Salty snacks
Costco Honey Mustard Snack Mix
Score
- Ultra-processed
- High in salt
- Contains added sugars
- Contains seed oils
- Contains palm oil
- No synthetic dyes
Why it scores 15
Costco Honey Mustard Snack Mix scores 15 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:
- minus 20 points Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
- minus 20 points Honey: An added sugar. Strong
- minus 18 points 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 trail mix and snack mix
-
Honey Roasted Nut Mix Hoody's · 30 oz Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 79 out of 100 , 64 points higher -
Cashew Cranberry Almond Trail Mix Good & Gather · 10 oz Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 62 out of 100 , 47 points higher -
Probiotic Immune Booster Nature's Garden · 1.2 oz Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 70 out of 100 , 55 points higher -
Omega Trail Mix Gold Emblem · 3 oz Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 68 out of 100 , 53 points higher -
Cranberry Cashew and Almond Trail Mix Great Value Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 55 out of 100 , 40 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Honey Mustard Snack Mix
Ingredients
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Honey minus 20 points
- Maltodextrin minus 2.5 points
- Modified starch minus 1.5 points
- Natural flavors minus 1.5 points
- Canola oil minus 1.5 points
- Safflower oil minus 0.5 points
- Soybean oil minus 0.5 points
- Xanthan gum minus 0.5 points
- Palm oil minus 0.5 points
- Soy lecithin minus 0.5 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 6 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 7.5 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Sugars 10.7 g / 100 g minus 5 points
- Saturated fat 3.6 g / 100 g minus 3 points
- Salt 1.8 g / 100 g minus 5 points
- Energy 500 kcal / 100 g minus 3 points
- Fiber 7.1 g / 100 g plus 4 points
- Protein 10.7 g / 100 g plus 2 points
100 − 85 = 15
Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]
Can’t score above 79. High in fat and salt (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [14]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 500 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 28.6 g |
| Saturated fat | 3.6 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 53.6 g |
| Sugars | 10.7 g |
| Added sugars | 10.7 g |
| Fiber | 7.1 g |
| Protein | 10.7 g |
| Salt | 1.8 g |
Serving: 28g
Ingredients
- Honey Mustard And Onion Seasoned Pretzel Pieces (Pretzels, Honey Mustard And Onion Seasoning, Canola Oil)
- Seasoned Almond Poppers (Almonds, Potato Starch, Rice Flour, Canola Oil, Tapioca Flour, Seasoning, Sugar, Salt, Rosemary Extract)
- Honey Roasted Sesame Sticks (Enriched Wheat Flour, Soybean Oil, Sesame Seeds, Coating, Bulgar Wheat, Tack Blend, Salt, Beet Powder [Color], Turmeric [Color]) (high concern)
- Honey Roasted Almond Splits (Almonds, Sugar, Honey, Maltodextrin, Salt) (high concern)
- Savory Chickpeas (Chickpeas, Sugar, Modified Corn Starch, Palm Oil, Corn Starch, Salt, Garlic Powder, Paprika Oleoresin, Maltodextrin, Soy Lecithin, Citric Acid, Chill Oil, Garlic Oil)
Label text, as published
Honey Mustard And Onion Seasoned Pretzel Pieces (Pretzels [Enriched Wheat Flour {Wheat Flour, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid}, Salt, Yeast, Baking Soda], Honey Mustard And Onion Seasoning [Sugar, Salad Style Mustard Powder (Mustard Sauce (Distilled Vinegar, Mustard Seed, Salt, Turmeric [Color]), Maltodextrin, Modified Food Starch, Natural Flavor), Onion Powder, Honey Powder, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Mustard, Spices, Paprika {Color}], Canola Oil), Seasoned Almond Poppers (Almonds, Potato Starch, Rice Flour, Canola Oil, Tapioca Flour, Seasoning [Maltodextrin, Sugar, Salt, Spices, Red Bell Pepper Powder, Garlic Powder, Paprika, Vinegar, Dried Red Pepper Sauce, Natural Flavor, Safflower Oil], Sugar, Salt, Rosemary Extract), Honey Roasted Sesame Sticks (Enriched Wheat Flour [Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid], Soybean Oil, Sesame Seeds, Coating [Sugar, Wheat Starch, Honey], Bulgar Wheat, Tack Blend [Maltodextrin, Xanthan Gum), Salt, Beet Powder [Color], Turmeric [Color]), Honey Roasted Almond Splits (Almonds, Sugar, Honey, Maltodextrin, Salt), Savory Chickpeas (Chickpeas, Sugar, Modified Corn Starch, Palm Oil, Corn Starch, Salt, Garlic Powder, Paprika Oleoresin, Maltodextrin, Soy Lecithin, Citric Acid, Chill Oil, Garlic Oil).
Allergens and diets
Contains: Tree nuts, Soy, Wheat, Gluten, Sesame, Mustard
- Not vegan
- Not gluten-free
- Not palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
More salty snacks on GoodSwap
-
Lightly Salted Pistachios Wonderful · 30 g High in saturated fatNo additives Score 79 out of 100 Good -
Totopos El Milagro · 453 g Contains seed oils Score 79 out of 100 Good -
Honey and vanilla, flavored nuts, and fruit clusters Member's Mark · 24 oz Ultra-processedHigh in saturated fatContains added sugarsContains seed oils Score 19 out of 100 Bad -
Ripples Barbeque Flavored Utz · 7.75 oz Ultra-processedHigh in saltHigh in saturated fatContains added sugars Score 10 out of 100 Bad -
Corn Nuts BBQ Crunchy Corn Nuts · 4 oz Ultra-processedHigh in saltContains non-nutritive sweetenersContains added sugars Score 22 out of 100 Poor -
Sun Chips minis Garden Salsa Sun Chips · 3.75 oz Ultra-processedContains added sugarsContains seed oilsNo synthetic dyes Score 39 out of 100 Poor
More from Costco
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
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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
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Added and free sugars should be as low as possible
“Sugar consumption is a known cause of dental caries.”
efsa.europa.eu
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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
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“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
-
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
-
Process contaminants in vegetable oils and foods
“The highest levels of GE, as well as 3-MCPD and 2-MCPD (including esters) were found in palm oils and palm fats, followed by other oils and fats.”
efsa.europa.eu
-
“Glycidyl fatty acid esters, expressed as glycidol”
eur-lex.europa.eu
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“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
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“Table 3: Criteria for drinks (per 100ml)”
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
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“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