Omelette with meat
Kirkland Signature Egg Bites
21 oz
Score
- Ultra-processed
- High in saturated fat
- Contains nitrites or nitrates
- Contains added sugars
- Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
- Contains seed oils
- No synthetic dyes
Why it scores 14
Kirkland Signature Egg Bites scores 14 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:
- minus 20 points Bacon: IARC classifies processed meat (cured, salted, smoked or fermented) as Group 1, based on colorectal cancer; each 50 g eaten daily is linked to an 18% higher risk. Regulatory
- 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
Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.
Better breakfast sandwiches and egg bites
-
Egg bites Member's Mark · 21 oz Not ultra-processed · No nitrites or nitrates Score 59 out of 100 , 45 points higher -
Omelets Three Cheese Eggland's Best · 3.90 oz No nitrites or nitrates · No added sugars Score 61 out of 100 , 47 points higher -
Breakfast Bites Emylu · 12 oz Not ultra-processed · Less saturated fat Score 79 out of 100 , 65 points higher -
Broccoli cheddar cheese quiche Trader Joe's · 170 g No nitrites or nitrates · No added sugars Score 73 out of 100 , 59 points higher -
Egg White, Swiss Cheese Breakfast Sandwich Trader Joe's No nitrites or nitrates · No added sugars Score 59 out of 100 , 45 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Egg Bites
Ingredients
- Bacon minus 20 points
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Carrageenan minus 7.5 points
- Cultured celery powder (natural nitrite source) minus 2.5 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 6 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 7.5 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Saturated fat 7.6 g / 100 g minus 7 points
- Salt 1.4 g / 100 g minus 5 points
- Energy 210 kcal / 100 g minus 1 points
- Protein 14.3 g / 100 g plus 2 points
100 − 86.5 = 13.5 → 14
Can’t score above 79. Contains bacon, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3][4][5]
Can’t score above 79. High in saturated fat (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [14]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 210 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 13.4 g |
| Saturated fat | 7.6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 7.6 g |
| Sugars | 1.7 g |
| Added sugars | 0.3 g |
| Fiber | 0.8 g |
| Protein | 14.3 g |
| Salt | 1.4 g |
Serving: 2 pieces (119 g)
Ingredients
- Cottage Cheese (cultured nonfat milk, milk, nonfat milk, whey, salt, maltodextrin, carrageenan, mono and diglycerides, locust bean gum, guar gum, natural flavors, vitamin A palmitate, carbon dioxide (to preserve freshness), enzyme)
- Eggs (eggs, water)
- Monterey Jack Cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes, potato starch, natamycin (mold inhibitor))
- Gouda Cheese (gouda cheese, powdered cellulose (to prevent caking))
- Uncured Bacon Pieces (pork, water, cane sugar, cultured celery juice, cherry powder) (high concern)
- Unsalted Butter (pasteurized cream, natural flavors)
- Rice Starch
- Corn Starch
- Distilled White Vinegar (diluted with water to 4% acidity)
- Salt
- Canola Oil
- Hot Sauce (distilled vinegar, red pepper, salt) (not recognized)
Label text, as published
Cottage Cheese (cultured nonfat milk, milk, nonfat milk, contains less than 2% of: whey, salt, maltodextrin, carrageenan, mono and diglycerides, locust bean gum, guar gum, natural flavors, vitamin A palmitate, carbon dioxide (to preserve freshness), enzyme), Eggs (eggs, water), Monterey Jack Cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes, potato starch, natamycin (mold inhibitor)), Gouda Cheese (gouda cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes, annatto (vegetable color)), powdered cellulose (to prevent caking)), Uncured Bacon Pieces (pork, water, cane sugar, cultured celery juice (celery juice, cultures, sea salt), cherry powder), Unsalted Butter (pasteurized cream, natural flavors), Rice Starch, Corn Starch, Distilled White Vinegar (diluted with water to 4% acidity), Salt, Canola Oil, Hot Sauce (distilled vinegar, red pepper, salt).
Allergens and diets
Contains: Milk, Egg, Celery
- Not vegan
- Not vegetarian
- Palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
More from Kirkland Signature
-
Unsalted Mixed Nuts Kirkland Signature · 1.13 kg Score 100 out of 100 Excellent -
Purified Drinking Water Kirkland Signature · 500 mL Score 100 out of 100 Excellent -
Organic Coconut Water Kirkland Signature · 0.0 Score 96 out of 100 Excellent -
OPTIFIBER Prebiotic Fiber Supplement Kirkland Signature Score 99 out of 100 Excellent
Sources
-
IARC Monographs evaluate consumption of red meat and processed meat (Press Release No. 240)
“Processed meat was classified as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1), based on sufficient evidence in humans that the consumption of processed meat causes colorectal cancer.”
iarc.who.int
-
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
-
“We found direct associations between the risk of type 2 diabetes and exposures to various food additive emulsifiers widely used in industrial foods, in a large prospective cohort of French adults.”
doi.org
-
Dietary emulsifiers impact the mouse gut microbiota promoting colitis and metabolic syndrome
“carboxymethylcellulose and polysorbate-80, induced low-grade inflammation and obesity/metabolic syndrome in wild-type hosts and promoted robust colitis in mice predisposed to this disorder.”
doi.org
-
Re-evaluation of carrageenan (E 407) and processed Eucheuma seaweed (E 407a) as food additives
“However, the Panel noted uncertainties as regards the chemistry, the exposure assessment and biological and toxicological data.”
doi.org
-
Agents Classified by the IARC Monographs, Volumes 1–142 (List of Classifications)
monographs.iarc.who.int
-
“the presence of nitrites and nitrates in foods can give rise to the formation of nitrosamines some of which are carcinogenic.”
eur-lex.europa.eu
-
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
-
“Table 3: Criteria for drinks (per 100ml)”
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
-
“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
-
“Relative to control subjects, CMC consumption modestly increased postprandial abdominal discomfort and perturbed gut microbiota composition in a way that reduced its diversity.”
doi.org
-
“This study found positive associations between risk of CVD and intake of five individual and two groups of food additive emulsifiers widely used in industrial foods.”
doi.org
-
“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