Chicken Nuggets
Health Is Wealth Chicken Tenders
Breaded in organic stone-ground whole wheat, these tenders are all natural and antibiotic-free. Chicken Tenders, $5.19, Health Is Wealth, FreshDirect.
What the kids said: The girls tended to enjoy most nuggets we had them try, but these didn't fare as well as others. "There is just not much flavor there at all," said Marissa. We sneaked a taste and had to agree. The soft breading and minimal flavor made for a mediocre nugget.
The verdict: Taste, 3; Excitement, 3
Nutritionist's Score: 4.5
Ian's Chicken Nuggets
Made with hormone- and antibiotic-free chicken and no wheat, gluten, milk, nuts, or eggs, these nuggets are perfect for the allergy-prone child. Chicken Nuggets, $6.09, Ian's, Organic Direct.
What the kids said: The odd round shape of these nuggets didn't do much to impress the girls. "They?re a little off," said Samantha. Tessie agreed. "Not so good," Tessie said, frowning. "They don't have a good taste."
The verdict: Taste, 2; Excitement, 1
Nutritionist's Score: 4
Applegate Farms Chicken Nuggets
Free of chemical preservatives and fillers, these thigh- and breast-meat nuggets are coated with a light tempura-style breading. Chicken Nuggets, $6.49, Applegate Farms, Organic Direct.
What the kids said: These nuggets were a hit with most of our testers. "It has more flavor than the others," said Heather. We had to agree. The nugget is distinctively more chicken-y than the other brands.
The verdict: Taste, 4; Excitement, 3.5
Nutritionist's Score: 3.5
Earth's Best Kidz Baked Chicken Nuggets
These baked nuggets pack in eight grams of whole grains per serving and are made of all-natural, antibiotic-free meat. Kidz Baked Chicken Nuggets, $5.99, Earth's Best, Organic Direct.
What the kids said: Earth's Best earned a solid score in this category. Daniella said she loved them, but for others the breading was the nugget's downfall. "They're okay, just a little too hard," said Erin. Nina echoed Erin's sentiment: "I really like them, but I've had better," she said.
The verdict: Taste, 5; Excitement, 4
Nutritionist's Score: 4
Life Choices Chicken Nuggets
These nuggets are coated with flaxseed, whole grain, and oats. Chicken Nuggets, $5.99, Life Choices, Whole Foods Market.
What the kids said: The flavor of the chicken was good, according to the girls, but the breading was a bit softer and thicker than they would have liked. "It's just pretty good. Not great," said Tessie.
The verdict: Taste, 3; Excitement, 3
Nutritionist's Score: 3.5
What the nutritionist said: "I think any parents can feel fine about serving any of these products to their kids," said Connie Evers, author of How to Teach Nutrition to Kids and mother of three. All five brands stand above the traditional frozen chicken nugget and the nutritionally devoid fast-food nugget. Parents can easily make an even healthier homemade nugget. Still, rounding out a dinner of frozen nuggets with a whole grain like brown rice, a light vegetable, and fruit can make for a nutritious meal, Evers said. Health Is Wealth won the top spot with its low-fat and reasonable sodium content. Ian's grabbed the second spot. Earth's Best came in next, though Evers was concerned with its whopping 433 milligrams of sodium per serving, which was smaller in size than the other brands. The higher-fat Applegate Farms came in fourth, and Life Choices, though containing the most fiber, came in last with its "inexcusable" amount of sodium.
