11 Least Nutritious Good & Gather Foods You Can Buy At Target

Good & Gather is a Target-owned food brand that seems to sell almost every food under the sun, so things can get a bit overwhelming when perusing the brand's many options. To be real, this brand has some really yummy picks out there, with dairy-free and plant-based choices among some of the best things from Target's Good & Gather line. We've even found many of these foods to contain fewer additives than other store-bought generic brands we've reviewed.

Still, Target's Good & Gather brand isn't perfect, and we've got proof. We've rounded up a list of some of the least healthy food options we could find gracing Target shelves to get you the information you need concerning which Good & Gather finds may not be the best for your health. Our claims are based on a thorough examination of each nutrition label, as well as the ingredients contained within. Without further ado, let's dive into the 11 least nutritious Good & Gather foods you can buy at Target.

Good & Gather Apple & Gouda Cheese Smoked Chicken Sausages sound healthy, don't they? Though these chicken sausages might have fewer calories than many of their pork-containing competitors, they are still high in sodium and cholesterol. A single chicken sausage link will run you 70 milligrams of cholesterol which is 23% of your daily recommended value. Each link also contains 730 milligrams of sodium, over 30% of your daily recommended value.

Also, let's not forget that most of us would likely eat more than a single sausage link in one sitting. Depending on how hungry you are, the cholesterol and sodium stats reported here would double, triple, or even quadruple if you're bold enough to eat the whole pack. And considering that excess sodium and cholesterol in your diet can contribute to unwanted health ailments, including stroke and heart disease, we think you ought to think twice about consuming Good & Gather Apple & Gouda Cheese Smoked Chicken Sausages on a regular basis.

Good & Gather Coconut Butterfly Breaded Shrimp With Sweet Chili Sauce might seem like a good buy on the surface. For only $8.99 at the time of publication, you can get a bag of about 31 to 35 coconut shrimp. These cook up quickly, and customers describe the shrimp as easy to prepare and delicious. Though these miniature shrimp bites taste great, they aren't so great for your health. According to the nutrition label, there are roughly five servings in each bag, meaning you'll likely get seven coconut shrimp per serving, max. In that tiny portion, you'll get a whopping 300 calories, 10 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 850 milligrams of sodium (37% of your daily recommended value), 42 grams of carbs — and, get this — 16 grams of added sugar.

Granted, if you read the nutrition label closely, you'll find that the previously stated nutrition facts refer not only to your portion of shrimp but also 2 tablespoons of the sweet chili sauce that comes with it. Even so, those are pretty unhealthy stats for such a meager portion. All in all, Good & Gather Coconut Butterfly Breaded Shrimp With Sweet Chili Sauce is undoubtedly one of the least nutritious Good & Gather foods you can buy at Target.

Yogurt might seem like a healthy option, but it isn't always. As proven in our discussion with Lisa Richards, a certified nutrition coach and creator of The Candida Diet, store-bought yogurt brands vary in terms of high and low-quality ingredients, and it's up to you to determine the difference. As Richards pointed out, you should avoid yogurt containing more than 10 grams of sugar. Using these guidelines, you'll quickly realize that most store-bought yogurts contain more sugar than what's necessary.

Unfortunately, Good & Gather Vanilla Honey Blended Greek Whole Milk Yogurt is a store-bought yogurt that doesn't fare well in the sugar category. It packs 18 grams of total sugar (with 13 grams of added sugar) per every ⅔ cup. Unlike other serving sizes mentioned on our list, ⅔ cup seems like a fair serving size. But if you think you might consume more than that, take caution. According to the American Heart Association, you should take in no more than 26 to 35 grams of added sugar per day. Good & Gather Vanilla Honey Blended Greek Whole Milk Yogurt could put you close to that amount if you choose to double your serving. Because of its high sugar content, we simply can't recommend this Good & Gather yogurt as a nutritious option.

Good & Gather Jalapeño Cream Cheese Wontons sound like trouble, and indeed they are. Though the frozen food's name wouldn't suggest that it's a healthy option, we think you'll benefit from specifics when it comes to this spicily indulgent Good & Gather grab. We'll start by noting that Good & Gather Jalapeño Cream Cheese Wontons come with only 10 in a pack. Good & Gather chose to report two serving sizes on the label: one for a single serving of five wontons and one for if you eat the entire box.

Choosing to eat all 10 wontons means you'll consume 580 calories, 30 grams of fat, 14 grams of saturated fat (80% of your daily recommended value), 740 milligrams of sodium (35% of your daily recommended value), 60 grams of carbs, and 6 grams of added sugar. In case you're wondering, the company did not make it clear whether these stats included the chili sauce it came with. Either way, because of its abnormally high calorie, fat, and carb count, we're deeming Good & Gather Jalapeño Cream Cheese Wontons one of the least nutritious Good & Gather food items you can buy at Target.

Good & Gather Macaroni & Cheese is comprised of cheddar and Parmesan cheese and boasts no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Those who have tasted this crave-worthy option mention that it's a staple in their kitchen and hail it as the ultimate side dish to pair with dinner. Even so, indulging in a single cup of Good & Gather mac 'n cheese will earn you 300 calories, 15 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 28 grams of carbs, and 940 milligrams of sodium (41% of your daily recommended value).

If you're the kind of person who likes to enjoy mac and cheese as a main course rather than as a side dish, know that doing so will more than double the nutrition facts noted. To be specific, you'll come close to eating your total daily value's worth of sodium in just one sitting (at over 82% your daily value) along with over 600 calories, 18 grams of fat, and more than 60 grams of carbs. Yes, mac and cheese is decadently delicious, but know that Good & Gather Macaroni & Cheese isn't going to do you any favors in the health department, especially if you plan to eat a lot of it.

Good & Gather Seasoned Pulled Pork In Bourbon Barbecue Sauce garners amazing reviews, but it isn't the most nutritious item you can purchase from Target's Good & Gather lineup. This seasoned pulled pork comes pre-cooked and can be enjoyed hot or cold, making it a convenient option for quick lunches and easy dinners. With that said, you should know there are three 5-ounce servings in each box, meaning one serving is less than 1 cup. In that tiny portion, expect to incur 9 grams of fat, 3 ½ grams of saturated fat, 930 milligrams of sodium, and 16 grams of added sugar. Like to eat a lot of pulled pork? That amount could easily double or triple, depending on how much you eat. And because the portion sizes are so small, we'd imagine that overeating, in this case, would be easy to do.

In terms of added sugar, remember that the current recommendation is to consume no more than 26 to 35 grams per day. Thus, eating Good & Gather Seasoned Pulled Pork In Bourbon Barbecue Sauce too often may spell trouble for your health, as consuming high amounts of added sugar each day can contribute to diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Though tempting, the sugar content makes this pick one of the least nutritious Good & Gather food options from Target.

Chicken Tikka Masala tantalizes taste buds with its distinct Indian flavor, and our hats are off to Good & Gather for doing its best to recreate it. Though the company means well, most people aren't in love with this grab. The rice that's pictured on the front of the package doesn't exist, and some Target customers have compared its taste to sawdust.

As if that weren't enough, Good & Gather Chicken Tikka Masala isn't nutritious. The serving size reported on the nutrition label is a ridiculously small amount, at only ⅔ of a cup. In this tiny portion, expect to devour 200 calories, 11 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, and 820 milligrams of sodium (36% of your daily recommended value). With these stats in mind, it's easy to see how eating more than the suggested amount could get unhealthy. Thus, Good & Gather Chicken Tikka Masala is a hard pass not only in terms of health, but in terms of taste and overall quality as well.

If you're anything like us, you appreciate unique salad combinations, and Good & Gather Nashville-Style Hot Chopped Salad Kit sounds particularly great. It comes packed with crisp romaine lettuce, hatch chili cornbread croutons, seasoned cucumbers, and Nashville-style hot ranch dressing. Despite how delicious it sounds, we're woefully aware that even salads have a bad side, as many unhealthy bagged salads come with excessive amounts of sodium, calories, sugar, and fat.

In the case of the Good & Gather Nashville-style Hot Chopped Salad Kit, expect to get 540 calories, 45 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 1,050 milligrams of sodium (45% of your daily recommended value), and 6 grams of added sugar when consuming the whole bag. Not planning to use the contents of this bagged salad as a meal? A single serving is noted as 1 cup on the label. Even then, you'll still face a relatively high amount of fat at 15 grams. All in all, because most of us would probably eat more than a single cup of a salad this good, Good & Gather Nashville-Style Hot Chopped Salad Kit isn't the most nutritious pick from Good & Gather.

Good & Gather Lobster Mac & Cheese Bites are not only unhealthy but unflavorful, according to Target customers, as well. Regarding the nutrition facts printed on the frozen food's label, an entire box of these is considered one serving. As such, you can expect to incur 410 calories, 22 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, and 590 milligrams of sodium which is 26% of your recommended daily value. As you'd imagine, these aren't for the carb-conscious, either — there are nearly 40 grams of carbs in a serving. There are also several hard-to-pronounce additives in this grab, including polysorbate 80, modified food starch, carboxymethyl cellulose, and mono- and diglycerides. And while research is still ongoing as to whether or not these additives pose a risk to human health, eating processed foods containing many additives like these can heighten the risks of health problems when consumed long term.

And though lobster mac and cheese isn't exactly known for being healthy anyway, it's worth noting Good & Gather Lobster Mac & Cheese Bites aren't loved by customers either. Complaints vary with the most common relating to lack of flavor, tiny size, and an overpowering fishy flavor that some liken to fish sticks.

It can be hard to know how to make pizza healthier, but adding veggies doesn't always quite cut it. On the surface, Good & Gather Microwaveable Spinach & Goat Cheese Traditional Crust Pizza seems like a healthier grab than most pizzas out there. Without greasy meats like pepperoni and sausage topping the pie, it's tempting to think this spinach-laden mini pizza is the optimal pick in terms of nutrition. Unfortunately, the lack of meat here doesn't amount to much regarding health; this pie packs plenty of fat, sodium, and carbs.

Because Good & Gather Microwaveable Spinach & Goat Cheese Traditional Crust Pizza is an individual-sized pizza, it's likely that you'll eat the entire thing in one sitting. When doing so, expect to down 480 calories, 21 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 1,000 milligrams of sodium, and 52 grams of carbs. You'll also want to look out for additives like mono- and diglycerides as they contain small amounts of trans fats known to increase the risks for heart attack, stroke, and other health ailments. Just how much trans fat is contained in mono- and diglycerides is still unknown, meaning you'll want to be careful how much of this additive you consume if avoiding trans fats is important to you.

Good & Gather Frozen Jalapeño & Tortilla Cheese Sticks are another delicious-sounding Target option in the frozen food section, but like many of the others, they're packed with sodium, calories, fats, and carbs. Not only that, but we've spotted a few additives lurking within as well; something that isn't as common with Good & Gather as some of the other brands we've seen on store shelves.

Starting from the top, Good & Gather Jalapeño & Tortilla Cheese Sticks come loaded with cheese, red peppers, and jalapeños. There are eight in a pack priced at $6 at the time of publication. Each box of Good & Gather Jalapeño & Tortilla Cheese Sticks contains two servings, with each serving consisting of four cheese sticks, which isn't a lot. A single serving of Good & Gather Frozen Jalapeño & Tortilla Cheese Sticks will still run you 300 calories, 17 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 620 milligrams of sodium, and 27 grams of carbs. Of course, if you're hungry and wish to eat the whole box, you'll need to double those totals.

Sadly, you'll also find additives like dextrose in the mix, which can lead to weight gain, heart disease, liver disease, and more. Overall, Good & Gather Jalapeño & Tortilla Cheese Sticks are certainly one of the least nutritious Good & Gather foods we've found at Target.

To determine which Good & Gather foods were the least nutritious from Target, we first performed a thorough examination of each nutrition label. Foods that were excessively high in calories, fat, saturated fat, sodium, carbs, and added sugar were noted, though not every food mentioned proved unhealthy in every category. Only the least nutritious categories were reported for each Good & Gather food listed here.

We also scanned ingredient labels on each Good & Gather food mentioned in this post, and though Good & Gather prides itself on having strict ingredient standards, we occasionally noted times when additives were used. Bear in mind that research concerning certain additives is ongoing, and the claims made here are subject to change as research continues.

Lastly, remember that serving sizes for each Good & Gather food item on this list vary significantly. We did our best to report serving sizes in a realistic way, though the amount of each item you eat will always skew nutritional data. All in all, our goal was to provide you with the nutritional information you need to make the best decision about which Good & Gather foods from Target should end up in your shopping cart. We hope it helped.