Forced labor. Inhumane animal treatment. Soggy and
soft salmon? These are meats you should and shouldn't purchase from Walmart.
Is there such a thing as bad bacon? There are undoubtedly exceptions to the rule that
everything in life is better with bacon, but we're here to inform you that you should feel absolutely
comfortable buying Great Value Naturally Hickory Smoked Thick Sliced Bacon from Walmart.
Obviously, we wouldn't declare this Great Value product is universally beloved, because,
well, nothing is enjoyed by everyone. So while it's impossible to avoid a handful of negative
comments, the average rating for the thick sliced bacon on Walmart's website still comes
in at just under 4 stars as of November 2022. With hundreds of customers giving it a full 5 stars,
this seems like a strong indicator of the bacon's legitimately solid quality.
A number of Great Value thick sliced bacon fans have noted on Reddit that the product tastes the
best when it's made in the oven. Since it's hard to top bacon cooked in the oven anyhow,
we'd urge you to take that advice after buying this meat from Walmart.
When a product is much cheaper than you'd expect,
it isn't always a simple case of low-quality ingredients. In fact,
a common reason behind a product's shockingly cheap cost can be a less-than-humane origin.
While some may presume this solely concerns an animal's welfare,
there's also the human aspect to consider. And it's those types of ethical concerns
that lead us to say that you should not buy imported farmed shrimp from Walmart,
as this product has reportedly been linked to slave labor in Thailand.
Human rights abuses in the Thai seafood industry are nothing new. After all,
as director of Human Rights Watch in Asia, Brad Adams, told The Guardian in 2018,
"Forced labor is routine. [The workers report] being trafficked on to ships, trapped in jobs
they couldn't leave, physical abuse, lack of food, long hours and awful working conditions."
While it could be argued that there are plenty of questionable things lurking in the world's food
supply chains, knowledge is power: And this is one you might consider researching before purchasing.
To be perfectly honest, we're not sure whether the
potentially detrimental impact of beef jerky on one's long-term health means
you should avoid the food entirely. Stick to the "everything in moderation" idea,
though, and beef jerky is a perfectly acceptable, high-protein, long-lasting snack.
"Weak! What happened to us? We were gonna eat pizza pockets until the wheels fell off!"
"... no we weren't."
Reviews at Walmart overwhelmingly compliment the prodigiously processed meat, meaning if
you're searching for an affordable and delectable beef jerky product,
you won't go wrong purchasing it from Walmart.
Concerns surrounding the quality and processing of Walmart's beef products have existed for
some time, with The New York Times stating that issues can be traced back to at least
2003. While there's no reason to assume the same exact problems have lingered two decades later,
it's not as though it's been smooth sailing for Walmart's ground beef items since then.
In 2016, for example, Time reports that Walmart was forced to recall 90,000 pounds of its Sam's
Choice angus beef patties due to potential contamination with wood materials. Another
major recall happened in 2020, this time, the problem was potential contamination with E. coli.
Additionally, Walmart's Great Value ground beef isn't even the cheapest available brand on the
market. According to Cheapism, Aldi's ground beef prices are actually lower on average. Since
the quality and price of Walmart's ground beef struggles to match its competitors,
we suggest you just avoid this meat entirely.
This revelation may not cause your jaw to drop to the floor,
but we're big fast food fans around here. Of course, we're also quick to
try and save a buck whenever possible, so it's nice to know at least one Great
Value product — the frozen Fully Cooked Pork Sausage Patties – is akin to a fast food item.
Given that fans of this product describe it as comparable to McDonald's sausage patties,
we're keen to recommend it to you. Seriously: They're perfect for the
mornings when you want something great, but those PJs are just too comfortable to leave.
It's not simply that the Great Value pork sausage patties are similarly sized to the
ones used by the fast food chain on its Sausage McMuffin. Devoted fans
say the sausages are actually larger than other sausage patties for sale, even name brand ones.
If you're ever feeling inclined to make your own homemade breakfast sandwiches, this is the
real deal. In other words, the next time you're looking for the perfect breakfast meat to combine
with a fried egg and cheese, we encourage you to grab a bag of pork sausage patties from Walmart.
"Where are they going with the food? I'm starving. I only had one breakfast."
While part of the problem with Walmart's raw meat products is the lack of on-site butchers,
when it comes to pork specifically, there are other issues at play. Mainly, it's that HuffPost
reports that at least one farm that previously supplied pork to Walmart has been accused of
animal cruelty in the past. And don't worry, don't look away: We're not going to show it.
To be fair, when video of the pigs' mistreatment went public in 2013, Tyson Foods, the meat
supplier for Walmart at the time, ended business with the farm in question. Yet that isn't the only
questionable situation uncovered when it comes to Walmart's relationship with pork producers.
There's also the fact that, according to Grist,
Walmart's profit share from pork sales increased 16 cents between 1990 and 2009,
while the corresponding share for pig farmers dropped 20 cents over the same period. While
we're fans of saving a buck or two when we can, we're also fans of farmers and our food producers:
and that schism in pricing isn't a good look — and it just might ruin whatever you're making with it.
"This is unfair and unjust. How could you be so heartless?"
It's true: the most enticing Great Value brand meats tend to be of the heavily-processed,
pre-packaged variety. That doesn't necessarily mean you should avoid
all fresh meats sold at the store, of course. But it does help explain why
you should consider buying Walmart's turkey and ham cold cut varieties.
Perhaps the greatest aspect of Great Value turkey and ham cold cuts,
such as the Thin Sliced Honey Ham or the Fat-Free Turkey Breast,
is the lack of artificial preservatives and added nitrates and nitrites.
Since the presence of nitrates and nitrites in foods is known to potentially cause certain types
of cancer, it's always preferable to prioritize products devoid of any additional manmade
ingredients. Most of the turkey and ham cold cuts sold by Walmart seem to contain pretty low fat
content per serving, as well, making them meats you won't find yourself let down by after buying.
Rotisserie chickens are a staple in modern culinary culture for a reason.
Despite the sky-high sodium content present in precooked rotisserie chickens sold at various
grocery stores, the fast-paced world of today means that there's a real appeal to a whole,
ready-to-eat poultry product. However, if you like to enjoy a rotisserie chicken from time to time,
you should steer clear of Walmart's version of this pre-cooked bird.
When we here at Mashed ranked 13 popular rotisserie chicken options,
Walmart's offering came in dead last. And there are many others who take issue with
Walmart's rotisserie chicken, or have tried to deter consumers from a disappointing purchase.
A MyRecipes.com review of six different brand name products in 2018 ranked Walmart's chicken
near the bottom. Additionally, Eat This, Not That also named Walmart's
rotisserie chicken as one of the worst you can buy, based on a survey of Yelp reviews,
suggesting consumers are just as aware of the store's lackluster product.
Of all the canned meat products we've consumed,
we'd be hard pressed to name one more universally versatile and tasty than canned tuna. Frankly,
we've yet to encounter a canned brand that didn't produce a tasty final tuna product once it was
drained and mixed with mayo, herbs, and whatever else your heart desires. With this in mind,
we weren't shocked to discover one of the best meats to purchase from Walmart is its canned tuna.
In particular, the Great Value Chunk Light Tuna in Water variety appears to be a solid
crowd pleaser. Not only does it have an average customer rating of 4.5 stars as
of November 2022 — it also has more than 1,400 full 5-star reviews. Even a number
of negative reviews seemed less directed at the food item itself, and more about
it not being in stock when desired, or problems with the shipping and delivery.
And we get that: There's nothing worse than opening your last can of
tuna and realizing there's no restock available.
Some of the meats we advise you against buying are on the basis
of reviews from customers who've found themselves displeased with
their own past purchases. Case in point: Walmart's wild-caught salmon.
Perhaps the biggest issue with Walmart's Great Value Wild-Caught Pink Salmon is
that it's not just salmon. According to the product's ingredient list,
it also contains the moisture-retention chemical sodium tripolyphosphate.
This could explain the number of negative reviews for the Great Value frozen pink salmon,
not to mention its mere 2.3-star rating as of November 2022. Shoppers describe the salmon's
texture as more than a little questionable, with reviews calling it soggy and soft.
Considering the number of issues surrounding some of Walmart's shrimp products as well,
it might be advisable to rethink buying any fish Walmart that isn't canned. So when it
comes to the salmon, at least, it's best to swim upstream away from this product.
The next meat you should consider adding to your Walmart grocery cart is Great Value
canned Luncheon Meat. It is essentially just a fully-cooked pork product in a can,
making it a generic version of Spam. And Spam? It's a brilliantly versatile,
self-stable addition to any pantry.
"Ew!"
"What do you mean, 'ew'? I don't like spam!"
There's always a risk that generic products won't stand up to their name brand counterparts,
but according to customer reviews, the Great Value does a pretty good job of coming close. Plus,
it has an average rating of more than 4 stars as of November 2022,
with other reviews raving about the quality, richness, and fat content
of the product. Not to mention the fact that it browns up nicely in a hot skillet.
Beyond the comparable taste and flavor of Great Value canned pork luncheon meat to more well-known
brands, the immense affordability makes it worth considering. In fact,
according to Walmart's website, the Great Value brand costs around $2 as of December 2022,
while the same size can of Spam costs $3.58.
In this case, it's customer reviews that provide illuminating context to help explain
why you should think twice about buying fresh boneless, skinless chicken breast from Walmart.
For one thing, an average customer rating of 2.1 stars as of November 2022 suggests Walmart's store
brand Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts with Rib Meat are a substandard product. But it's not
just consumers willing to comment on Walmart's website that disapprove of the store's chicken,
as a Consumer Reports survey in 2017 found that many took specific
issue with the quality of the retailer's poultry overall, among other complaints.
Another factor that should deter you from buying fresh chicken breast from Walmart is
the fact it may not always be, well, boneless. Some customers have reported finding bones
in their package of chicken, so if you're looking for a delicious, and truly boneless,
chicken product, you're better off looking elsewhere at what Walmart has to offer.