McCain Frozen Ready Meals & Snacks#109 of 120 in categoryRating 2.7/5

McCain Cheesy Pizza Fingers

Red flags

Red flag: High saturated fat (9.9g)
Red flag: Refined flour (maida) base
Red flag: Palm oil listed

Green flags

Green flag: High protein (12.5g per 100g)
Green flag: No added sugar

Ingredients, decoded

12 listed

Mozzarella Cheese (39.5%) (Milk, Iodized Salt, Active Culture, Microbial Enzyme, Anti-Caking Agent (INS460))
Bread Crumb (Refined Wheat Flour (Maida), Dextrose, Iodized Salt, Dried Yeast, Spices and Condiments (Paprika, Turmeric))
Water
Refined Palm Oil
Bread Crumb (Refined Wheat Flour (Maida), Dried Yeast, Iodized Salt, Maize Starch, Spices and Condiments (Paprika, Turmeric))
Batter (Refined Wheat Flour (Maida), Maize Starch, Iodized Salt, Thickener (INS 412), Sugar, Stabilizer (INS 464))
Maize Starch
Bread Crumb (Refined Wheat Flour (Maida), Dried Yeast, Dextrose, Iodized Salt, Spices and Condiments (Paprika, Turmeric))
Red Chilli Flakes
Iodized Salt
Oregano
Parsley

ConcernWorth watchingIn label order. Tap a highlighted one to learn more.

High saturated fatNutrition per 100 g

DNutritionBIngredients4Risk

Energy317 kcal

Protein12.5 g

Carbohydrates26.7 g

Total sugars1 g

Added sugars0 g

Total fat17.4 g

Saturated fat9.9 g

Trans fat0.1 g

Cholesterol10.1 mg

Sodium419.8 mg

Highlighted values exceed FSSAI and UK FSA front of pack thresholds.

Our take

CleanPlate review

Cheesy pizza fingers, 10 g saturated fat per 100 g

McCain Cheesy Pizza Fingers is a 250 g pack of frozen fried fingers with mozzarella cheese (the listing says 260 g; the pack says 250 g). The back panel is per 100 g; saturated and trans fat are printed as upper limits and the limits are used.

CleanPlate scores it DB4. The D for nutrition is low: only 12.5 g protein per 100 g and little else credited. The B for ingredients reflects a mix of whole and refined ingredients (led by mozzarella cheese, bread crumb and refined palm oil), with additives that cost points: guar gum, cellulose and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. The 4 for risk comes mainly from saturated fat (9.9 g per 100 g) and sodium (420 mg per 100 g).

Claims vs reality

What the pack says, checked against the ingredient list and nutrition panel.

On the pack
“Cheesy”
Holds
Mozzarella cheese leads the list.

How DB4 breaks down

Each grade is scored on its own. Here are the label numbers behind each one, per 100 g.

How we score →

01 Nutritional valueA to E

Low nutrient density

Protein: 12.5 g
Fibre: Not declared
Vitamins and minerals: None declared
Energy: 317 kcal

Scored on protein, fibre and twelve vitamins and minerals, against the Codex and FSSAI "source" and "high" levels, per 100 g and per 100 kcal.

02 Ingredient & label integrityA to E

Good, few concerning additives

Base: Mozzarella Cheese)
Main fat: Refined Palm Oil
Sweeteners: 3 types
Additives: 4
Flagged: Maida, Palm oil

Scored on how processed the ingredients are, which additives are used and why, and whether the label keeps its promises.

03 Risk nutrients1 to 5

High risk

Added sugar: 0 g
Sodium: 419.8 mg
Saturated fat: 9.9 g
Trans fat: 0.1 g

Scored on free sugar, sodium, saturated fat and trans fat, each weighed by how strong the evidence of harm is.

A closer look

Does the label add up?

Mozzarella cheese, breadcrumb, refined palm oil, batter and spices, with guar gum, cellulose and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose.

Per 100 g: 317 kcal, 17.4 g fat of which 9.9 g saturated, 1 g sugar of which 0 g added, 12.5 g protein, 420 mg sodium. Saturated fat and trans fat are printed as 'not more than' values and the limits are used. No added sugar line is printed (PRECAUTION_ADDED0).

Ingredients to watch

Saturated fatConcern
About 9.9 g per 100 g (an upper limit).
SodiumWorth watching
About 420 mg per 100 g.
ProteinWorth watching
About 12.5 g per 100 g.
Added sugarFine
None printed.

Common misconceptions

Myth: "Cheese fingers are a protein snack"

The protein comes with 17 g fat per 100 g.

Myth: "Air fry makes them light"

The cheese and palm oil already carry the saturated fat.

How often, and how

Healthy adultsA few times a week
ChildrenOccasionally
Diabetes or prediabetesOccasionally

Smarter ways to eat it

Bake, do not deep fry

Less added oil on top of the cheese.

Eat with a salad

Fibre and freshness balance the fat.

Common questions

Is McCain Cheesy Pizza Fingers healthy?

McCain Cheesy Pizza Fingers scores DB4 (Fair) on CleanPlate, which makes it an occasional-use product, where the concerns start to outweigh the positives. The main concerns are: High saturated fat (9.9g); Refined flour (maida) base; Palm oil listed. On the plus side: High protein (12.5g per 100g); No added sugar.

What does the DB4 score mean?

The first letter (D) grades nutritional value: low nutrient density. The second letter (B) grades ingredient and label integrity: good, few concerning additives. The number (4) grades risk nutrients (sugar, sodium, saturated fat): high risk.

Which ingredients in McCain Cheesy Pizza Fingers should I watch?

Bread Crumb (Refined Wheat Flour (Maida), Dextrose, Iodized Salt, Dried Yeast, Spices and Condiments (Paprika, Turmeric)) (Maida), Refined Palm Oil (Palm oil), Bread Crumb (Refined Wheat Flour (Maida), Dried Yeast, Iodized Salt, Maize Starch, Spices and Condiments (Paprika, Turmeric)) (Maida), Batter (Refined Wheat Flour (Maida), Maize Starch, Iodized Salt, Thickener (INS 412), Sugar, Stabilizer (INS 464)) (Maida), Bread Crumb (Refined Wheat Flour (Maida), Dried Yeast, Dextrose, Iodized Salt, Spices and Condiments (Paprika, Turmeric)) (Maida).

Last reviewed October 18, 2026. Scored with the CleanPlate method from the published label.

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