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  • Health
  • Lean Cuisine and Stouffer’s Frozen Meals Recalled for Presence of Wood-Like Material

Lean Cuisine and Stouffer’s Frozen Meals Recalled for Presence of Wood-Like Material

Customers complained of finding a foreign object in some ravioli, stir-fry, and lasagne entrées

Clockwise from top left: Lean Cuisine Butternut Squash Ravioli, Lean Cuisine Spinach Artichoke Ravioli, STOUFFER’S Party Size Chicken Lasagna, and Lean Cuisine Lemon Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry
Check your freezer to see whether you have any of these recalled Lean Cuisine or Stouffer’s meals.
Source: FDA

Nestlé issued a nationwide recall of four varieties of its frozen Lean Cuisine and Stouffer’s meals after learning they may contain “wood-like” material. 

The company was alerted to the problem by complaints from consumers, “including one potential choking incident,” Nestlé said in a statement. 

More on food safety

The recalled dishes were sold at stores nationwide between September 2024 and March 2025. They’re listed below, along with their 10-digit batch codes and “best before” dates, which are found on the side panel of the product boxes. 

Lean Cuisine Butternut Squash Ravioli
• 4261595912—OCT2025
• 4283595912—NOV2025
• 4356595912—JAN2026
• 5018595912—FEB2026
• 5038595912—MAR2026

Lean Cuisine Spinach Artichoke Ravioli
• 4311595912—DEC2025
• 5002595912—FEB2026
• 5037595912—MAR2026
• 5064595912—APR2026

Lean Cuisine Lemon Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry
• 4214595511—SEP2025

Stouffer’s Party Size Chicken Lasagna
• 4262595915—OCT2025
• 4351595915—JAN2026
• 5051595915—MAR2026
• 5052595915—MAR2026

Nestlé said in a statement, “We are confident that this is an isolated incident and have taken action to address it.” The company did not immediately respond to CR’s questions about how the material could have ended up in the products, but James E. Rogers, PhD, director of food safety and testing at CR, says materials like wood, plastic, and rubber can break off processing equipment during manufacturing and end up in the food. “Foreign objects in foods are a top reason why products are recalled,” he says. “They can cause mouth lacerations, broken teeth, digestive issues, or choking.”

“It’s all too easy to forget about the frozen foods you have in your freezer, so if you buy Lean Cuisine or Stouffer’s products, check to see if you have any of the recalled meals now while it’s top of mind,” Rogers says. If you do, return it to the store where you purchased it for a refund or throw it away. 

Consumers with questions can contact Nestlé USA at 800-681-1676, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.


Lisa L. Gill

Lisa L. Gill

Lisa L. Gill is an award-winning investigative reporter. She has been at Consumer Reports since 2008, covering health and food safety—heavy metals in the food supply and foodborne illness—plus healthcare and prescription drug costs, medical debt, and credit scores. Lisa also testified before Congress and the Food and Drug Administration about her work on drug costs and drug safety. She lives in a DIY tiny home, where she gardens during the day and stargazes the Milky Way at night.