Nestlé is a Swiss food giant that produces a wide range of products, most of which are highly processed and extremely unhealthy when eaten regularly. Let’s look at one such product made by Nestlé: highly processed junk sold in the United States as Hot Pockets.
Like many other multinational food companies, Nestlé also adapts its products to meet regional regulations, tastes, and costs, often resulting in healthier and more natural formulations in Europe compared to the U.S.
While this approach aligns with market demands, we should all think about why the U.S. does not receive the same healthier options?
This is mainly because American food regulations (by the FDA) allow a wider range of artificial additives, sweeteners, and preservatives, whereas European regulations (by the EFSA) are stricter on certain additives and artificial ingredients.
Some additives used in the U.S., like certain food dyes or preservatives, are tightly controlled or restricted in Europe.
Hot Pockets & The Recall
For those not familiar with Hot Pockets, they are bread-like dough pockets filled with ingredients like meats, cheeses, sauces, and sometimes vegetables.
They are pre-cooked and designed to be reheated in a microwave or oven.
Hot Pockets are sold frozen and can be prepared in minutes, making them a popular choice for quick and convenient meals.
You’ll find them easily in all United States grocery stores.
In January 2021, Nestlé recalled approximately 762,615 pounds of Hot Pockets due to potential contamination with extraneous materials, specifically pieces of glass and hard plastic (Food Safety and Inspection Service).
The product affected was 54-ounce packages containing 12 “Nestlé Hot Pockets Brand Sandwiches: Premium Pepperoni made with pork, chicken, and beef pizza garlic buttery crust.”
This is not because Nestle’s Quality Control Department found the problems; it was after some people got orally hurt by eating the product.
Clever Advertising By Nestlé
Nestlé has faced criticism and legal challenges for misleading marketing claims about Hot Pockets.
For example, it depicts Hot Pockets as a “good source of protein.”
This type of clever advertising is how Nestlé is focusing our attention on the protein content while downplaying the negatives, such as:
- High Sodium levels: Sodium intake can easily exceed 1,000 mg per two pockets (nearly half the recommended daily intake).
- Low in Fiber: Minimal fiber content.
- Fat Content: High levels of saturated fat.
- Refined Carbohydrates: The dough is made from refined flour, which is low in fiber and spikes blood sugar levels.
- Minimal Whole Ingredients: Hot Pockets lack substantial amounts of vegetables, whole grains, or lean proteins, making them calorie-dense but nutrient-poor.
They are so highly processed; check out the list of ingredients in two of their popular flavors:
These are the ingredients for their Ham and Cheddar Flavor:
Let’s look at some other claims that are misleading:
Claim Of “Hearty” Or “Satisfying Meal”
Nestle’s packaging and advertisements show Hot Pockets as a “hearty meal” that provides sufficient energy and nutrition for busy lifestyles.
The claim “hearty” implies that it is nutritious and will keep us full for a long time, which is in total contrast with the product’s reliance on processed ingredients and unhealthy fats.
Many Hot Pockets flavors are high in calories but lack nutrient density, providing empty calories rather than long-lasting energy or satiety. The high carbohydrate and fat content and low fiber can leave people feeling hungry again soon after eating.
As you can see above, each product has a long list of food chemicals that hardly make them ‘hearty’ or ‘wholesome’.
Claim Of ‘Premium Meats’
Hot Pockets are also marketed as a “good source of protein” and made with “premium meats.”
But, in reality, the so-called “premium meats” are highly processed and include additives like sodium nitrites, BHT, BHA, and SODIUM ERYTHORBATE, to name a few.
Some products also contain imitation meats.
For example, the chicken in Hot Pockets Chicken Bacon Ranch flavor is made with these ingredients:
COOKED GRILLED WHITE MEAT CHICKEN STRIPS (WHITE MEAT CHICKEN, WATER, ISOLATED SOY PROTEIN, MODIFIED RICE STARCH, CHICKEN FLAVOR [DEHYDRATED CHICKEN BROTH, CHICKEN POWDER, NATURAL FLAVOR], SODIUM PHOSPHATE, SALT)
The COOKED SEASONED PIZZA TOPPING (Sausage made with Pork, Chicken & Beef) is made with :
PORK, WATER, MECHANICALLY SEPARATED CHICKEN, TEXTURED SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, MODIFIED CORNSTARCH, SALT, SPICES, BEEF, SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, FLAVORING, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, BHA, BHT, CITRIC ACID. COOKED IN PORK FAT OR BEEF FAT OR VEGETABLE OIL.
Their PEPPERONI is made with:
PORK, BEEF, SALT, 2% OR LESS OF SPICES, DEXTROSE, LACTIC ACID STARTER CULTURE, OLEORESIN OF PAPRIKA, SODIUM ASCORBATE, FLAVORING, SODIUM NITRITE, BHA, BHT, CITRIC ACID
The CANADIAN STYLE BACON has:
WATER ADDED, MADE WITH PORK SIRLOIN HIPS, CHOPPED AND FORMED, SMOKE FLAVOR ADDED [CURED WITH WATER, SALT, SUGAR, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, NATURAL SMOKE FLAVOR, SODIUM ERYTHORBATE, SODIUM NITRITE]
COOKED ITALIAN STYLE MEATBALL :
PORK, WATER, TEXTURED VEGETABLE PROTEIN [SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, CARAMEL COLOR]
Notice the use of Textured soy protein concentrate, which is a plant-based protein used in substitute meat products (“Textured Soy Protein Commodity Fact Sheet | Archive—U.S. Agency for International Development,” 2017).
Claim Of ‘Real Cheese’
Sure, the cheese used in Hot Pockets typically meets the FDA’s definition of “real cheese” (having 45 – 50% milk solids by weight). However, it starts with real cheese but is then processed and includes additives like Modified Food Starch to give it the right texture and consistency.
The cheese is also blended with anti-caking agents, preservatives, and emulsifiers to extend its shelf life and achieve the desired texture/flavor combination.
These are the Mozzarella Cheese Ingredients:
MOZZARELLA CHEESE (PASTEURIZED PART SKIM MILK, NONFAT MILK, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH*, CULTURES, SALT, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, ENZYMES, *INGREDIENTS NOT IN REGULAR MOZZARELLA CHEESE)
These are the Cheddar Cheese Ingredients:
REDUCED FAT CHEDDAR CHEESE (PASTEURIZED PART SKIM MILK, SKIM MILK, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH*, CULTURES, SALT, FLAVORS*, POTASSIUM SALT*, ANNATTO, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, ENZYMES, *INGREDIENTS NOT IN REGULAR CHEDDAR CHEESE)
Avoid At All Costs
It is sad how food companies get away with clever marketing to get Americans to eat unhealthy products while they make tons of profit off of it.
It’s easy to look at the ingredients for Hot Pockets and best categorize them as complete junk food.
Their combination of processed ingredients, high sodium, unhealthy fats, and low nutrient density makes them unsuitable for anyone trying to maintain a healthy, balanced diet.
