The surge of food recalls announced this week affects everything from your morning cheese to your evening meal prep. Safety inspectors have flagged multiple popular items sold at major retailers nationwide, citing contamination risks ranging from metal fragments to mysterious “wood-like material.”
These latest recalls touch products distributed across at least 21 states, with some items having remained on shelves for weeks before the contamination was discovered. If you’ve shopped at Target, Aldi, or purchased certain frozen meals recently, your pantry might contain affected items.
Here’s what you need to know about each recall, including specific details to identify dangerous products that might be lurking in your kitchen right now.
1. Idaho smokehouse beef and turkey sticks contain metal fragments
On March 20, Idaho Smokehouse Partners initiated an urgent recall of their popular Chomps meat snacks after discovering potential metal contamination in multiple product lines. The recall specifically targets their Original Beef Sticks and Original Turkey Sticks, which were packaged during a one-week period in January.
The affected beef products include 1.15-ounce individual sticks as well as multi-packs containing 12 or 8 sticks. For the turkey variety, only the single 1.15-ounce sticks are affected. All recalled items were produced between January 16 and January 23, 2025.
While distribution was officially limited to retail locations in California and Illinois, online sales and consumer travel may have spread these products more widely. Check your snack drawer for Original Beef 12-count pouches (1.15oz sticks) with establishment code 6220 on the stick, lot code A25016 on the stick, UPC 856584004763 on the pouch, and UPC 856584004183 on the stick. For Original Turkey single sticks (1.15oz), look for establishment code P6220, lot code A25022, and UPC 856584004404.
The company recommends immediately disposing of affected products or returning them to the place of purchase for a full refund. No injuries have been reported yet, though metal fragments pose serious risks of dental damage, oral lacerations, and internal injuries if consumed.
2. Aldi’s happy farms colby jack cheese contains steel fragments
A February recall affecting more than 4,000 bags of Aldi’s Happy Farms Colby Jack shredded cheese received an official Class II risk classification from the FDA on March 19. The recall was initiated after quality control detected stainless steel fragments in multiple product batches.
Great Lakes Cheese Co., Inc., the manufacturer, has traced the contamination to equipment malfunction during a specific production run. The affected cheese was distributed to Aldi stores across Connecticut, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania before the issue was discovered.
Check your refrigerator for 12-ounce bags with batch number 8679, item number 65317, UPC 0374406146333084, and lot numbers with Best by dates of either JUL 13 25 H or JUL 14 25 H.
The FDA notes that while the steel fragments are small, they still present a serious risk of oral injury and potential internal damage if swallowed. Consumers should discard the product or return it to any Aldi location for a complete refund, even without a receipt.
3. Hot ones hot sauce recalled for plastic contamination
More than 50,000 bottles of the trendy “Hot Ones” brand hot sauces received an FDA Class II recall classification on March 19. The recall specifically targets the Verde and Rojo varieties of Los Calientes sauces manufactured by Heatonist, following discovery of plastic fragments in multiple containers.
The affected products were primarily distributed to specialty retailers and online customers in North Carolina, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, though the brand’s popularity means customers nationwide may have purchased these items through various channels.
The recall specifically affects one-gallon containers of HOT ONES brand VERDE Los Calientes Hot Sauce with UPC 8-51444-00803-5 and Best By dates of 02/03/2028, 02/04/2028, or 02/07/2028.
Consumers are advised to check their hot sauce collection immediately, particularly if they’ve recently purchased Los Calientes varieties. The plastic contamination isn’t immediately life-threatening but presents choking hazards and potential digestive tract irritation. Customers can contact Heatonist directly for refund information or return the product to its place of purchase.
4. Target’s good & gather green beans contain foreign material
A massive recall affecting over 200,000 cans of Target’s store brand Good & Gather Cut Green Beans received an FDA Class II risk designation on March 13. This recall, initiated by Del Monte Foods, Inc. in February, stems from contamination with what the company describes only as an “unspecified foreign object.”
The affected products were distributed to Target stores across 21 states, making this one of the most geographically extensive recalls in this week’s list. The contamination was discovered through routine quality control testing.
Check your pantry for 14.5-ounce cans with lot number 7AA 4185070, UPC 85239-11628 9, and Best By date 10/28/2026.
The extensive shelf life of these canned goods means many consumers may have purchased and stored these items without realizing they’re part of a safety recall. Target has removed the affected products from store shelves, but any cans purchased before the recall remain in circulation.
5. Lean cuisine and stouffer’s frozen meals contain “wood-like material”
On March 18, the FDA announced that Nestlé was recalling select batches of popular frozen meals due to contamination with what they describe as a “wood-like material.” The recall impacts three varieties of Lean Cuisine meals and one Stouffer’s product that were sold nationwide from September 2024 through March 2025.
This recall is particularly concerning due to both its national distribution scope and the vague nature of the contaminant. The “wood-like material” description suggests the foreign objects might splinter when chewed, creating potential for oral injuries, choking hazards, or digestive tract perforation.
The following products are affected: Lean Cuisine Butternut Squash Ravioli with batch numbers 4261595912 and 4283595912 and best before dates of October 2025 and November 2025; Lean Cuisine Garlic Sesame Noodles with Beef with batch number 4265595912 and best before date of October 2025; Lean Cuisine Bowls Tortilla Crusted Fish with batch number 4246595912 and best before date of September 2025; and Stouffer’s Classic Meatloaf with batch number 4271594412 and best before date of October 2025.
Consumers should check their freezers immediately and either discard these products or return them to the retailer where purchased for a full refund. Nestlé has established a dedicated consumer hotline for questions related to this recall.
Protecting your household from recalled products
Food recalls happen regularly, but this week’s concentration of alerts from major retailers presents an elevated risk to consumers. Safety experts recommend taking these immediate steps:
Check all storage areas in your home, including pantries, refrigerators, freezers, and even emergency food supplies. The varying nature of these recalled products means contaminated items could be stored in multiple locations.
Take photos of any recalled products before disposing of them, as this may assist with the refund process. Some retailers require visual confirmation or receipts, while others will process returns based solely on the product itself.
Stay vigilant for symptoms if you’ve consumed any recalled items. While most contaminants produce immediate effects like dental pain or mouth injuries, some foreign materials can cause delayed complications. Contact your healthcare provider if you experience unusual symptoms after consuming recently recalled foods.
The FDA maintains that early detection and prompt consumer action during recall events significantly reduces the risk of foodborne injuries. As manufacturers continue investigating the sources of these contaminations, additional products might be added to recall lists in coming days.
Check the FDA’s food safety website weekly or sign up for their alert system to stay informed about emerging recalls that might affect products in your household. With many of these items having extended shelf lives, routine checking of pantry items against current recall lists remains essential for family safety.
