‘Stay well clear’: Nutritionist reveals the frozen Aussie snacks you should avoid

Many of us grew up on these freezer aisle favourites – but an Australian nutritionist says you should “stay well clear” of the supermarket item.

Susie Burrell

@SusieBDiet

4 min read

June 11, 2023 - 11:40AM

Australia's worst frozen supermarket treats have been revealed.

When budgets are tight, the freezer aisle can be a saviour with plenty of cost effective, nutritious meal and vegetable options that can be added to the weekly grocery shop.

On the other hand, a closer look at some of the popular quick and easy meals for families in the will quickly reveal that there is also a range of processed and ultra-processed foods that contain far more filler ingredients than they do real food.

So, if you are partial to a quick and easy frozen chicken, fish or pasta meal, here are the ones to stay well clear of.

Australia's worst frozen supermarket treats have been revealed.

Balfour’s Potato Pie

With just 18 per cent beef and a whack of margarine and a long ingredient list packed full of processed ingredients, there are far better-quality pies in the freezer section should you fancy one watching the footy over the weekend.

A good quality pie will contain at least 25 per cent lean meat, and be made minus the margarine as a core ingredient, which when processed may result in pastry-based foods that contain trans-fat.

With just 18 per cent beef and a whack of margarine and a long ingredient list packed full of processed ingredients, there are far better-quality pies in the freezer section.

Per Serve:

Energy: 2100 kilojoules/502 calories

Protein: 13.6g

Fat: 31g

Sat: 15.8g

Carbs: 41.4g

Sugar: 2.4g

Fibre: –

Sodium: 719mg

Steggles Crumbed Chicken Breast Fingers

With just 38 per cent chicken and a coating made of a mix of salt, sugars and refined carbohydrates, and almost half the daily recommended intake of sodium per serve, this is another ultra-processed food to skip entirely, especially when feeding small children who can do without so many processed additives in their diet.

This is another ultra-processed food to skip entirely.

Per Serve:

Energy: 920 kilojoules/220 calories

Protein: 10.3g

Fat: 10.3g

Sat: 1.4g

Carbs: 19.7g

Sugar: 2.3g

Fibre: 3.6g

Sodium: 620 mg

Steggles Chicken Breast Nuggets

Offering a mere 37 per cent chicken breast with a touch of potato and cauliflower thrown in for good measure, there are far healthier, more nutritious crumbed chicken frozen options in the supermarket freezer.

A close look at the ingredient list reveals several sources of added sugars and salts in addition to a range of processed additives when translate this chicken base into an ultra-processed food.

There are far healthier, more nutritious crumbed chicken frozen options in the supermarket freezer.

Per Serve:

Energy: 876 kilojoules/209 calories

Protein: 10.4g

Fat: 11.1g

Sat: 1.3g

Carbs: 15.4g

Sugar: 4.1g

Fibre: –

Sodium: 372mg

Ingham’s Sweet Chilli Chicken Tenders

With an ingredient list of less than half chicken, followed by wheat flour, vegetable oil, rice flour, salt and fructose as the core ingredients, there is more coating than chicken in these tenders as well as plenty of processed ingredients including dehydrated vegetables that offer zero when it comes to dietary fibre, a number of sources of added salts and refined carbohydrates.

There is more coating than chicken in these tenders.

Per Serve:

Energy: 1200 kilojoules/287 calories

Protein: 12g

Fat: 14.8g

Sat: 2g

Carbs: 25.5g

Sugar: 6.1g

Fibre: –

Sodium: 516mg

Ingham’s Chicken Breast Chipees Original

Made with just 42 per cent chicken and a whole lot of added salt and flavours, there is nothing positive nutritionally that can be said about this variety of ultra-processed chicken that is typically marketed as a child and family friendly dinner option.

There is nothing positive nutritionally that can be said about this variety of ultra-processed chicken.

Per Serve:

Energy: 973 kilojoules/233 calories

Protein: 11.6g

Fat: 11.7g

Sat: 1.3g

Carbs: 19.7g

Sugar: 2g

Fibre: –

Sodium: 655mg

On the Menu Beef Lasagne

There are loads of different frozen lasagne options in the supermarket freezer that range between 15-25 per cent beef, but when the meat content goes as low as 11 per cent, with minimal vegetables as well as added flavour enhancers, it is true to say that there are better options nutritionally when it comes to frozen lasagne, not matter how budget-friendly the meal may be.

There are better options nutritionally when it comes to frozen lasagne.

Per Serve:

Energy: 1520 kilojoules/363 calories

Protein: 13.3g

Fat: 16g

Sat: 7.8g

Carbs: 40.3g

Sugar: 5.5g

Fibre: 5.3g

Sodium: 695mg

McCain Red Box Tray Lasagne

With an exceptionally long ingredient list of heavily processed ingredients and just 8 per cent beef in this lasagne, along with a massive 1300mg of sodium, which is more than half your recommended daily intake, there are plenty of better frozen lasagne options nutritionally.

It comes with a massive 1300mg of sodium, which is more than half your recommended daily intake.

Per Serve:

Energy: 2520 kilojoules/602 calories

Protein: 20g

Fat: 21.2g

Sat: 11.2g

Carbs: 80g

Sugar: 10g

Fibre: –

Sodium: 1360mg

Hong Kong Dim Sim Kitchen Pork & Chive Dumplings 300g

When it comes to supermarket dumplings, the good news is that there are plenty of great options that are made with 30 per cent meat, vegetables and a minimal number of processed ingredients, and these are not one of them.

With just 21 per cent pork and added MSG, there are far better dumpling offerings nutritionally than this variety.

There are plenty of great options that are made with 30 per cent meat, vegetables and a minimal number of processed ingredients, and these are not one of them.

Per Serve:

Energy: 834 kilojoules/199 calories

Protein: 10.2g

Fat: 7g

Sat: 2.4g

Carbs: 21.9g

Sugar: 3.3g

Fibre: –

Sodium: 330mg

Mrs Mac’s Potato Top Beef Pies

With three times as much potato topping as there is beef, added MSG and myriad processed ingredients including margarine, thickener and emulsifier, this ultra-processed version of a pie that also contains almost half your upper daily intake of added salt should be left in the freezer section or called a potato pie with a dash of beef.

It should be left in the freezer section or called a potato pie with a dash of beef.

Per Serve:

Energy: 1730 kilojoules/412 calories

Protein: 13.9g

Fat: 16.9g

Sat: 7.4g

Carbs: 52.2g

Sugar: 2.7g

Fibre: –

Sodium: 833mg

Coles Wild Caught Fish Fingers

With 65 per cent fish and just 12 per cent crumb, this is one of the highest-percentage processed fish products you can find in supermarkets, but a closer look at the ingredient list reveals that there is a fair whack of soy bean oil added to the fish, which brings the overall fat content to 20 per cent, which is extremely high for a frozen fish product.

A closer look at the ingredient list reveals that there is a fair whack of soy bean oil added to the fish, which brings the overall fat content to 20 per cent.

Per Serve:

Energy: 1110 kilojoules/265 calories

Protein: 11g

Fat: 20.4g

Sat: 1.6g

Carbs: 9.2g

Sugar: 1.1g