14 Frozen Foods You Should Never Buy At Walmart
You're checking out the frozen food section at Walmart and know you're bound to come across some winners and losers. Of course, there are a variety of ways you could gauge which frozen foods you should buy or skip, and we won't pretend to know which factors are most important to you. Still, it can help to have guidance when navigating coolers of frozen food options at Walmart. As such, we've decided to bring you a list of frozen foods that we think you ought to skip the next time you visit this popular supermarket chain.
After carefully scanning each label and sifting through dozens of reviews, we've come up with frozen foods from Walmart that either have poor nutrition facts, poor reviews, or both. We've focused on a variety of options, including entrees, breakfast, and dessert, to get you details on as many Walmart frozen foods as possible. So, settle in and get ready –- we've got the information you need concerning the frozen foods you should never buy at Walmart.
Great Value Microwavable Thin Crust Pepperoni Pizza
Most of us wouldn't expect a pizza that costs a dollar to be the highest-quality pizza you can buy. Thus, it should come as no surprise then that Great Value Microwavable Thin Crust Pepperoni Pizza is one frozen food from Walmart we don't recommend. Not only do customers who have tasted the pizza complain about the flavor, but it's also loaded with salt, fat, and an extreme amount of additives, making it a less-than-preferable Walmart frozen food pick.
Great Value Microwavable Thin Crust Pepperoni Pizza is meant to be eaten by one person, as the serving size on the nutrition label implies. And while you could probably get away with eating half of it, the truth is that most of us probably won't. Thus, by eating this entire mini pizza, you'll incur as much as 25 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 65 grams of carbs, and 550 calories. If that doesn't make you cringe, how about the fact that the pizza is made up of 1,160 milligrams of sodium? With all of these factors combined, we'd recommend you avoid Great Value Microwavable Thin Crust Pepperoni Pizza, especially if you plan on consuming it on a frequent basis.
Great Value Meat Lovers Breakfast Bowl
Great Value Meat Lovers Breakfast Bowl may sound delicious, but its nutrition facts and reviews lead us to believe otherwise. Starting with the reviews, people either love or hate this hearty breakfast frozen food pick. Out of the popular frozen breakfast bowls customers have tried, some claim this generic branded bowl tastes even better, while others deem it dry, lacking meat, and containing mostly potatoes.
Aside from the split reviews, we're most concerned with the nutrition facts associated with the Great Value Meat Lovers Breakfast Bowl. This bowl is meant to be consumed in one sitting, much like the aforementioned Great Value Thin Crust Pepperoni Pizza. With that in mind, expect to swallow 33 grams of fat, 14 grams of saturated fat, 440 calories, and 980 milligrams of sodium in a single serving. Cholesterol levels are also a major cause for concern; this frozen food grab contains a whopping 235 milligrams of the compound, totaling 78% of your daily value. Lastly, you'll want to watch out for the extra additives in this Walmart-branded frozen breakfast bowl. While not all additives will prove harmful, eating whole foods that are less processed is always the wisest move.
Great Value Churro Cheesecake Squares
Great Value Churro Cheesecake Squares might sound like a decadent treat, but there's a reason they're delightfully sweet. These cheesecake squares are packed with sugar (33 grams per square). In addition to its high sugar content, there are also 17 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, and 55 carbs in each square.
Obviously, taking in too much sugar is bad for your health, but how much sugar is too much can be confusing to decipher. To put it in perspective, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that women consume no more than 25 grams of sugar per day and men no more than 36 grams of sugar daily. With that in mind, it's easy to see why we take issue with buying Great Value Churro Cheesecake Squares. At 33 grams of added sugar per serving, it'll put you over — or very close to — the recommended value set forth by the AHA.
Lastly, be aware of the multiple additives found on the Great Value Churro Cheesecake Squares ingredient label. Dextrose, for example, has been associated with sharp spikes in blood sugar. This could spell trouble for those already dealing with insulin complications.
Great Value Macaroni & Cheese
It might be tempting to pick up a box of Great Value Macaroni & Cheese, but doing so won't do you any favors in the health department. Before we go on to explain, you should know that most people don't like this option anyway. While we understand that this pick from Walmart probably won't taste like your favorite baked mac and cheese recipe, customers tend to complain about Great Value Macaroni & Cheese being watery and unseasoned.
With that said, this "watery" and "unseasoned" frozen macaroni and cheese is also extremely high in sodium, fat, and calories. In fact, one tray of this frozen food will run you 460 calories, 19 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 56 carbs, and, of course, 1,070 milligrams of sodium. Just so you know, the serving size for this is the entire tray, which is 283 grams. That's about 1 ⅛ cups of macaroni and cheese. Given these nutrition facts, we can only hope you stay satiated, but for most mac and cheese lovers, one cup might not quite be enough.
Great Value Classic Corn Dog
Great Value Classic Corn Dogs might be a feasible frozen food option at Walmart, but only if you can manage to eat just one. For a single Great Value corn dog, you'll incur about 200 calories, 8 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 610 milligrams of sodium, and 24 grams carbs. Don't forget that since the batter on a corn dog is generally sweet — the added sugar should also be noted here as 8 grams.
Planning to down two corn dogs instead of one? Aside from the obviously high fat and calorie count, you'll take in a hefty dose of sodium and sugar, as well. This means you'll consume 1,220 grams of sodium, which is incredibly high. Moreover, you'll get 16 grams of sugar, which is more than you'd get downing a McDonald's Apple Pie at 13 grams of added sugar. Lastly, the reviews are in, and people generally hate these frozen corn dogs from Walmart, citing everything from broken wood pieces in the dog to poor taste. No thanks!
Great Value Stuffed Crust 3-Meat Pizza
Great Value Stuffed Crust 3-Meat Pizza sounds delicious, but is it worth the buy? According to most reviews, yes, it is. Customers claim the Great Value Stuffed Crust 3-Meat Pizza tastes pretty good, with one declaring it even better than Digornio. Even so, plan on enjoying this pizza only once in a blue moon if health is a priority. The serving size for this pizza is only ⅕ of a pizza, and for that, you'll get 350 calories, 18 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, and 820 milligrams of sodium. If you're inclined to eat more than ⅕ of the pie, these numbers will double or triple, depending on how much you consume.
In addition to gnarly nutrition facts comes the additives found in Great Value Stuffed Crust 3-Meat Pizza. These include BHA, BHT, and dextrose. BHA and BHT work to keep dry goods fresh, but ongoing research notes the possibility of these compounds causing cancer in humans. Dextrose, which can cause sharp increases in blood sugar, is another additive present, among several others printed on this frozen Great Value pizza's nutrition label. With all things considered, we think this one frozen food at Walmart that you'd be better off skipping.
Great Value General Tso's Chicken
General Tso's chicken (homemade recipe) is traditionally fried and covered in a deliciously sweet and syrupy sauce. Thus, it's no wonder why Great Value General Tso's Chicken might be a pass in the health department. Though this pick might not be the typical dessert-style dish you'd expect to deliver high added sugar totals, you can expect to receive as much as 22 grams in a single cup of Great Value General Tso's Chicken.
For reference, this is only one gram shy of the amount of sugar contained in a vanilla cone from McDonald's. Along with the sugar comes 10 grams of fat, 480 milligrams of sodium, and 290 calories. Also, let's not forget that one cup of General Tso's might be a modest portion for many of us. More than one cup of this Asian-inspired Walmart frozen chicken will double (or triple) the nutrition facts reported here. Yikes.
Great Value Cheeseburger Sliders
Though Great Value Cheeseburger Sliders sound like the ultimate late-night snack, it might not be what you think. Aside from being unhealthy, these sliders don't taste great either, according to customers. Patrons complain that these frozen sliders are unreasonably small, don't taste as good as White Castle, and contain little to no dehydrated onions (which is the secret ingredient needed to make copycat White Castle sliders, by the way). One angry customer even went as far as recommending it as dog food. Additionally, people dislike that you have to assemble these –- apparently, the sandwiches tend to be haphazardly thrown together and, as a result, require you to place the pieces of meat and cheese on the bread.
As for the nutritional profile of Great Value Cheeseburger Sliders, expect to consume 320 calories, 15 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, and 430 milligrams of sodium per 2 sliders. If you usually knock back more than two sliders, these stats will multiply. Therefore, between the horrible reviews and unsavory nutrition facts, Great Value Cheeseburger Sliders is a Walmart frozen food you should pass on.
Great Value Sausage & Gravy Breakfast Bowl
The Great Value Sausage & Gravy Breakfast Bowl is a Walmart frozen food option that comprises eggs, cheese, gravy, sausage, and potatoes. As you might expect from a sausage and gravy bowl, it is stacked with 23 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, and 630 milligrams of sodium. It also has plenty of cholesterol, 210 milligrams, which makes up 70% of your daily value.
In addition, the Great Value Sausage & Gravy Breakfast Bowl contains many additives, making it a highly processed meal that we aren't sure is great for your health. Tetrasodium pyrophosphate, for example, may cause nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting for some people, according to the doctors over at Is It Bad For You. Other additives, like artificial flavoring, also aren't ideal, as research is ongoing about the effects additives like these could have on your health.
Finally, after consuming the fat, calories, sodium, cholesterol, and additives that make up this frozen food option at Walmart, you still might find yourself hungry. Oddly, customers complain that the portion given in this individualized breakfast is unusually small, barely covering the bottom of the tray. Thus, if you ask us, this grab simply isn't wise.
Great Value Stuffed Shells Pasta
Great Value Stuffed Shells Pasta looks delicious on the package, and indeed, most customers confirm that its taste is pretty good. Still, when purchasing this frozen food from Walmart, you should be aware that the amount of food you get might be deceiving, especially if you expect the shells to make up the majority of the entrée. Unfortunately, the biggest gripe concerning the Great Value Stuffed Shells Pasta is that it isn't enough food, given how much you pay for it. At $7.47 at the time of publication, some patrons were upset that this frozen food option mostly seemed to be made up of sauce and only four shells.
What's worse is that the serving size printed on the nutrition label is for only one shell, meaning you'll likely eat a bigger portion than what's stated. That's 10 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 790 milligrams of sodium, and 30 carbs for a single shell. Once doubled, tripled, or quadrupled, you could wind up compromising your long-term health, especially when consumed frequently. Alternatively, you might consider making your own baked stuffed shells at home. At least you'll know what's in it, and you can make as much (or as little) as you like!
Great Value Chocolate Crème Pie
Great Value Chocolate Crème Pie is a Walmart frozen food that fails in multiple ways. First, most patrons don't enjoy it. Described as primarily whipped cream and not "giving" what it was supposed to give, it's safe to assume that this $6.16 pie isn't going to meet your expectations. On top of that, the serving sizes listed on the nutrition label are only for ⅛ of the entire pie. This means that even in this tiny portion, you'll consume 270 calories, 12 grams of fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, and 19 grams of sugar.
Lastly, the Great Value Chocolate Crème Pie contains all sorts of interesting ingredients most people won't find in their cupboards. Polysorbate 60, for example, has been shown to potentially negatively impact gastrointestinal health, while mono- and diglycerides, though generally regarded as safe for consumption, may contain trans fats often linked to a heightened risk of heart disease. This is because there is currently no way of knowing how much trans fat is in foods containing mono- and diglycerides.
Great Value Ham & Cheese-Filled Sandwiches
Hot pocket-style sammies are always convenient frozen food grabs, but Great Value Ham & Cheese-Filled Sandwiches might not be worth the buy. To be fair, reviews are about 50/50 when it comes to this ham and cheese pocket, with some saying that these sandwiches are just as good as name brands and others claiming they aren't good at all.
Aside from the reviews, there's also your health to consider. Sadly, Great Value Ham & Cheese-Filled Sandwiches are packed with fat, sodium, calories, and carbs, even when only consuming one sandwich. When eating both sandwiches (as the picture in the Walmart online advertisement illustrates), you'll consume 680 calories, 28 grams of fat, 16 grams of saturated fat, 1,080 grams of sodium, and -– gasp -– 88 grams of carbs. Don't forget the variety of additives mentioned on the ingredient label. Though quick and easy, we can't recommend Great Value Ham & Cheese-Filled Sandwiches in good conscience.
Great Value Dino-Shaped Chicken Breast Nuggets
To explain why Great Value Dino Shaped Chicken Breast Nuggets landed on our Walmart frozen food naughty list, you'll need to suffer through a bit of math. As you may know, Yummy All-Natural Dino Nuggets are a popular pick marketed towards kids, with Great Value Dino Shaped Chicken Breast Nuggets presumably being the generic version of this brand name. Due to their similarities, we decided to compare the generic Walmart brand to the Yummy Dino Nuggets variety and discovered a few findings we'd like to report.
First, we'd like to highlight that Great Value Dino Shaped Chicken Breast Nuggets contain nearly double the amount of sodium that the Yummy All-Natural Dino Nuggets brand does. The Walmart version comprises 620 milligrams of sodium per 94 grams, while Yummy nuggets include only 390 milligrams per 85 grams. While we realize there's a discrepancy in serving sizes here, we aren't sure the 9-gram difference between the two justifies the increase in sodium amounts.
In addition to having more sodium, Great Value Dino Shaped Chicken Breast Nuggets contain more additives than its brand name competitor. Yummy All-Natural Dino Nuggets, as the name would imply, consists of simplistic ingredients. Great Value Dino Shaped Chicken Breast Nuggets, on the other hand, include maltodextrin, sodium phosphate, and food starches. We realize Yummy All-Natural Dino Nuggets cost (slightly) more, but after a closer look, we think it's a higher quality grab than Great Value's similar nugget offering.
Methodology
In order to select which frozen foods you should never buy at Walmart, we first analyzed ingredients. While we understand that many frozen items sold in grocery stores are highly processed and can be unhealthy, we were looking for frozen meals at Walmart that were excessively high in calories, fat, sodium, cholesterol, and added sugar. We also took into account the amount of additives present in each frozen food. Please note that not every frozen food item from Walmart mentioned on this list proved excessive in every nutrition category.
In addition to consulting the nutrition label, we also scoured reviews to see what people who had tasted these frozen foods had to say. While there weren't any items on the list that were based solely on reviews, frozen foods that were nutritionally offensive and also had negative reviews were especially noted. Furthermore, we took the time to note serving sizes and how they relate to nutrition, as well as any disparaging comments made about smaller portions from customers. Ultimately, our goal is to help you avoid frozen foods from Walmart that might not be worth purchasing in terms of taste and health. We hope it helps!