What is really in your kid’s chicken nuggets? Aussie nutritionist shares the truth

They're the go-to food for fussy little eaters, but an Aussie nutritionist wants you to know what you're ACTUALLY feeding them.

Susie Burrell

@SusieBDiet

3 min read

June 24, 2024 - 11:21AM

Lifestyle

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Of all foods universally enjoyed by even the fussiest of children, crumbed chicken would be close to the top of the list.

To cater to this market, there is a wide range of crumbed chicken options in supermarkets that appear relatively healthy, especially as an alternative to fried, fast-food options.

BUT.... what may come as a surprise to busy parents is that some of these 'chicken' pieces may have as little as 30% chicken, which makes them far from a healthy choice for growing kids.

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How much chicken is actually in a chicken nugget? Image: iStock

Is crumbed chicken actually healthy?

You do not need a nutrition degree to know that pre-crumbed chicken that is found in the freezer section of supermarkets is not as healthy as chicken breast, or even chicken you may crumb yourself at home using little other than a plain crumb, ideally made from wholegrain bread, egg and a little flour.

But, let's be honest, the reality is that not all of us have the time or inclination to make our own crumbed chicken, and kids, especially fussy kids, often love crumbed chicken.

What to check on the packet?

The most important thing to quickly check when grabbing your kids favourite chicken pieces, is the percentage of the ingredients that is chicken.

What may be somewhat shocking to hear is that some of the most popular supermarket brands, that are directly marketed as child-friendly meal options are as low as 30% chicken, and this percentage does not always correspond to the price you pay.

As a general rule of thumb, I would not opt for any product that contained less than 50% chicken, but this is still low, and it is possible to find options that are as high as 70% chicken, and as such a much better product nutritionally offering a much higher amount of protein.

Do your children love chicken nuggets? Image: iStock

What about the other ingredients?

As a general rule of thumb, the shorter the ingredient list, the less processed and better nutritionally the product is likely to be.

Commercially crumbed chicken will be made with a wide range of processed ingredients including flavours, salts and colours, which is the downside of choosing these options.

Apart from the standard added salts and sugars which are less than ideal, the other undesirable ingredient that does pop up regularly on the ingredient lists of crumbed chicken is preservative 223, sodium metabisulfite, which is used as a bleaching agent. This additive has been associated with respiratory side effects and appears to cause gastric irritation is some people.

What about the nutritional panel?

There will not be a whole lot of discerning information that comes from the nutritional panel, but opting for a product that contains

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The worst offenders

Family Fave’s Crumbed Chicken Tenders - Not specified as chicken breast, and listed with just 36% chicken, while marketed as family friendly, they are certainly not nutritionally friendly, with a lot more coating than chicken.
Steggles Crumbed Chicken Breast Fingers - With 37% chicken, added preservative 223 and loads of added salt, this is another product best avoided.
Ingham’s Frozen Chicken Breast Tenders - With a relatively high amount of added sugar and just 39% chicken, there are much better options that this, especially for children.
Steggles Crumbed Chicken Breast Nuggets - Offering just 41% chicken, along with a fair whack of salt per serve, as well as added preservative 223, there are much better crumbed chicken nugget options.
Coles Crumbed Chicken Breast Dino Nuggets - Considering this is a product completed directed to children, the fact it offers just 45% chicken along with loads of extra sugars and salts mean that this is one to avoid.

Now for the better options

Woolworths Chicken Breast Bites - With a massive 75% chicken and just 4.5% fat, these are one of the strongest crumbed chicken options in supermarkets.
Coles Buttermilk Chicken Tenders - While the ingredient list is long, the chicken content is relatively high at 62%.