Banquet Chicken Pot Pie, 7 oz — DUMP

Munch or Dump rates Banquet Chicken Pot Pie, 7 oz by Banquet DUMP — score 17/90.

The $1.50 price tag is honest; the pie isn't. The 'chicken' is chicken roll and mechanically separated chicken glued together with phosphates, and the flaky crust gets there with hydrogenated lard preserved by BHT. Trans-fat territory — automatic dump, no appeal.

Why this verdict

• Hydrogenated lard in the crust — hydrogenated fats are an automatic DUMP, no exceptions
• BHT preservative and caramel color baked into a 'homestyle' pie
• 'Chicken' means cooked chicken roll and mechanically separated chicken bound with sodium tripolyphosphate
• Hydrolyzed soy protein plus autolyzed yeast extract — a classic MSG-style flavor enhancer stack
• Well over 18 ingredients, with roughly 750-850mg sodium and 9g saturated fat in one small pie

Ingredients (10)

• Hydrogenated lard (avoid) — Hydrogenation creates trans fats — the one fat category with no safe intake level. Hard-rule disqualifier.
• BHT (caution) — Synthetic antioxidant preservative added to protect freshness; a processing-signal additive.
• Mechanically Separated Chicken (avoid) — Pressure-recovered meat paste — the lowest-grade meat input allowed in the product.
• SODIUM TRIPOLYPHOSPHATE (caution) — Phosphate additive for moisture retention; excess phosphate is a cardiovascular and kidney concern at regular intake.
• Hydrolyzed Soy Protein (moderate) — Free-glutamate flavor enhancer used to boost savory taste.
• autolyzed yeast extract (moderate) — Another glutamate source layered on top of MSG and yeast extract.
• caramel color (caution) — Artificial coloring for a browned look, no nutritional purpose.
• Modified Corn Starch (moderate) — Thickener/stabilizer that gives the sauce body.
• Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate (caution) — Dough and cream conditioner — another engineered emulsifier.
• Carrots, peas, potatoes (safe) — The actual vegetables — the redeeming few.