Caution

Mega Meals

by Banquet

Open Food Facts label for barcode 0031000013134 · Banquet · Frozen foods. Screening numbers and flags live in the verdict band below. This hero only situates the source record.

Barcode 0031000013134 · Serving size 326g

The verdict

Mega Meals by Banquet scores 80/100 in PlainFoodSafe's ingredient screening. We compared its 70 labeled ingredients with FDA SAFFA regulatory records and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings; 2 ingredients are flagged for caution. The source parser split this into a very long 70-component record, beginning with Mechanically Parated Chicken, Water, Pork. That density can include amounts and label fragments, so verify the physical label before relying on ingredient order or completeness. This is not a recall, allergy, medical, or dietary-safety determination.

80/100
Caution safety score
2
Few flagged · of 70 analyzed
Group 4
Ultra-processed
C
Nutri-Score nutrition grade

Computed directly from OpenFoodFacts ingredient data cross-referenced with FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. See our methodology for the scoring formula.

Composite profile score

One verdict from three independent sources

58/100

Grade C

Ingredient Safety

80/100

FDA/CSPI flagged-ingredient screening

Processing Level

NOVA 4

Ultra-processed foods

Nutrition Grade

C

Nutri-Score front-of-pack nutrition grade

Weighted 50% ingredient safety / 25% processing level / 25% nutrition grade. A dimension with no data for this product (common: source coverage is partial) is dropped and its weight redistributes across the remaining dimensions, so missing data never silently lowers the score. See the full benchmark table.

00013134 · Open Food Facts · July 2026

Mega Meals label screening desk

SCORE-CAUT 80/100 FLAG-FEW 2 flagged LEN-DENSE 70 ing. REG-SPARSE 26% reg. NOVA-G4 G4 ultra NUTRI-C Nutri-C RANK-SHORT Len top 5% LEAD-FLAG Sodium Nitrite PHOTO-FINISH Bacon Mac ‘n · ±0 BOOK-OFF …013134 · July 2026

18 of 70 parsed ingredients carry FDA SAFFA or CSPI coverage (lead: Sodium Nitrite). Source sheet 00013134 · Open Food Facts · July 2026. The screening score and flag counts are in the verdict band above. This desk is the provenance stamp, not a second scorecard. Methodology · Read with nearest score peer: Bacon Mac ‘n cheese · Nearest score peer is Bacon Mac ‘n cheese at the same screening score.

Screening model notes

How Nutri-Score, NOVA, and list length read this record

The composite for this product falls in the second band of the four-tier framework. That band collects labels whose registry-rated components pull the derived score down measurably without dominating it. Position inside a band is not visible from the band name, and two labels sharing it can differ in how many components were rated and how severely. This is a threshold on an index computed here from public data, not a regulatory classification of any kind; the exact cut-offs are published on the methodology page.

Nutri-Score settled on its middle grade here, the band the algorithm produces when the penalty and credit sides of its nutrient ledger come out close to balanced. A mid-scale grade is a statement about the panel as a whole rather than about any single nutrient, and products arrive at it by very different routes: a moderate profile across every term, or high marks on some offset by heavy penalties on others. The grade is computed separately from the ingredient screen below and the two are not comparable measures.

The declared list is among the longer ones in this catalogue. A component set this wide means the screen returns many individual ratings, and the composite accumulates a large number of small contributions instead of turning on a handful of entries. At this length the per-component table below is substantially more informative than the single figure, because the figure compresses a great deal of variation into one number.

Cross-brand screening score neighbourhood

1. Mega Meals: 80/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #11. Mega Meals80/1002. Bacon Mac ‘n cheese: 80/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #22. Bacon Mac ‘n cheese80/1003. Beef Enchiladas Smothered In Chili Sauce And Cheese With Mexican Style Rice And Authentic Refried Beans - Includes Cocada (Coconut Flavored) Pudding, Mexican Style Fiesta: 80/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #33. Beef Enchiladas Smothered…80/1004. Mac & cheese: 80/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #44. Mac & cheese80/1005. Chicken And Sausage Gumbo: 80/100 · 100% of the leader · rank #55. Chicken And Sausage Gumbo80/100
High-band neighbours for Mega Meals (80/100) outside Banquet.
Chart values as text

Unit: PlainFoodSafe screening score out of 100. Data current as of July 2026.

Mega Meals
80/100
Bacon Mac ‘n cheese
80/100
Beef Enchiladas Smothered In Chili Sauce And Cheese With Mexican Style Rice And Authentic Refried Beans - Includes Cocada (Coconut Flavored) Pudding, Mexican Style Fiesta
80/100
Mac & cheese
80/100
Chicken And Sausage Gumbo
80/100

How It Compares to Its Category

Among the 24,982 products we've scored in the Frozen foods category, the average safety score is 92.9/100. Mega Meals scores 12.9 points below that category average (80/100 vs. 92.9/100), so it is a comparatively weaker pick for shoppers screening within that category specifically, rather than against the product catalog as a whole.

Ingredient-list length vs other Frozen foods products

Mega Meals lists 70 ingredients on its label

70 95th percentile a longer ingredient list than 95% of the 7,008 products we track

0–2: 11 products (0%). Below this entry. 2–4: 54 products (1%). Below this entry. 4–6: 54 products (1%). Below this entry. 6–8: 66 products (1%). Below this entry. 8–10: 102 products (1%). Below this entry. 10–12: 112 products (2%). Below this entry. 12–14: 184 products (3%). Below this entry. 14–16: 205 products (3%). Below this entry. 16–18: 245 products (3%). Below this entry. 18–20: 284 products (4%). Below this entry. 20–22: 264 products (4%). Below this entry. 22–24: 298 products (4%). Below this entry. 24–26: 247 products (4%). Below this entry. 26–28: 271 products (4%). Below this entry. 28–30: 284 products (4%). Below this entry. 30–32: 294 products (4%). Below this entry. 32–34: 325 products (5%). Below this entry. 34–36: 319 products (5%). Below this entry. 36–38: 314 products (4%). Below this entry. 38–40: 283 products (4%). Below this entry. 40–42: 2,792 products (40%). This entry sits in this band. This product 0 42 every published Frozen foods product, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more products. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Distribution as text

7,008 products, bucketed in bands of 2. This entry: 70 (95th percentile). Data current as of July 2026.

0–2
11 products (0%)
2–4
54 products (1%)
4–6
54 products (1%)
6–8
66 products (1%)
8–10
102 products (1%)
10–12
112 products (2%)
12–14
184 products (3%)
14–16
205 products (3%)
16–18
245 products (3%)
18–20
284 products (4%)
20–22
264 products (4%)
22–24
298 products (4%)
24–26
247 products (4%)
26–28
271 products (4%)
28–30
284 products (4%)
30–32
294 products (4%)
32–34
325 products (5%)
34–36
319 products (5%)
36–38
314 products (4%)
38–40
283 products (4%)
40 and above
2,792 products (40%)

Source Open Food Facts, product label ingredient lists · July 2026

Ingredient-list length is a descriptive property of the label, not a safety rating. A longer list is not automatically worse and a shorter one is not automatically better; the count is shown so the label can be placed against a comparable population. The comparison here runs against the 7,008 Frozen foods products we publish with a parsed label, not against the whole catalogue, because list length varies far more between categories than within one.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

How the 80/100 score is built

Screening starts at 100 and subtracts severity-weighted FDA SAFFA / CSPI flags (2 flagged of 70 labeled). The floor is 0 when deductions exceed 100.

1
Mechanically Parated Chicken
2
Water
3
Pork
4
Enriched Bleached Wheat Flour
5
Durum Flour
6
Leavening
7
Bicarbonate
8
Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, FORMULATION AID, LEAVENING AGENT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT, SEQUESTRANT
GRAS
9
Yeast
10
Textured Vegetable Protein
11
Soy Fiber
12
Caramel Coloring
Coloring
Avoid Approved (color additive, GRAS)
13
Soy Protein Concentrate
14
Onion
15
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
16
Flavorings
17
Potassium Phosphates
18
Dextrose
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, HUMECTANT, LUBRICANT OR RELEASE AGENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER
Cut Back GRAS
19
Potassium Salt
20
Citric Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, ENZYME, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, LEAVENING AGENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Safe GRAS
21
Cheese Sauce With Bacon
22
Cheddar Cheese
23
Pasteurized Cultured Milk
24
Enzymes
25
Annatto
Coloring
Certain People Should Avoid
26
Whey
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FORMULATION AID, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
27
Soybean Oil
28
Corn Starch
29
Nonfat Dry Milk
30
Bacon
31
Cured With Water
32
Sodium Phosphates
33
Sodium Erythorbate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, OXIDIZING OR REDUCING AGENT, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT
Safe GRAS
34
Sodium Nitrite
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PROPELLANT
Avoid Prior Sanctioned
35
Cheese Flavor
36
Whey
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FORMULATION AID, MALTING OR FERMENTING AID, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
37
Milk
38
Cheese Culture
39
Enzyme
40
Sunflower Oil
41
Maltodextrin
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, HUMECTANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Safe GRAS
42
Sodium Phosphate
43
Blue Cheese
44
Lactic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, CURING OR PICKLING AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
Safe GRAS
45
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
46
Potassium Citrate
EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT
GRAS
47
Xanthan Gum
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FORMULATION AID, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Approved
48
Guar Gum
49
Beta Carotene
50
Rehydrated Potato Flakes And Granules
51
Potatoes
52
Mono-and Diglycerides
53
Disodium Dihydrogen Pyrophosphate
54
Sodium Bisulfite
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DOUGH STRENGTHENER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FLOUR TREATING AGENT, FORMULATION AID, PROCESSING AID, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
55
Margarine
56
Soybean Oil
57
Monoglycerides
58
Sodium Benzoate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FUMIGANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Certain People Should Avoid GRAS
59
Soy Lecithin
60
Medium Chain Triglycerides
61
Calcium Disodium Edta
62
Vitamin A Palmitate
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
63
Vitamin D3
64
Natural Flavor
65
Cream
66
Msg
67
Flavoring
68
Corn
69
Soy
70
Wheat

Full Ingredient List

Patty and Cheese Sauce Cooked Salisbury Steak: Mechanically Parated Chicken, Water, Pork, Enriched Bleached Wheat Flour, Durum Flour, Leavening (Bicarbonate, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Yeast), Textured Vegetable Protein (Soy Fiber, Caramel Color, Soy Protein Concentrate, Dried Onion, Salt, Flavorings, Potassium Phosphates, Dextrose, Potassium Salt, Citric Acid), Cheese Sauce with Bacon (Water, Cheddar Cheese, Pasteurized Cultured Milk, Salt, Enzymes, Annatto, Modified Whey, Soybean Oil, Modified Corn Starch, Nonfat Dry Milk, Bacon [Cured with Water, Salt, Sodium Phosphates, Sodium Erythorbate, Sodium Nitrite], Cheese Flavor, Whey, Cheddar Cheese [Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzyme], Sunflower Oil, Maltodextrin, Sodium Phosphate, Blue Cheese [Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes], Citric Acid, Lactic Acid), Sugar, Potassium Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum, Citric Acid, Sunflower Oil, Beta Carotene, Mashed Potatoes: Rehydrated Potato Flakes and Granules (Water, Potatoes, Mono-and Diglycerides, Citric Acid, Disodium Dihydrogen Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bisulfite), Margarine (Soybean Oil, Water, Salt, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Monoglycerides, Sodium Benzoate, Soy Lecithin, Medium Chain Triglycerides, Calcium Disodium EDTA, Vitamin A Palmitate, Beta Carotene, Vitamin D3, Natural Flavor), Cream, Soybean Oil, Nonfat Dry Milk, Salt, Sugar, Monosodium Glutamate, Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum, Flavoring, Corn: Corn, Water, Sugar, Salt. Contains: Milk, Soy, Wheat.

Categories

Frozen foods Meals Combination Meals Frozen ready-made meals

High-score cross-brand comparables for Mega Meals

Neighbours outside Banquet with screening scores in the same high band as Mega Meals (80/100 here). The 5 same-brand links above stay within Banquet; these peers cross brands.

Follow the flagged-label evidence

Follow the flagged-label evidence

Sodium Nitrite is the first flagged ingredient selected from Mega Meals's parsed label. Start with that ingredient’s source context, then compare the rest of this 70-ingredient record.

  • Inspect the FDA SAFFA and CSPI context attached to Sodium Nitrite. Open Sodium Nitrite
  • Compare Mega Meals's 2 flagged ingredients with a product from the same score neighbourhood. Compare labels
  • Check how caution flags contribute to the derived screening score before drawing a dietary conclusion. Read the method

This page describes published ingredient-list and source coverage. It is not dietary or medical advice.

Barcode 0031000013134: product data from Open Food Facts (July 2026). Screening from FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine where attached. Figures are computed from those sources, not editor-typed. Methodology. Reference only, not dietary or medical advice.