Healthy Food Guideby KarbCoach
Trader Joe's Empanadas De Ropa Vieja packaging

Trader Joe's

Is Trader Joe's Empanadas De Ropa Vieja healthy?

Empanadas De Ropa Vieja

Prepared Meals · Updated 2026-10-18

Longevity Score

68/100

Food Integrity Score

84/100

Choose Occasionally

There are some strengths, but weaker signals in nutrition or ingredients make this a less frequent pick for most goals.

Quick answer

Choose Occasionally

Trader Joe's empanadas de ropa vieja is rated choose occasionally overall, with a Longevity Score of 68 out of 100 and a Food Integrity Score of 84 out of 100. Beef and pepper filling with a cassava crust; moderate protein, but refined crust, sunflower oil, and sodium pull the score down. Strengths include real beef and vegetable filling (onion, peppers, tomato), cassava-based crust, not wheat flour, and modest calories per serving (160), while main considerations include sunflower oil in crust and filling adds seed-oil load, refined cassava flour with very little fiber (1g), and added sugar in crust and filling; sodium about 300mg.

Longevity Score 68/100Food Integrity Score 84/100

What helped the score?

  • Real beef and vegetable filling (onion, peppers, tomato)
  • Cassava-based crust, not wheat flour
  • Modest calories per serving (160)

What held the score back?

  • Sunflower oil in crust and filling adds seed-oil load
  • Refined cassava flour with very little fiber (1g)
  • Added sugar in crust and filling; sodium about 300mg

Ingredients

Ingredient list

Cassava Crust (Cassava, Cassava Flour, Sunflower Oil, Sugar, Egg White, Salt), Filling (Beef, Water, Tomato Paste, Diced Onion, Diced Red Bell Peppers, Diced Green Bell Peppers, Salt, Sugar, Garlic Powder, Distilled White Vinegar, Oregano, Coriander Leaf), Sunflower Oil. Contains Egg.

Formulations can vary — check the package label for the final word.

Key nutrition

Per serving: 68 g (68g)

  • Calories1608% DV
  • Protein5g10% DV
  • Total Carbs18g7% DV
  • Fiber1g4% DV
  • Total Fat8g10% DV
  • Saturated Fat1.5g8% DV
Source data, GTIN, and Healthy Food Guide analysis details

Product facts

Product
Trader Joe's Empanadas De Ropa Vieja
Category
Prepared Meals (source: Frozen Foods)
GTIN / UPC
00000000766470
Serving size
68 g (68g)
Source data — ingredients
Ingredient list from product label data (see Sources)
Healthy Food Guide analysis
Independent Longevity and Food Integrity scorecards. See methodology under Sources.
Data last verified

How this product may fit different goals

The same food can look different depending on what matters most to you. Here is a general preview of how this product may align with several common goals.

  • Low-Spike Stability

    Mixed

    Metabolic Health

    For someone prioritizing Low-Spike Stability, the same nutrition and ingredient data show both supportive signals and tradeoffs.

    A tradeoff: Low fiber (1g)

    This product has 1 additional signal for this goal.

    See more for this goal

  • Heart-Healthy Eating

    Watch-outs

    Metabolic Health

    For someone prioritizing Heart-Healthy Eating, the analysis identifies considerations that may matter more than the general product score alone.

    A consideration: Added-sodium ingredients (Mentions "salt". See ingredients for details.)

    See more for this goal

  • Low Sugar Lifestyle

    Mixed

    Metabolic Health

    For someone prioritizing Low Sugar Lifestyle, the same nutrition and ingredient data show both supportive signals and tradeoffs.

    A tradeoff: Sweetener signals (sugar)

    This product has 1 additional signal for this goal.

    See more for this goal

  • Athletic Fueling

    Supportive

    Athletic Performance

    For someone prioritizing Athletic Fueling, the available data suggest this product may align in helpful ways.

    A supportive signal: Useful energy (160 kcal)

    See more for this goal

  • Workout Recovery

    Supportive

    Athletic Performance

    For someone prioritizing Workout Recovery, the available data suggest this product may align in helpful ways.

    A supportive signal: Recovery carbs (18g)

    See more for this goal

  • Strength & Protein Focus

    Watch-outs

    Athletic Performance

    For someone prioritizing Strength & Protein Focus, the analysis identifies considerations that may matter more than the general product score alone.

    A consideration: Lower protein (5g)

    See more for this goal

See how this product fits your goals

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Common questions about this product

Is Trader Joe's Empanadas De Ropa Vieja highly processed?

Food Integrity lists processing level as Lightly processed. That reflects formulation and processing signals from the ingredient analysis — not a medical or regulatory classification.

Why are the Longevity and Food Integrity scores different?

Longevity emphasizes nutrition per serving and longer-term dietary alignment. Food Integrity emphasizes ingredients, additives, processing, and label transparency. The same product can score differently on those lenses.

How much fiber is in one serving?

Trader Joe's Empanadas De Ropa Vieja shows about 1g of fiber per labeled serving in the Longevity nutrition facts.

Does it contain added sugar?

Trader Joe's Empanadas De Ropa Vieja: 2g added sugar per serving; sweetener signals include sugar. Confirm the current package Nutrition Facts and ingredient list.

What helped the Longevity Score?

Key positives called out in the analysis include: Real beef and vegetable filling (onion, peppers, tomato); Cassava-based crust, not wheat flour; Modest calories per serving (160).

What prevented a perfect Longevity Score?

Key concerns noted include: Sunflower oil in crust and filling adds seed-oil load; Refined cassava flour with very little fiber (1g); Added sugar in crust and filling; sodium about 300mg.

Who might evaluate this product differently?

People prioritizing different goals (for example lower carbs, higher protein, or minimally processed eating) may weigh the same prepared meals differently. Use the goal preview on this page, then personalize in KarbCoach for your priorities.

Other published analyses in Prepared Meals, selected from the same Healthy Food Guide catalog.

Source data and Healthy Food Guide analysis

  1. Public label databases (including USDA FoodData Central and Open Food Facts) — Possible sources for package ingredients and nutrition.
  2. Healthy Food Guide analysis (Longevity and Food Integrity) — Independent Longevity and Food Integrity scorecards.
  3. How the Longevity Score is calculated
  4. How the Food Integrity Score is calculated
  5. Scoring models: KarbCoach Longevity and Food Integrity.
  6. Independent analysis. No manufacturer affiliation.
  7. Formulations can vary by region, size, and packaging. Check the package label for ingredients, allergens, and nutrition. Not medical advice — do not use this site or the KarbCoach mobile app for allergy or health decisions. Full sources and safety details.
Label accuracy and safety information

Formulations can vary by region, size, and packaging. Check the package label for ingredients, allergens, and nutrition. Not medical advice — do not use this site or the KarbCoach mobile app for allergy or health decisions.

Sources, citations & safety

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