Jewel-Osco Yogurt Pretzels — DUMP

Munch or Dump rates Jewel-Osco Yogurt Pretzels by Jewel Osco DUMP — score 17/90.

Sugar-coated pretzels dressed up as 'yogurt.' The coating is sugar and palm oils first, with barely any actual yogurt, plus titanium dioxide as a whitener.

Why this verdict

• Sugar is the #1 ingredient in the coating, ahead of any dairy
• Palm kernel oil + palm oil = saturated refined fat as the base of the coating
• Titanium dioxide whitener, banned as a food additive in the EU
• Refined enriched flour plus corn syrup in the pretzel itself adds a second sugar source
• Classic hyper-palatable build: added sugar + refined oil + refined starch

Ingredients (14)

• Sugar (moderate) — Added for sweetness, can contribute to calorie content.
• Palm kernel oil and palm oil (concerning) — Refined tropical oils high in saturated fat, used to make the coating set hard and creamy.
• Reduced mineral whey powder (moderate) — Cheap dairy filler that adds a little protein but mostly bulk and milk sugar.
• Whole Milk Powder (safe) — Dairy solids.
• Titanium dioxide (avoid) — Whitening color agent banned as a food additive in the EU.
• Yogurt powder (cultured whey and nonfat milk) (moderate) — The only actual 'yogurt' in the product, and it sits well down the list in tiny amounts.
• Soy Lecithin (safe) — Common emulsifier, generally benign in these amounts.
• vanilla (safe) — Standard chocolate flavoring.
• Enriched wheat flour (moderate) — Refined flour stripped of bran then fortified - the crust base.
• Corn Syrup (caution) — Added sugar baked into the crust.
• Vegetable oil (corn, canola, cottonseed, or soybean) (moderate) — Refined seed oil in the pretzel dough; processed fat with no nutritional upside here.
• Sodium Bicarbonate (safe) — Standard baking leavener.
• Salt (moderate) — Used in moderation, might exceed necessary amount.
• yeast (safe) — Leavening agent for bread rising.