CLEVELAND, Ohio – Today is National Onion Ring Day. That’s right — even onion rings have their own dedicated celebratory day. This popular side is so tasty, some prefer it to fries.
Your “Best of Cleveland” team of Yadi Rodriguez and Peter Chakerian is back with another ranking. This time, we braved any chance of bad breath… 12 times. We did the heavy lifting of baking up and trying these frozen onion rings so you don’t have to!
Onion rings are a favorite side. But what makes a great onion ring? Is it the coating or the promise of the onion that’s wrapped inside? Are the more expensive ones worth the price? Are you truly getting what you pay for?
We were looking for a winning combination of both — onion and outer coating. Our selections ranged in price from $2.99 to $7.99, and we followed the conventional oven cooking suggestions.
Do our rankings agree with yours? Where did your go-to favorite frozen onion rings rank on our list?
No. 12: Pick 5 – Onion rings 
Pick 5 Onion Rings
– Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.comYadi Rodriguez
Where we bought it: Sav-a-Lot
Price: $5.99
Serving size: 3 pieces
Nutrition per serving:
Calories 210 | Fat 6g | Cholesterol 0mg | Sodium 200mg | Carbs 36g | Protein 4g
First ingredient: Onions
Description: Onion rings made from whole sliced onions.
Our Thoughts: The breading kept falling off, and the onions were so thin you could almost see right through them. They also cooked unevenly. Pete was not particularly crazy about the texture of them: “A bit limp, to be honest.”
No. 11: Great Value – Onion rings
Great Value Onion Rings – Battered whole onion slices
– Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.comYadi Rodriguez
Where we bought it: Walmart
Price: $3.42
Serving size: 3 rings
Nutrition per serving:
Calories 230 | Fat 11g | Cholesterol 0mg | Sodium 370mg | Carbs 28g | Protein 4g
First ingredient: Wheat flour
Description: Battered Whole Onion Slices
Our Thoughts: Thick coating and a thicker whole onion. These browned up faster despite following the recommended cooking temperature. On the flavorless side. Not very memorable, at least not for the right reasons.
No. 10: Giant Eagle – Breaded onion rings
Giant Eagle – Breaded onion rings made from diced onionsYadi Rodriguez
Where we bought it: Giant Eagle
Price: $4.99
Serving size: 6 pieces
Nutrition per serving:
Calories 200 | Fat 8g | Cholesterol 0mg | Sodium 180mg | Carbs 28g | Protein 3g
First ingredient: Diced onions
Description: Onion rings made from diced onions. Tasty baked or fried. Restaurant style.
Our Thoughts: Thin, crunchy and bland. Familiar to some fast-food onion rings. The coating was not overwhelming, just boring. Yawn.
No. 9: Crav’n Flavor Onion rings
Crav’n Flavor Onion Rings
– Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.comYadi Rodriguez
Where we bought it: Acme
Price: $5.79
Serving size: 5 rings
Nutrition per serving:
Calories 270 | Fat 12g | Cholesterol 0mg | Sodium 310mg | Carbs 35g | Protein 5g
First ingredient: Onion
Description: Gourmet onion rings covered in a crispy golden breading. No artificial preservatives or certified synthetic colors. Made with whole onion rings.
Our Thoughts: Gourmet? That might be a reach. The coating was thick and crunchy. The onion was so thin it became one with the breading. Dry, have a drink handy. Some fast-food onion rings are more “gourmet” than these are. These didn’t leave us particularly “crav’n” for more.
No. 8: Meijer – Onion rings 
Meijer – Onion Rings, made with sliced whole onions.
– Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.comYadi Rodriguez
Where we bought it: Meijer
Price: $4.39
Serving size: 3 rings
Nutrition per serving:
Calories 210 | Fat 10g | Cholesterol 0mg | Sodium 400mg | Carbs 26g | Protein 4g
First ingredient: Wheat flour
Description: Made with sliced whole onions
Our Thoughts: Wide, flat and on the salty side; almost too salty to enjoy without a dipping sauce to blunt them. The coating was crunchy. They crisped up but split (not because the onion was too thick). Thin whole onion.
No. 7: McCain – Craft Beer battered onion rings
McCain – Craft Beer Battered Onion Rings
– Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.comYadi Rodriguez
Where we bought it: Dave’s
Price: $4.99
Serving size: 6 pieces
Nutrition per serving:
Calories 190 | Fat 8g | Cholesterol 0mg | Sodium 350mg | Carbs 26g | Protein 2g
First ingredient: Onions
Description: Craft beer battered onion rings. Made with American Pale Ale. No artificial flavors. That means goodness your family will love and you’ll be proud to serve.
Our Thoughts: Solid coating, light and slightly on the doughy side. Beer? Maybe needs a little more. The thickest onions that we had and they stayed contained in the coating. Not sure beer should be in the marketing of these. Weird, because McCain’s potato products are pretty solid.
No. 6: Nathan’s Famous – Thick sliced battered onion rings 
Nathan’s Famous Thick sliced battered Onion Rings
– Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.comYadi Rodriguez
Where we bought it: Meijer
Price: $4.99
Serving size: 4 rings
Nutrition per serving:
Calories 150 | Fat 6g | Cholesterol 0mg | Sodium 240mg | Carbs 23g | Protein 2g
First ingredient: Onions
Description: World famous recipe
Our Thoughts: The breading was thick and had a cornmealy taste to it. It held together nicely for the most part. The onions were on the thin side so they were hard to taste in all of the rings. Maybe these should be fried and not baked.
No. 5: Heinen’s – Onion rings
Heinen’s Onion Rings
– Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.comYadi Rodriguez
Where we bought it: Heinen’s
Price: $5.99
Serving size: 4 pieces
Nutrition per serving:
Calories 220 | Fat 11g | Cholesterol 0mg | Sodium 290mg | Carbs 27g | Protein 3g
First ingredient: Onion
Description: Preservative free, no artificial flavors, cholesterol free.
Our Thoughts: Salty. The coating held together nicely but hard to taste the very thin onion. The coating ended on the doughy side instead of the crunchy end. Pete and Yadi were a bit conflicted about these.
No. 4: Market Pantry – Crispy Onion Rings
Market Pantry Crispy Onion Rings
– Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.comYadi Rodriguez
Where we bought it: Target
Price: $3.69
Serving size: 3 rings
Nutrition per serving:
Calories 210 | Fat 10g | Cholesterol 0mg | Sodium 400mg | Carbs 26g | Protein 4g
First ingredient: Wheat flour
Description: Sliced and breaded whole onions.
Our Thoughts: Whole thick onions. Some of the thickest onions of the bunch. Not too much breading. Good flavor and you could taste the onions.
No. 3: Alexia – Crispy Onion Rings with Panko Breading & sea salt
Alexia Crispy Onion Rings with Panko Breading & sea salt
– Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.comYadi Rodriguez
Where we bought it: Lucky’s
Price: $7.99
Serving size: 5 rings
Nutrition per serving:
Calories 230 | Fat 11g | Cholesterol 0mg | Sodium 360mg | Carbs 29g | Protein 4g
First ingredient: Onions
Description: Distinctively Delicious. Non-GMO – Vegan Friendly. Light, crispy and loaded with flavor. At Alexia, delicate panko has met its perfect match in these sweet Spanish onions. Our perfectly crispy panko breaded onion rings use a dash of sea salt for your tasting pleasure. No certified synthetic colors
Our Thoughts: The “sweet Spanish onions” were difficult to taste even though they were whole onions. These rings were on the bland side, but the panko gave them a nice texture and crunch. A little seasoning or sauce would ramp these up.
No. 2: Season’s Choice – Gourmet onion rings 
Season’s Choice – Gourmet Onion Rings
– Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.comYadi Rodriguez
Where we bought it: Aldi
Price: $2.99
Serving size: 3 rings
Nutrition per serving:
Calories 210 | Fat 10g | Cholesterol 0mg | Sodium 400mg | Carbs 26g | Protein 4g
First ingredient: Wheat flour
Description: Sliced whole onions
Our Thoughts: These were the most inexpensive of the bunch we tried, and we think a great bargain. The coating was thick but so was the onion. Crispy with good flavor. A heckuva deal.
No. 1: Red Robin – Crispy onion rings 
Red Robin Crispy Onion Rings
– Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.comYadi Rodriguez
Where we bought it: Dave’s
Price: $6.59
Serving size: 3 rings
Nutrition per serving:
Calories 220 | Fat 11g | Cholesterol 0mg | Sodium 520mg | Carbs 26g | Protein 4g
First ingredient: Onions
Description: Signature gourmet crispy onion rings.
Our Thoughts: Big onions, nice flavor. Crunchy breading. They were on the darker side of the ones we tried. The onions were whole and you could taste them. The breading stayed together and although a little thick was crunchy. Maybe not quite what you would get in the restaurant but pretty close.
More of the “Best of Cleveland” team’s food rankings:
55 Vegetable Soups, Ranked: The Best (and Worst)
Ranking 25 varieties of frozen waffles from worst to best
Ranking 24 varieties of buttered microwave popcorn from worst to best
Ranking 38 varieties of Little Debbie treats from worst to best
Ranking 13 fast-food spicy chicken sandwiches
Ranking 19 fast-food crispy chicken sandwiches
Ranking 9 varieties of Jimmy Dean Breakfast Bowls from worst to best
Ranking 21 varieties of Pop-Tarts from worst to best
Ranking 20 frozen potato tots from worst to best
Ranking 29 Lean Cuisine Protein Kicks meals from worst to best
Ranking 32 grocery-store ranch dips from worst to best, just in time for the Super Bowl