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Freezer Burn

We love a good bargain at Costco, but there are some things that just aren't worth it. Take the frozen food section: Not only are some of the frozen foods at Costco plain old unappetizing, but there are specific items that can wreak havoc on your overall health. (You'd be surprised at how much trans fat or sodium can lurk beneath the surface of a frozen breakfast sandwich.) Here are some of the worst frozen foods that you can get your hands on at Costco. 

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1. Marie Callender's Chicken Pot Pies

You’re not alone if you consider chicken pot pies to represent the gold standard when it comes to comfort foods. However, the nutritional breakdown for a frozen Marie Callender’s chicken pot pie versus one that you can make from scratch is not something to overlook. A Marie Callender chicken pot pie has an impressive 17 grams of protein, but it also has upwards of 32 grams of fat and only 4 grams of fiber. The real troublemaker in that breakdown is the high fat content, which can take a toll on your cardiovascular system and put you at a heightened risk for heart disease.

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2. Foster Farms Jumbo Corn Dogs

Jumbo corn dogs awaken a childlike feeling of nostalgia in many of us. Unfortunately, our metabolisms are not at all like what they used to be when we were kids. Your typical battered corn dog can have as much as 700 milligrams of sodium and 4 grams of saturated fat. That is not your ideal situation if you’re committed to keeping your cardiovascular health in good standing.

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3. Royal Asia Honey Walnut Shrimp

As a general rule of thumb, shrimp is a great healthy food option. Shrimp is packed full of beneficial proteins as well as omega-3 fats, a combination that's great for both your heart and your brain. However, the frozen shrimp in a bag of Royal Asia Honey Walnut Shrimp are sauced and tossed in quite a bit of sugar and oils. Plus, these particular shrimp have a ton of sodium, with upwards of 600 milligrams per serving.


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6. Kirkland Signature Italian Sausage and Beef Lasagna

In no way are people out there drawing assumptions about lasagna being a lean and low-impact meal option. By design, lasagna is loaded up with all kinds of cheeses and meats. One serving of the Italian sausage and beef lasagna option from Kirkland Signature is filled with upwards of 39% of your daily recommended sodium. Plus, the kinds of ultra processed meat in this lasagna dish have been linked to a heightened risk for developing certain kinds of cancer if consumed in excess.


Related: Costco Prepared Meals That'll Feed Your Whole Family

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8. Motor City Pizza Co. Detroit Style Pizza

We get it. Everyone has monstrous pizza cravings every now and again. Honestly, sometimes the only thing you can do is just cave in and treat yourself. However, there are certain frozen pizzas that you should steer clear of when you can help it. Motor City Pizza Co.’s Detroit style frozen pizza is one of those pizzas to avoid, as it’s loaded with saturated fat. Saturated fat is notorious for raising your body’s cholesterol levels, which can put you at a greater risk for developing heart disease.

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9. Don Miguel Shredded Beef With Cheese Burritos

While these reasonably-sized burritos might seem innocent enough, they are not up to speed when it comes to maintaining a healthy sodium-to-carbs ratio. Specifically, each shredded beef burrito from Don Miguel has around 60 grams of carbs. That’s just far too much when you consider that the rest of the burrito only has 24 grams of protein.

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10. Totino's Pizza Rolls

Totino’s pizza roles are a leading culprit when it comes to guilty food pleasures. You can end up putting away 230 calories from eating six pizza rolls. Those pizza rolls from Totino’s “pizza factory” are packed with sodium, saturated fat, and preservatives — all things that you would do best to avoid putting in your body when you can help it.