Frozen foods
El Monterey Chicken & Cheese Taquitos
21 oz
Score
- Ultra-processed
- Contains added sugars
- Contains seed oils
Why it scores 41
El Monterey Chicken & Cheese Taquitos scores 41 out of 100 (Okay) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:
- minus 20 points Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
- minus 18 points Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
- minus 6 points 5 kinds of ultra-processing markers: Industrial additive classes found: firming agent, flavoring, industrial protein, modified starch and thickener, stabilizer or gelling agent. Emerging
Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.
Better frozen snacks and appetizers
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Black Bean & Cheese Taquitos Trader Joe's · 16 oz Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 86 out of 100 , 45 points higher -
Chicken Taquitos Trader Joe's · 18 oz Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 89 out of 100 , 48 points higher -
365 Everyday Value, Chicken Taquitos 365 Everyday Value · 15 oz/425 g No added sugars · No sugar Score 83 out of 100 , 42 points higher -
Brazi bites chicken & cheese empanadas Brazi Bites · 10 oz/283 g Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 81 out of 100 , 40 points higher -
Chicken & Cheese Taquitos Delimex · 19.2 unit No added sugars · No sugar Score 60 out of 100 , 19 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Chicken & Cheese Taquitos
Ingredients
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Modified starch minus 2.5 points
- Sodium phosphate minus 2.5 points
- Vegetable oil (unspecified) minus 1.5 points
- Soybean oil minus 1.5 points
- Canola oil minus 1.5 points
- Corn oil minus 0.5 points
- Calcium chloride minus 0.5 points
- Soy protein isolate / concentrate minus 0.5 points
- Natural flavors minus 0.5 points
- Wheat gluten minus 0.5 points
- Guar gum minus 0.5 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 5 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 6 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Saturated fat 1.8 g / 100 g minus 1 points
- Salt 0.8 g / 100 g minus 3 points
- Energy 259 kcal / 100 g minus 1 points
- Protein 8.2 g / 100 g plus 2 points
100 − 59.5 = 40.5 → 41
Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 259 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 12.9 g |
| Saturated fat | 1.8 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 30.6 g |
| Sugars | 1.2 g |
| Added sugars | 0 g |
| Fiber | 1.2 g |
| Protein | 8.2 g |
| Salt | 0.8 g |
Serving: 3 taquitos (85 g)
Ingredients
- ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR (ENRICHED WITH NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID)
- WATER COOKED CHICKEN COOKED CHICKEN (CHICKEN, WATER, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, SALT, SODIUM PHOSPHATE)
- VEGETABLE OIL (SOYBEAN, CANOLA, CORN OIL)
- TOMATO (WITH TOMATO JUICE, CALCIUM CHLORIDE, CITRIC ACID)
- MONTEREY JACK CHEESE (CULTURED PASTEURIZED MILK, CALCIUM CHLORIDE, SALT, ENZYMES)
- CONTAINS 2% OR LESS BEANS
- SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE
- TEXTURED SOY FLOUR
- MODIFIED CORN STARCH
- DEHYDRATED ONION
- SALT
- JALAPENO PUREE (JALAPENO PEPPERS, SALT, ACETIC ACID, CALCIUM CHLORIDE)
- TOMATO PASTE (TOMATOES)
- CHILI PEPPER
- FLAVOR
- SPICES
- DOUGH CONDITIONERS (YEAST, WHEAT GLUTEN, SUGAR, GUAR GUM, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH)
Label text, as published
ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR (ENRICHED WITH NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), WATER COOKED CHICKEN COOKED CHICKEN (CHICKEN, WATER, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, SALT, SODIUM PHOSPHATE), VEGETABLE OIL (SOYBEAN, CANOLA AND/OR CORN OIL), TOMATO (WITH TOMATO JUICE, CALCIUM CHLORIDE, CITRIC ACID), MONTEREY JACK CHEESE (CULTURED PASTEURIZED MILK, CALCIUM CHLORIDE, SALT, ENZYMES), CONTAINS 2% OR LESS BEANS, SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE AND/OR TEXTURED SOY FLOUR, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, DEHYDRATED ONION, SALT, JALAPENO PUREE (JALAPENO PEPPERS, SALT, ACETIC ACID, CALCIUM CHLORIDE), TOMATO PASTE (TOMATOES), CHILI PEPPER, FLAVOR, SPICES, DOUGH CONDITIONERS (YEAST, WHEAT GLUTEN, SUGAR, GUAR GUM, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH).
Allergens and diets
Contains: Milk, Soy, Wheat, Gluten
- Not vegan
- Not vegetarian
- Not gluten-free
- Palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
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More from El Monterey
Sources
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Guideline: sugars intake for adults and children
“In both adults and children, WHO recommends reducing the intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake”
who.int
-
Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030
“Limit foods and beverages that include artificial flavors, petroleum-based dyes, artificial preservatives, and low-calorie non-nutritive sweeteners.”
cdn.realfood.gov
-
Added and free sugars should be as low as possible
“Sugar consumption is a known cause of dental caries.”
efsa.europa.eu
-
EFSA issues new advice on phosphates
“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
-
“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
-
“These data provide support for current recommendations to replace saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat for primary prevention of CHD.”
doi.org
-
21 CFR 101.22 Foods; labeling of spices, flavorings, colorings and chemical preservatives
“whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.”
ecfr.gov
-
Saturated fatty acid and trans-fatty acid intake for adults and children: WHO guideline
“WHO recommends that adults and children reduce saturated fatty acid intake to 10% of total energy intake (strong recommendation).”
who.int
-
“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
-
“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