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Marie Callender's Marie Callenders Beef Pot Pie
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Frozen foods

Marie Callender's Marie Callenders Beef Pot Pie

15 oz

Bad out of 100 High confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • High in saturated fat
  • Contains added sugars
  • Seed-oil free
  • No synthetic dyes
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Why it scores 16

Marie Callender's Marie Callenders Beef Pot Pie scores 16 out of 100 (Bad) 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.

Better frozen meals

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

The Receipt

Marie Callenders Beef Pot 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]
  • Calcium chloride
    Info An additive class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
  • Modified starch
    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]
  • Natural flavors
    Info "Natural flavor" is a legal category (21 CFR 101.22(a)(3)): flavor substances from spices, fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy or fermentation. [9][8]
  • Sodium phosphate
    Strong EFSA (2019) set a group ADI for phosphates of 40 mg/kg body weight (as phosphorus) and noted that infants, toddlers and children may exceed it. [10]
  • Wine
    Regulatory There is no known safe amount of alcohol use during pregnancy. [11][5]
  • Methylcellulose
    Info An ingredient class typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
  • Interesterified oil
    Info An ingredient typical of ultra-processed foods (NOVA group 4). [8]
subtotal−49

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [8]
  • 7 kinds of ultra-processing markers
    Emerging Industrial additive classes found: color (added), firming agent, flavor enhancer, flavoring, industrial fat, modified starch and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. [8]
subtotal−26

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Saturated fat 5.5 g / 100 g
    Strong High in saturated fat. [12]
  • Salt 0.8 g / 100 g
    Strong High in salt. [13]
  • Energy 230 kcal / 100 g
    Info Energy-dense for its weight. [2]
subtotal−9
TOTAL 16Bad

100 − 84 = 16

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 saturated fat (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [14]

GTIN 00021131506933 · 2026-04-22

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

High confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy230 kcal
Fat13 g
Saturated fat5.5 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates22.5 g
Sugars2 g
Added sugars1.5 g
Fiber2 g
Protein6 g
Salt0.8 g

Serving: 1 cup (200 g)

Ingredients

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

Filling (Water, Beef, Potatoes [Potatoes, Calcium Chloride], Carrots, Modified Corn Starch, Contains 2% or less of: Beef Base [Water, Cooked Beef, Yeast Extract, Beef Extract, Beef Tallow, Natural Flavor, Salt, Sugar, Corn Starch, Lactic Acid], Celery, Onions, Onion Puree, Tomato Paste, Sugar, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Garlic Puree, Potassium & Sodium Phosphates, Yeast Extract, Burgundy Wine, Flavoring, Garlic Juice, Methylcellulose, Caramel Color),Crust (Enriched Wheat Flour [Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid], Interesterified Soybean Oil, Water, Salt, Modified Whey, Caramel Color). CONTAINS: MILK, WHEAT.

Allergens and diets

Contains: Milk, Soy, Wheat, Gluten, Sesame, Celery

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

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest frozen foods in the US

More from Marie Callender'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. 21 CFR 101.22 Foods; labeling of spices, flavorings, colorings and chemical preservatives

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Dec 19, 2016 · Law

    “whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.”

    ecfr.gov

  10. EFSA issues new advice on phosphates

    European Food Safety Authority · Jun 12, 2019 · Agency assessment

    “We estimated that dietary exposure to phosphates may exceed the new ADI for infants, toddlers and children with average consumption of phosphates in their diet.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  11. About Alcohol Use During Pregnancy

    U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · Aug 14, 2026 · Regulator

    “There is no known safe amount of alcohol use during pregnancy.”

    cdc.gov

  12. 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

  13. 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

  14. 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

  15. 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

  16. 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