used to pre-prep the steak for the homemade burrito bowl?

The steak is pre-prepped by slicing a chuck roast into thin strips, seasoning it, freezing it, and then cooking it straight from the freezer.

How does the video suggest improving the rice for the homemade burrito bowl?

The rice is improved by toasting it with aromatics like tomatoes, serrano peppers, and garlic, and then simmering it with water and chicken bouillon for added flavor.

What is the difference in calorie count between the homemade and Chipotle's steak burrito bowl?

The homemade steak burrito bowl has 850 calories, which is 325 fewer calories than Chipotle's double steak burrito bowl.

What is the brand of the griddle used in the video, and what are its notable features?

The griddle used in the video is from Made In Cookware. It is a carbon steel griddle, pre-seasoned, suitable for high heat up to 1200 degrees Fahrenheit, and can be used on the stove, grill, or open flame.

How does the video suggest enhancing the corn salsa for the homemade burrito bowl?

The corn salsa is enhanced by grilling the corn first, then mixing it with cilantro stems, shallots, lime juice, and salt.

What is the cilantro lime avocado crema in the homemade burrito bowl, and how is it made?

The cilantro lime avocado crema is a low-fat alternative to guacamole and sour cream. It is made by blending low-fat sour cream or yogurt, ripe avocado, cilantro, adobo seasoning, and lime juice.

Outlines

00:00

📈 Rising Food Prices and Homemade Burrito Bowl Challenge

The video script begins by addressing the surge in food prices, exemplified by Chipotle's price increase in Q1 of the current year compared to 2022. The creator's goal is to create a homemade steak burrito bowl that is not only cheaper but also lower in calories while maintaining the same weight and taste. The video aims to demonstrate cost-effective home cooking techniques for busy weeknights. The creator disassembles a double steak burrito bowl from Chipotle, weighing each component to understand the cost and nutritional breakdown, which is then visualized through graphs. The rice and steak are identified as the heaviest components, while the steak, guacamole, and sour cream are the calorie-heavy elements. A grocery budget of $40.48 is set, equivalent to the price of two Chipotle bowls, excluding pantry staples. The creator spends $32.05 at the grocery store for all the necessary ingredients, including meat, cheese, and produce, with a chuck roast being a significant cost-saving measure. The video concludes this section by highlighting four key areas for improvement in the homemade version: steak, guacamole, rice, and corn salsa.

05:02

🍽️ Preparing Homemade Burrito Bowl Components

The script details the process of prepping the steak and rice for the homemade burrito bowl. The steak, sourced from a chuck roast, is thinly sliced, seasoned with cumin and chili powder, and frozen for later use. The rice is prepared with aromatics like tomatoes, serrano peppers, and garlic, then toasted to enhance flavor before being frozen. The video also features a product placement for a carbon steel griddle from Made In Cookware, which is used for cooking the steak and corn. The steak is cooked on the griddle without additional oil, seasoned with salt and lime juice post-freezing. The rice, once defrosted, is cooked in a saucepan with chicken bouillon, tomatoes, and serrano peppers, then frozen for later use. The video emphasizes the importance of prepping these components in advance to simplify the cooking process for a quick weeknight meal.

10:04

🌮 Finalizing the Homemade Burrito Bowl and Comparison

The final paragraph of the script describes the assembly of the homemade burrito bowl and its comparison to Chipotle's offering. The creator assembles the bowl with beans, crema, lettuce, corn salsa, seasoned beef, and cheese, then compares the cost, calorie count, and taste to Chipotle's version. The homemade bowl costs just over $8 per serving, contains 325 fewer calories, and is noted for its depth of flavor, texture, and freshness. The creator particularly praises the charring on the steak, the lime juice in the corn salad, and the balance of dairy products. The video concludes with a positive review of the homemade burrito bowl, encouraging viewers to try the recipe, which will be available on the website. The script ends on a casual note, inviting viewers to look forward to the next video.

Keywords

💡Food prices

Food prices refer to the cost of food items, which have been increasing significantly as mentioned in the script. This is a central theme of the video, as the creator discusses the rising cost of a Chipotle meal and aims to create a more affordable, homemade alternative. The context of 'food prices' is used to highlight the motivation behind the video's project of making a cheaper, yet satisfying, burrito bowl.

💡Steak burrito bowl

A steak burrito bowl is a meal typically consisting of seasoned steak, rice, beans, cheese, and other toppings, served in a bowl rather than wrapped in a tortilla. In the script, the steak burrito bowl serves as the basis for the video's experiment, where the creator compares the cost, calorie content, and taste of a homemade version to a fast-food chain's offering.

💡Calories

Calories are units of energy that measure how much potential energy a food item contains. In the context of the video, the creator is concerned with reducing the calorie content of the burrito bowl while maintaining its weight and taste. The script mentions that the steak, guacamole, and sour cream are significant contributors to the total calorie count of the Chipotle bowl.

💡Grocery budget

A grocery budget refers to the amount of money allocated for purchasing food and household items. The video's creator sets a grocery budget to challenge themselves to create a cheaper version of the burrito bowl. The budget is based on the cost of two Chipotle bowls, and the creator is successful in spending significantly less while buying all the necessary ingredients for the homemade version.

💡Prep techniques

Prep techniques are methods used to prepare food for cooking or consumption. The script discusses various prep techniques such as freezing meat for later use, toasting rice to enhance flavor, and grilling corn for the salsa. These techniques are showcased as ways to improve the taste and texture of the homemade burrito bowl components.

💡Cilantro lime avocado crema

Cilantro lime avocado crema is a sauce made from avocado, sour cream or yogurt, cilantro, lime juice, and seasonings. It is presented in the script as a healthier and more flavorful alternative to guacamole and sour cream. The crema is used as a topping for the homemade burrito bowl and contributes to the overall taste and texture of the dish.

💡Seasonings

Seasonings are substances used to add flavor to food. The script mentions various seasonings such as cumin seeds, chili powder, smoked paprika, and adobo seasoning. These are used to enhance the taste of the steak, rice, and beans in the homemade burrito bowl, aligning with the goal of creating a tastier and lower-calorie alternative.

💡Macros

Macros, short for macronutrients, refer to the three primary nutrients that the body needs in large amounts: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. In the video, the creator provides the macronutrient breakdown of the homemade burrito bowl, highlighting the nutritional content and how it compares to the Chipotle version in terms of calories and other macronutrients.

💡Taste test

A taste test is a method of evaluating the flavor and quality of food. The script describes a taste test conducted by the creator to compare the homemade burrito bowl with the Chipotle version. The taste test is a crucial part of the video, as it determines whether the homemade version is a successful and enjoyable alternative.

💡Cost per bowl

Cost per bowl refers to the expense of making one serving of the burrito bowl. The video's creator calculates the cost per bowl for the homemade version, finding it to be significantly lower than the cost of purchasing from Chipotle. This metric is important in demonstrating the financial benefits of making the dish at home.

Highlights

Food prices have significantly increased, with Chipotle's prices up 10% in Q1 of this year compared to Q1 of 2022.

The author's double steak burrito bowl now costs $20.24, which they find exorbitant.

The video sets three goals: creating a cheaper steak burrito bowl, one that is lower in calories but the same weight, and one that tastes better.

The rice constitutes the majority of the bowl's weight, followed by the steak.

Calorically, the steak, guacamole, and sour cream are the most significant contributors.

A grocery budget of $40.48 is set, aiming to buy all components for two Chipotle bowls.

The author spent $32.05 at the grocery store for a long list of items, including meat, cheese, and produce.

Using a chuck roast on sale for the steak is a significant cost-saving measure.

Four key areas for enhancing flavor in the homemade burrito bowl are identified: steak, guacamole sauce, rice, and corn salsa.

The steak is prepared using a freezer meat prep technique for convenience.

Freezing cooked rice and then reheating it is tested for convenience and texture.

The Mexican-style rice is made with tomatoes, serrano peppers, and garlic for added flavor.

The corn salsa is improved by grilling the corn first, adding a smoky element.

The homemade burrito bowl costs just over $8 per bowl, significantly less than Chipotle's.

The homemade bowl has 850 calories, 325 fewer than the Chipotle double steak burrito bowl.

The homemade version is praised for its depth of flavor, texture, and freshness.

The video concludes with a positive review of the homemade burrito bowl, suggesting it as a regular meal option.

Transcripts

over the past year food prices have been

going through the roof and Chipotle's

prices in q1 of this year are up 10

compared to q1 of 2022 so my double sake

burrito bowl now costs 20 and 24 cents

and just hearing myself say that sounds

insane so in today's video we have three

goals first can I make a steak burrito

bowl that is cheaper but additionally

can I make one that is lower calorie but

the same weight and lastly better

tasting and I'll show you some home

cooked techniques you can use to

pre-prep some of the components which

make it perfect for a busy weeknight so

let's break it down first we need to

establish some metrics so I bought and

pulled apart a double steak burrito bowl

and weighed out every component to see

exactly what you get for twenty dollars

and 24 cents and here are the findings

with a couple of graphs

so as you might guess the rice makes

most of the total weight of the bowl and

then followed closely by the steak now

when it comes to calories a couple of

the big hitters or again the stake but

the guacamole and sour cream as well and

this is an area that we can tackle when

it comes to making a lower calorie

option and I'll show updated versions of

these charts with the homemade version

in a bit but lastly let's talk grocery

budget I decided to give myself a

grocery budget of

40.48 or the price of two of these

Chipotle bowls so that means I have to

buy all of the components outside of

some Pantry Staples like oil salt and

some spices and I was shocked how cheap

all of this stuff ended up being in

total I spent 32 dollars and five cents

at the grocery store for this long list

of items which included meat cheese

produce all in there and my best cost

saving measure here was using a chuck

roast that was on sale normally this is

something I would braise but we'll see

it's great for slicing thin and just

cooking on the stovetop lastly before we

dive into the recipe I think there are

some key areas where we can really

enhance the flavor of the burrito bowl

after tasting through these there's four

key areas I want to focus on for our

lower calorie bowl that I think we can

improve upon first up is the steak so

this is a pretty lean cut which is good

for calorie purposes but it doesn't have

too much texture and in general the

flavor is nothing to be super excited

about and then secondly I want to kind

of make a guacamole sauce I think with

more cilantro a little bit more spice

and probably cut it with some sour cream

to kind of combine the two for the rice

I want to make a berry fragrant

Mexican style rice this is pretty solid

but I think we can do a little bit

better and then I actually love this

corn salsa they make the one improvement

though I think this really works if you

chart on the grill first before mixing

it up so those are the four key areas

let's go ahead and make these things and

then we'll do a final taste test

comparing the two in their actual

burrito bowl form at the end the issue

with making burrito bowls from scratch

at home is that there are kind of a lot

of components to make so for two of

these we are going to pre-prep them

starting with the steak so for the steak

we're gonna be using my freezer meat

prep technique which I talked about in

my last video so take the chuck roast

and start breaking it down into three or

four more manageable portions and then

cut them into very thin strips and the

idea here is that we can then freeze

these strips and use them straight from

the freezer after slicing the whole

thing up I added the beef to a sheet pan

and let's add some seasonings I chose to

add a big spoonful of cumin seeds and a

big sprinkle of chili powder all over

before mixing everything together you

could add salt at this point too if you

are not freezing it but I decide to add

salt later for Frozen proteins add the

entire tray of beef to the freezer and

then two hours later which should be

frozen through so transfer that beef to

freezer bags and then toss them back

into the freezer until you are ready

now before we cook the beef I wanted to

test what it's like to freeze cooked

rice and then reheat it so that's what I

did with the Mexican rice for the rice

you could use any mix of aromatics but I

love using Tomatoes serrano peppers and

garlic so set a saucepan over medium

heat and add in a 5 gram drizzle of oil

toss in 12 grams of chicken bouillon

which is going to be our salt source and

provide amazing flavor alongside that

garlic and Serrano and let everything

toast for 30 seconds before adding the

tomatoes and cooking all of that down

for one more minute

lastly toss in the rice and toast that

as well after two minutes I want to see

some little Char marks on the exterior

of the rice which is going to help

enhance and give us a little bit more

depth of flavor

finally add 250 grams of water and bring

that entire thing to a boil let this

boil for two minutes then turn the heat

to low add a towel and lid over the top

and let this simmer for 25 minutes and

now we have some beautifully fragrant

rice that is ready to go

I added the cooked rice to a sheet pan

and then again I just made some

perforation lines in the pan and tossed

the whole thing into the freezer once

the rice is frozen I just transferred it

over to a freezer bag and then when

you're ready to cook you now have

labeled steak and rice you could just

pull from the freezer and instantly turn

into a meal to cook the steak remove a

portion out from the bag and then just

toss it onto the griddle and turn the

heat to medium high now a couple of keys

here I don't add any extra oil as there

should be enough fat from the beef

itself to crisp up and secondly I do not

touch it at all I let it completely

crisp on one side for three to four

minutes so while we wait let me tell you

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this video

back of the steak it is now beautifully

crisped on bottom so I scrape it with a

spatula and flip it over and as you can

see we have some nice Browning on the

exterior that's not only going to

provide extra texture but also extra

flavor

after flipping let the steak cook for

another minute and then lastly and very

importantly we need to add some salt

because again I haven't added any salt

before the freezing process once the

salt is added mix that in and then turn

off the heat and I like adding a spritz

of lime juice as well which gives it a

nice acidic punch that pairs well with

the beef and then while that beef was

cooking I just tossed my freezer rice

into the microwave then set that into a

bowl so by pre-prepping these two core

components all you have to do now is

make the other three which each one

takes five minutes or less or about 15

minutes in total for the corn salsa I

removed the husk from two ears of corn

and then gave them a spritz of oil and

tossed them onto the griddle over medium

Heat

let the exterior toast a bit and move

them around but meanwhile I can chop the

remaining components

for this I really like using cilantro

stems because they are generally wasted

and the stems provide a nice little

crunch that works really well with this

kind of salad salsa thing

next I dice a half of a shallot and then

once the corn was toasted I brought that

back over and sliced down the ear to

extract the kernels

then add the corn shallots and cilantro

stems to the container and very

importantly add salt and a bunch of lime

juice I use the juice from one half of a

lime and a nice sprinkle of salt and

then just give everything a shake and

this gets so much better if you do let

it sit about 30 minutes to an hour

next up we have the beans which is one

of my favorite quick sides add 5 grams

of oil to a pan and toss in some sliced

serrano peppers and one clove of sliced

garlic let those saute down for about a

minute and then pour it in the entire

container of black beans and let that

all come to a simmer

lastly add a big sprinkle of salt and I

like to season it with a big sprinkle of

smoked paprika which will really come

through a bit more in that burrito bowl

let this simmer for two minutes and then

transfer it to container and lastly we

need to make the cilantro lime avocado

Crema

this is such a good alternative for a

bunch of guac and sour cream to to a

food processor or blender add 150 grams

of low-fat sour cream or low-fat yogurt

110 grams of ripe avocado a handful of

cilantro a big sprinkle of Adobo

seasoning and some lime juice before

pulsing all of that together and now it

is time to assemble and see how the cost

calories and taste Stacks up compared to

Chipotle to assemble first I added the

beans then tossed on some of the crema

next 50 grams of shredded lettuce to

help bulk the volume up a bit and then a

hefty servi of the corn before coming in

with our seasoned beef

14 grams of pepper jack cheese go over

that along with more Crema over the top

and let's take a look at the stats so

the cost per bowl is just a little over

eight dollars as I easily have enough

meat and the sides to make four burrito

bowls I'll pop the macros up on screen

and this bowl comes in at 850 calories

or 325 fewer which is pretty solid for a

same size Bowl it has more beef than the

double Chipotle as well but lastly how

does it Stack Up in terms of taste

basically have starred myself the entire

day waiting for this moment and I could

not be

more excited all right let's start with

Chipotle then we'll get into mine and

then we'll talk through some of these

components because like I've really

elevated all the elements in mind but I

haven't kind of tasted them all together

mixed mixed up as you should do with a

burrito bowl so let's get in

I mean it's your classic trusty reliable

Chipotle but let's mix this up I'm so

I'm so excited for this I've been

snacking on the components but I I have

a feeling once I kind of mix everything

together this is just gonna go

goes so well together

this is just like fantastic so much

depth of flavor going on and I think

really the core three things for me are

number one getting some little charring

and crispiness on the steak not only

introduces a little bit more texture but

also flavor as well

adding extra lime juice to that corn

salad really helps kind of freshen and

liven everything up and then it's kind

of not drowned in cheese and sour cream

which I feel like

happens with Chipotle it gets a little

over with the dairy and that also adds a

lot of calories so if you're kind of

trying to cut back that's a good area to

do so and then it's just Super Fresh

super nice and kind of a hybrid between

like uh not not quite like a chopped

salad but but because it has less rice

it's just like a nice eating experience

full of texture a ton more depth of

flavor a little bit of smokiness from

the beans and the smoked paprika but I

mean sign me up for that five days a

week and you have a couple of those

components in the freezer as I showed

you so hopefully you guys have enjoyed

you can make this at home it is you know

lower calorie lower cost isn't too much

of a hassle to make any kind of pre-prep

some of those components but hopefully

you guys have enjoyed it that will wrap

it up for me recipe for my burrito bowl

will be up on our website but I will

catch you all in the next one peace

y'all