Christmas is fast approaching and you ran out of time to make your homemade meat pies? Never mind, several ready-to-heat options are now available in grocery stores. Roundup of the best choices!
OUR ANALYSIS
We analyzed 22 meat pies and standardized the portion at 180 g (from 1/7 to 1/3 of a pie depending on the variety).
Per serving, the nutritional values vary:
- 216 to 648 calories
- 8 to 42 g of fat (4 to 16 g of saturated fat)
- 14 to 47 g of carbohydrates (1 to 4 g of sugars)
- 510 to 794 mg of sodium (22% to 35% DV)
- From 7 to 26 g of protein
The best choices
Pork and Beef Pot Pie, Ricardo
Photo provided by Isabelle Huot
This pâté is the lowest in calories (216 calories), in lipids (8 g), in saturated fat (4 g) and in carbohydrates (14 g) of the test bench. It is also one of the least rich in sodium (485 mg of sodium), i.e. 25% less salty than the average. Its sugar content (2 g) is also below average. The ingredient list is relatively short, but contains two food additives (L-cysteine hydrochloride and xylanase). Small downside: its protein content (14 g) is lower than average, 24% less.
Meat pie, La cuisine à Christine
Photo provided by Isabelle Huot
This product has a protein content (21 g) higher than the average of all the products analyzed and is among the lowest in sodium (514 mg). Although its saturated fat content (10 g) is comparable to the average, it contains 46% less saturated fat than the pâté with the highest content in this test, and its fat content (27 g ) remains below average. Also, the ingredient list is short, but contains some food additives (sodium pyrophosphate, citric acid, xanthan). This product is also gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, peanut-free and nut-free, which is a plus for those who are allergic or intolerant.
Compromises
Vegetarian “tourtière”, St-Hubert
Photo provided by Isabelle Huot
After Ricardo’s pâté, this is the option with the lowest fat (18 g) and saturated fat (6 g) content. Its calorie (385 calories) and sugar (2 g) content is also slightly below average. However, two elements make it lose points: its sodium content (660 mg) is above average, and the list of ingredients contains palm oil and dextrose, which makes it lose a few points.
Pork Pie, President’s Choice
Photo provided by Isabelle Huot
The nutritional values of this product are reasonable. It is the richest pâté in protein (26 g) among all the products analyzed and one of the least rich in calories (370 calories), lipids (19 g) and sugar (1 g). Its saturated fat (8 g) and sodium (590 mg) content is also below average. What a pity that its list of ingredients is disappointing, due in particular to the presence of palm oil shortening and dextrose.
The worst choices
Tourtière, Selection
Photo provided by Isabelle Huot
This pâté is one of the richest in protein (22 g), however it is the richest in lipids (42 g), saturated fat (16 g) and calories (648 calories) on the test bench. Its sodium content (710 mg) is also above average.
Smoked meat pork pie, Bad Wolves
Photo provided by Isabelle Huot
This option is the second highest in fat (41 g), saturated fat (15 g) and calories (620 calories) in the test bench and contains the same sodium content (710 mg) as the previous choice, this which is above average
Frozen meat pie, St-Hubert
Photo provided by Isabelle Huot
This product is the third richest in fat (39 g) and its saturated fat content (14 g) is also above average, as well as its sodium content (685 mg). Its protein content (19 g) is slightly higher than average, but we note the presence of palm oil in the list of ingredients.
Tourtière, Gastronomic Pleasures
Photo provided by Isabelle Huot
This tourtière is the richest in sodium (794 mg of sodium) of all the products analysed. It is once once more one of the products that is among the richest in protein (22 g), but it is also rich in calories (500 calories). Additionally, the ingredient list contains modified palm oil.
In general, meat pies are high in fat and salt, so one serving is enough to leave room for other traditional holiday dishes.
Merry Christmas !
thanks to Elizabeth Simbolinutrition intern, for his invaluable collaboration.