Surprisingly High-Sodium Foods You're Eating Without Realizing

43. Boxed Macaroni & Cheese

A beloved comfort food and pantry staple, boxed mac & cheese gets its intense cheesy flavor and shelf stability from significant amounts of sodium in the powdered cheese sauce mix. Salt, sodium phosphates, and other sodium-containing flavor enhancers are key ingredients. A standard prepared serving often contains 600-800 mg of sodium, making it a major contributor, especially for children who might eat larger portions. Homemade versions allow for much better sodium control.

44. Canned Pasta Meals (e.g., SpaghettiOs)

Ready-to-eat canned pasta meals, popular for their convenience, especially with kids, are frequently high in sodium. Products like SpaghettiOs, canned ravioli, or other pasta shapes in tomato sauce rely heavily on salt for flavor preservation in the sauce. A single can typically contains 600-900 mg of sodium, sometimes more. Regularly consuming these adds substantial, often unnoticed, sodium to the diet. Opting for plain pasta with low-sodium sauce is a far healthier alternative.