Bolognese-style pasta
Healthy Choice Spaghetti & Meatballs
9.5 oz
Score
- Ultra-processed
- Contains added sugars
- Contains seed oils
Why it scores 50
Healthy Choice Spaghetti & Meatballs scores 50 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 3 points 3 kinds of ultra-processing markers: Industrial additive classes found: flavoring, industrial protein and modified starch. Emerging
Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.
Better frozen meals
-
Chicken Parmesan with Spaghetti Rao’s Made For Home · 25 oz Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 88 out of 100 , 38 points higher -
Spaghetti and meatballs bowl Marie Callender's Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 79 out of 100 , 29 points higher -
Chicken Parmesan with Spaghetti Rao's · 8.5 oz (241 g) No added sugars · No sugar Score 71 out of 100 , 21 points higher -
Spaghetti with meat sauce Southgate · 15 oz Not ultra-processed · No seed oils Score 74 out of 100 , 24 points higher -
Spaghetti Carbonara Trader Joe's · 140 g Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 61 out of 100 , 11 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Spaghetti & Meatballs
Ingredients
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Soybean oil minus 2.5 points
- Soy protein isolate / concentrate minus 2.5 points
- Natural flavors minus 1.5 points
- Modified starch minus 1.5 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 3 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 3 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Salt 0.4 g / 100 g minus 1 points
100 − 50 = 50
Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 104 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 2.6 g |
| Saturated fat | 0.9 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 13 g |
| Sugars | 1.9 g |
| Added sugars | 0.7 g |
| Fiber | 1.5 g |
| Protein | 7.1 g |
| Salt | 0.4 g |
Serving: 1 meal (269 g)
Ingredients
- Cooked pasta (water, enriched wheat flour, soybean oil, egg white)
- cooked meatballs with glaze (meatball, glaze) (not recognized)
- water
- tomatoes in puree (tomatoes, tomato puree, citric acid)
- tomato paste
- onions
- modified corn starch
- garlic
- sugar (high concern)
- flavorings
- potassium chloride
- olive oil
- sea salt
Label text, as published
Cooked pasta (water, enriched wheat flour [durum wheat semolina, niacin, ferrous sulfate {iron}, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], soybean oil, egg white), cooked meatballs with glaze (meatball [pork, beef, water, bread crumb {unbleached wheat flour, sugar, salt, yeast}, onions, parmesan cheese {part skim milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes}, tomato paste, isolated soy protein, potassium chloride, sea salt, flavoring], glaze [water, tomato paste, sugar]), water, tomatoes in puree (tomatoes, tomato puree, citric acid), tomato paste, contains 2% or less of: onions, modified corn starch, garlic, sugar, flavorings, potassium chloride, olive oil, sea salt. contains: egg, milk, soy, wheat.
Allergens and diets
Contains: Milk, Soy, Wheat, Gluten, Egg
- Not vegan
- Not vegetarian
- Not gluten-free
- Palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
More from Healthy Choice
Sources
-
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
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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
-
“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
-
“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