The Best And Worst Food Items Available At Walmart
Walmart is one of those places that you go in for one thing and accidentally end up spending your entire paycheck. If there's anything you need, Walmart probably has it, from fishing poles to electronics. They also offer an extensive food selection that can't be ignored, and these are the best and worst food products to choose from.
Best: Great Value Pesto Spirals
If you're trying to watch the carbs but you want some pasta in your life, pick up a bag of Great Value's Pesto Spirals. Even though they're frozen, they're quick to cook and are a much healthier option than eating regular pasta or other pasta alternatives on the market.
The noodles are made out of zucchini and carrots and the meal is low in both sodium and sugar, making it an all-around healthy meal to eat.
Worst: Great Value Cinnamon Apple Sauce
Although applesauce can be an excellent snack when you're in a pinch, you might not want to reach for Great Value's Cinnamon Applesauce. Although the product may boast that it doesn't contain any high fructose corn syrup, there is still a whopping 5 grams of sugar in just one serving!
So, if you can't live without your apple sauce, your best bet is to buy Great Value's Organic Unsweetened Applesauce that doesn't contain any unwanted sugar.
Best: Organic Great Value Chia Seeds
Not only are Chia seeds extremely versatile, but they're incredibly healthy. These small seeds are packed with omega-3's, antioxidants, protein, calcium, and other good stuff. All they require is some soaking in a liquid of your choice to make them soft or eat them raw for some crunch.
As it turns out, Great Value's organic chia seeds are relatively cheap in price compared to their competitors, consider this one a good buy!
Worst: Post Hostess Twinkie Breakfast Cereal
For years, people have known that sugary cereals are essentially one of the worst things to eat for breakfast. Yet, companies keep making them and we, especially kids, keep eating them anyway.
Unsurprisingly, Hostess took things to the next level when they came out with their Twinkies breakfast cereal. By consuming one bowl of this, you already have 30% of your recommended saturated fats and 32% of recommended sugar met for the day. Be careful with this cereal!
Best: Wyman's Triple Berry Frozen Fruit Mix
Wyman's frozen wild blueberries have been on the shelves of Walmart for years, and now they offer the brand's Triple Berry mix. Frozen fruit can be used for a variety of things such as smoothies or a frozen snack.
Berries are an excellent way to get the antioxidants that you need and they basically taste like candy. So, if you find yourself having a hard time eating fruit throughout the day, throw some of these in the blender and call it a day!
Worst: Great Value Thin Sliced Roast Beef
Thankfully, this roast beef product doesn't contain any artificial flavors or nitrates, which can make it appealing to some customers. Yet, while that might sound all well and good, it's the sodium that's the real killer here.
One slice of this roast beef contains 560 mg of sodium. So, if you're making a sandwich, it's likely you'll use more than just one of these thin slices. paired with everything else that typically goes on a sandwich, you could be eating more than 2,000 mg of sodium in one meal.
Best: San Marcos Chipotle Peppers
Chipotle peppers are a very useful ingredient to have around as they can help add flavor and heat to any dish such as soups, stews, stir-frys, the list goes on and on. Thankfully, Walmart carries San Marcos chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce.
Not only is it one of the least expensive options, but it is lower in calories and sodium than many of its competitors. Also, when you read the label, it won't feel like you're reading a different language.
Worst: Great Value Lemonade
Most people might assume that lemonade is a rather healthy drink and a good substitution. Sure, it has some sugar added to it, but there's nothing wrong with a little treat ever now and then. Yet, having a glass of Great Value Lemonade is no mere treat.
One glass of this beverage has the same amount of added sugar as a Hershey's chocolate bar! Your best bet would be to stick with organic lemonade or making it yourself. It's not hard!
Best: CauliPower Sweet PotaToasts
Sweet potatoes and cauliflower are two things that your body only benefits from, so combining them is even better. That's exactly what CauliPower Sweet PotaToasts did. Made out of just the two products, they are the perfect way to eat your vegetables and are easy to make by just throwing them in the oven.
These are a great option for a healthy snack and are easy to trick kids into eating because they taste so good.
Worst: Famous Dave's Corn Bread Mix
Now, nobody ever said that cornbread was healthy or had to be. After all, that's what makes it so delicious, to begin with. But Famous Dave's Corn Break Mix from Walmart may not be what you want to buy if you're trying to be the least bit health-conscious.
Incredibly, per 35 grams of the mix prepared, it contains 170 calories, 4.5 g fat (2 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 240 mg sodium, 33 g carbs (1 g fiber, 17 g sugar), and 2 g protein.
Best: Lean Cuisine Marketplace Vermont White Cheddar Mac & Cheese
While we all know that frozen meals are never as healthy as something that's not, it's okay to cheat every now and then. However, when it comes to Lean Cuisine meals, it's hardly cheating at all.
Their Marketplace Mac & Cheese is only 250 calories per box! All you have to do is throw it in the microwave and you have a perfect quick meal that's ready to eat and you won't kick yourself over.
Worst: Great Value Pretzel Bites Filled with Beer Cheese
If you're craving some classic bar food that you know is unhealthy, you might as well go straight to the source and enjoy real bar food with no shame.
While these Great Value Pretzel Bites Filled with Beer Cheese may try and pass as a bar snack that you can have at your house, they're not even close to the real thing. Plus, only four of these are more than 200 calories and 850 mg of sodium!
Best: DeeBee's Organics Smoothie To-Go
Who doesn't like a nice frozen treat on a hot day? But the problem is that most of the products out there are packed with sugar and other artificial ingredients. Yet, that's not the case with DeeBee's Organics Smoothie To-Go.
These are healthy frozen products that are organic and made from real fruit. So, switch out that popsicle for one of these to get some vitamin C, antioxidants, and potassium into your body instead of sugar.
Worst: Krispy Kreme Mini Crullers
We all know just how savory and addictive Krispy Kreme products are, which is exactly why people try to avoid having them in their homes. Of course, Walmart makes this possible by offering Krispy Kreme Mini Crullers.
Unsurprisingly, just two of these little donuts can be more than 250 calories, and let's be honest, who is just going to eat two, especially if they are hungry. The best choice would be to just avoid these entirely.
Best: RiceSelect Tri-Color Couscous
When it comes to grains, all kinds of people prefer different things whether it's white or brown rice, quinoa, or couscous. However, couscous is a great, tasty, and easy way to squeeze some healthy grains into your diet.
All you have to do is pour boiling water over the couscous and it's ready in just minutes! Plus, Walmart offers RiceSelect at their stores which has proven to be significantly cheaper than some other couscous manufacturers.
Worst: Great Value Twist And Shout Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
Oreo has been the world's best-selling cookie, a title that it has held for a number of years. This is rightly so, as they have perfected the art of the cookie, with few people ever admitting to not liking Oreos.
However, Walmart decided to try their hand at the product with the Great Value Twist & Shout cookie. Unsurprisingly, this off-brand Oreo doesn't even come close to the real thing, and the extra money for actual Oreos is more than worth it.
Worst: Walmart Rotisserie Chicken
While rotisserie chickens are incredibly convenient and usually tasty, you might need to go to a different store to get a chicken if your shopping at Walmart.
While it is reasonably priced compared to its competitors, numerous reviewers have had less-than-great things to say about them, with Snack Girl saying they "tasted like burnt, salty meat." To top it all off, the chickens aren't very high in nutritional value, having more than 690 grams of sodium in just one serving.
Best: Tasty Seasoning Mixes
Recently, the company Tasty has come into a partnership with McCormick to create a variety of seasoning packages. These have become all the rave because they offer a variety of flavors while at the same time remaining low in sodium.
If you keep just a few of these combinations in your home, you'll have the perfect seasoning for just about any occasion. And, of course, you can never have too many seasonings to work with.
Worst: Great Value Parma Melt Breakfast Sandwich
We think it's safe to assume that most people agree there are a few things better in the world than a nice breakfast sandwich. It has all the best common breakfast items contained within two pieces of bread of your choice.
However, you may be better off taking the time to make one yourself instead of heating up a Great Value Parma Melt Breakfast Sandwich. Not only do they taste like they were once frozen but have more than 500 calories and 1,1000 mg of sodium.
Best: Wild Friends Super Butter
If you're looking for a healthier alternative to peanut butter, stop by Walmart to pick up some Wild Friends Super Butter. This product is filled with all good things including almonds, flax seeds, cashews, chia seeds, and even a little bit of honey.
Basically, you can put this on anything, and not only is it incredibly healthy but will help keep you full until your next meal. It's definitely worth the little extra money!
Worst: Great Value Tropickles
If you like Kool-Aid and pickles, would it ever cross your mind to combine the two? If this interests you, Walmart has the product known as Tropickles. These are pickles that are sitting in a jar of a sugary beverage, soaking up all the sweetness.
The Impulsive Buy tried their hand at the product, describing them as "stomach-churning." They went on to add that "The combination of lukewarm sugar water, wilting cucumbers and a ton of vinegar results in a scent comparable to rotten produce doused in Kool-Aid."
Best: Chomps Meat Sticks
If you're running out the door and you need to grab a snack packed with protein, a Chomps stick should be your first choice.
Not only are they delicious, but according to dietician Maggie Michalczyk, RD., "Chomps are packed with high-quality protein—grass-fed and finished beef and free-range, antibiotic-free turkey [...] They contain no added sugar or harmful ingredients, and are free from the top eight allergens." Just one of these sticks should be able to tide you over until your next meal.
Worst: Great Value Deli Style Wedes Seasoned Potatoes
With a serving size containing 140 calories, 6 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 500 mg sodium, 19 g carbs (2 g fiber, 1 g sugar), and 2 g protein, these seasoned potatoes may not seem like a terrible option.
However, when you learn that one serving is considered to be just four of these wedges, you might want to reconsider. That's not very many at all, and even if you stick to the suggested size, you're still consuming 500 mg of sodium.
Best: Great Value 100% Liquid Egg Whites
Eggs are one of the most popular breakfast foods on the planet, and for people who want the benefits of eating eggs in the healthiest way possible, they can just have the egg whites.
Luckily, at Walmart, Great Value offers 100% egg whites that are essentially pure protein and are delicious enough to make you excited for breakfast. Furthermore, the 32-ounce container from Great Value tends to be cheaper than other brands which is always a plus.
Worst: Campbell's Chunky New England Clam Chowder
While Campbell's is well known for having high sodium levels in their soup, their New England Clam Chowder is worth particular note. Just one of these cans contains around 33% of the recommended amount of sodium for an entire day.
Also, if you're in the mood for some clam chowder, it might be a better idea to go to somewhere that specializes in it rather than heating up a can of it—just our opinion.
Best: Pop & Cook Crushed Garlic
If you're someone that uses garlic in the kitchen for almost every meal, then the Pop & Cook Crushed Garlic is a necessity. Already minced and frozen into small cubes, all you have to do is pop out however many you need and cook them into your food.
Not only does it save you time, but also doesn't leave the dreaded mess we all know garlic can cause. Stop in your local Walmart to pick some up!
Worst: Great Value Frozen Wild Caught Skin-On Pink Salmon Filets
When it comes to buying fish at the store, it usually pays off to be as cautious as possible, and if you're someone that spicy, Great Value's salmon may not be for you.
Not only does it have a rating of 2.4 out of 5 stars with over 30 reviews, but it has been described as being slimy, smelling bad, and didn't cook correctly in the pan. So, if you want to have salmon for dinner, you might want to go somewhere else.
Best: Great Value Coconut And Almond Flour
If you're a fan of baking or always find yourself in the kitchen, who says that you always have to use regular flour in your recipes? Take a chance and use something different like Great Value's coconut or almond flour.
Not only are these healthy and tasty options, but they are also significantly cheaper than most other brands. Typically a bag of either goes for around $5 for two pounds which is a deal you can't pass up.
Worst: Dunkaroos Cookie Dough
Unless you have incredible self-control, it's unlikely that you're going just to eat one cookie and call it a day. This is why Dunkaroos Cookie Dough is an issue for people that don't have that much restraint.
Just one cookie contains 170 calories, 7 g fat (3 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 100 mg sodium, and 26 g carbs (0 g fiber, 17 g sugar). Be very wary if you're going to make a batch of these.
Planters Deluxe Mixed Nuts
If you're a fan of nuts, you know that they're not always the cheapest thing that you find at the store, depending on the kind you prefer. Luckily, Walmart carries Planters Deluxe Mixed nuts which include all the best nuts mixed into one can which are not only delicious but good for you.
Unfortunately, this particular food item can be out of budget for some people reaching up to around $14 in some places. However, Walmart offers them for just $10.
