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Trader Joe's Beef Shepherd's Pie
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Frozen ready-made meals

Trader Joe's Beef Shepherd's Pie

16 oz

Poor out of 100 High confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains seed oils
  • Certified organic
  • No synthetic dyes
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Why it scores 37

Trader Joe's Beef Shepherd's Pie scores 37 out of 100 (Poor) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Caramel color: The FDA says classes III and IV, which can contain 4-MEI, are the most commonly used food color additives by volume. Regulatory
  3. Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong

Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.

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The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.

The Receipt

Beef Shepherd's Pie

START100

Ingredients

  • Sugar
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Caramel color
    Regulatory The FDA says classes III and IV, which can contain 4-MEI, are the most commonly used food color additives by volume. [4][5][6][7]
  • Maltodextrin
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
  • Yeast extract
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
  • Sunflower oil
    Emerging High in omega-6 linoleic acid. [9][10][11][12]
subtotal−45.5

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [8]
  • 3 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: color (added), flavor enhancer and industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate. [8]
subtotal−21

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Saturated fat 1.5 g / 100 g
    Strong Contains some saturated fat. [13]
  • Salt 1.5 g / 100 g
    Strong High in salt. [14]
  • Protein 16 g / 100 g
    Info A good source of protein. [2]
subtotal−2

Bonuses

  • Certified organic
    Info Carries a certified-organic label. [15][16]
subtotal+5
TOTAL 37Poor

100 − 63.5 = 36.5 → 37

Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

GTIN 00003000006263 · 2026-09-14

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

High confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy66 kcal
Fat3 g
Saturated fat1.5 g
Carbohydrates21 g
Sugars3 g
Added sugars1 g
Fiber2 g
Protein16 g
Salt1.5 g

Serving: 1 cup (229 g)

Ingredients

High Moderate Not recognized Tap an ingredient for its evidence and rules.
Label text, as published

Shepherd's Pie, Filling (Cooked Beef [Beef, Beef Broth, Salt], Gravy [Water,, Mushrooms, Cornstarch, Onions,, Tomatoes{Tomatoes, Tomato, Puree, Salt, Citric Acid},, Mushroom Base{Sauteed, Mushroom, Organic Maltodextrin,, Olive Oil, Yeast Extract, Salt,, Mushroom Concentrate, Organic, Cane Sugar, Onion Powder, Black, Pepper}, Garlic, Sugar, Thyme]),, Vegetable Blend [Peas, Corn,, Carrot, Green Beans,]), Beef, Base{Roasted Beef, Beef Stock, Concentrate, Salt, Yeast Extract,, Maltodextrin, Sunflower Oil,, Sugar, Dried Onion, Dried Garlic,, Dried Whey, Caramel Color, Celery, Seed, Black Pepper}), Mashed, Potato (Potato (Salt), Milk, [Milk, Vitamin D3], Cornstarch, Garlic, Puree, Parsley, Black Pepper).

Allergens and diets

Contains: Milk, Celery

  • Not vegan
  • Not vegetarian
  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest frozen ready-made meals in the US

More from Trader Joe's

Sources

  1. Guideline: sugars intake for adults and children

    World Health Organization · Mar 4, 2015 · Agency assessment

    “In both adults and children, WHO recommends reducing the intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake”

    who.int

  2. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030

    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture · January 2026 · Regulator

    “Limit foods and beverages that include artificial flavors, petroleum-based dyes, artificial preservatives, and low-calorie non-nutritive sweeteners.”

    cdn.realfood.gov

  3. Added and free sugars should be as low as possible

    European Food Safety Authority · Feb 28, 2022 · Agency assessment

    “Sugar consumption is a known cause of dental caries.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  4. Questions & Answers About 4-MEI

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Mar 27, 2020 · Regulator

    “Based on current science, the FDA has no reason to believe that there are any immediate or short-term health risks presented by 4-MEI at the levels expected in food.”

    fda.gov

  5. Agents Classified by the IARC Monographs, Volumes 1–142 (List of Classifications)

    International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) · IARC

    monographs.iarc.who.int

  6. Caramel Color in Soft Drinks and Exposure to 4-Methylimidazole: A Quantitative Risk Assessment

    PLOS ONE · Feb 18, 2015 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  7. Proposition 65 List of Chemicals Known to the State to Cause Cancer or Reproductive Toxicity

    California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) · Jul 31, 2026 · Law

    “The date refers to the initial appearance of the chemical on the list.”

    oehha.ca.gov

  8. Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  9. Re-evaluation of the traditional diet-heart hypothesis: analysis of recovered data from Minnesota Coronary Experiment (1968-73)

    BMJ · Apr 12, 2016 · Peer-reviewed

    “replacement of saturated fat in the diet with linoleic acid effectively lowers serum cholesterol but does not support the hypothesis that this translates to a lower risk of death from coronary heart disease or all causes.”

    doi.org

  10. Use of dietary linoleic acid for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease and death: evaluation of recovered data from the Sydney Diet Heart Study and updated meta-analysis

    BMJ · Feb 4, 2013 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  11. Dietary Linoleic Acid and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies

    Circulation · Oct 28, 2014 · Peer-reviewed

    “These data provide support for current recommendations to replace saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat for primary prevention of CHD.”

    doi.org

  12. Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association

    Circulation · Jul 18, 2017 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  13. Saturated fatty acid and trans-fatty acid intake for adults and children: WHO guideline

    World Health Organization · Jul 17, 2023 · Agency assessment

    “WHO recommends that adults and children reduce saturated fatty acid intake to 10% of total energy intake (strong recommendation).”

    who.int

  14. Sodium reduction (fact sheet)

    World Health Organization · May 11, 2026 · Agency assessment

    “For adults, WHO recommends less than 2000 mg/day of sodium (equivalent to less than 5 g/day salt), or just under a teaspoon.”

    who.int

  15. Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of 30 May 2018 on organic production and labelling of organic products

    European Union (Official Journal) · May 30, 2018 · Law

    eur-lex.europa.eu

  16. 7 CFR 205.102 Use of the term "organic" (National Organic Program)

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Feb 17, 2010 · Law

    “Any agricultural product that is sold, labeled, or represented as “100 percent organic,” “organic,” or “made with organic (specified ingredients or food group(s))” must be: (a) Produced in accordance with the requirements specified in § 205.101 or §§ 205.202 through 205.207”

    ecfr.gov

  17. Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses

    BMJ · Feb 28, 2024 · Peer-reviewed

    “Greater exposure to ultra-processed food was associated with a higher risk of adverse health outcomes, especially cardiometabolic, common mental disorder, and mortality outcomes.”

    doi.org

  18. Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake

    Cell Metabolism · July 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org