GoodSwap Get notified
Trader Joe's PB & J Snack Duo
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Snacks

Trader Joe's PB & J Snack Duo

12.7 oz Kosher

Bad out of 100 High confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • High in sugar
  • Contains added sugars
  • Seed-oil free
  • No synthetic dyes
Get GoodSwap

Why it scores 10

Trader Joe's PB & J Snack Duo scores 10 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Invert sugar: An added sugar. Strong
  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.

The Receipt

PB & J Snack Duo

START100

Ingredients

  • Sugar
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Invert 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]
subtotal−50

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [8]
  • 4 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: color (added), emulsifier, flavoring and industrial sugar or starch hydrolysate. [8]
subtotal−22.5

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Sugars 35 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in sugar. [1]
  • Saturated fat 3.3 g / 100 g
    Strong High in saturated fat. [9]
  • Salt 0.5 g / 100 g
    Strong Contains some salt. [10]
  • Energy 450 kcal / 100 g
    Info Energy-dense for its weight. [2]
  • Fiber 3.3 g / 100 g
    Strong A good source of fiber. [2]
subtotal−18
TOTAL 10Bad

100 − 90.5 = 9.5 → 10

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

Can’t score above 79. High in fat and sugars (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [11]

GTIN 00006411000073 · 2026-08-13

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

High confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy450 kcal
Fat18.3 g
Saturated fat3.3 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates60 g
Sugars35 g
Added sugars33.3 g
Fiber3.3 g
Protein13.3 g
Salt0.5 g

Serving: 1 snack pack (60 g)

Ingredients

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

PEANUT BUTTER WAFER STICKS (PEANUT BUTTER [ROASTED PEANUTS], WHEAT FLOUR, CANE SUGAR, NONFAT MILK POWDER, SHEANUT OIL [SHEANUT OIL, SUNFLOWER LECITHIN, CITRIC ACID {ACIDIFIER}], EGG POWDER, SEA SALT, COCONUT OIL [COCONUT OIL, SUNFLOWER LECITHIN, CITRIC ACID {ACIDIFIER}], SUNFLOWER LECITHIN, NATURAL FLAVORS, INVERT SUGAR, CARAMEL COLOR [SUGAR, WATER]), RASPBERRY FRUIT DIP (GLUCOSE SYRUP [CORN, WHEAT], RASPBERRIES, LEMON JUICE CONCENTRATE)

Allergens and diets

Contains: Milk, Peanuts, Wheat, Gluten, Egg

May contain: Tree nuts, Soy

  • Not vegan
  • Not gluten-free
  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

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. 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

  10. 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

  11. Guide to creating a front of pack (FoP) nutrition label for pre-packed products sold through retail outlets

    Department of Health and Social Care / Food Standards Agency (GOV.UK) · Nov 8, 2016 · Regulator

    “Table 3: Criteria for drinks (per 100ml)”

    assets.publishing.service.gov.uk

  12. 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

  13. 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