Walmart, Kroger recall dangerous ready-to-eat meals | Official Website of Louis Velazquez, entrepreneur, finance guy and tech innovator

Millions of people shop at Walmart and Kroger every month, and whether it’s just to pick up groceries or other household essentials, they trust that the chains will offer good prices on things they need.

That’s why news of a recall is always distressing, throwing into question whether a store can be trusted.

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That said, it’s not Walmart or Kroger’s fault that a product they carried was identified for recall. Unfortunately, recalls happen all the time.

Some data says that food recalls are getting more common then ever. Food recalls specifically increased by 15% between 2020 and 2024, per a Trace One analysis of data.

While you’ll be relieved to know that most food recalls are because of allergen contamination (nearly 38%), it’s distressing to know that bacterial contamination is the problem in 21.8% of cases.

Those recalls typically involve pathogens like salmonella, E. coli, and listeria.

Now a new recall has been announced for a ready-to-eat food product that you may have bought at Walmart or Kroger.

It’s time to check the fridge and make sure what’s inside is safe to consume.

Ready-to-eat meals have posed dangers across numerous states.

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USDA announces recalled chicken dishes

The U.S. Department of Agriculture on June 17 issued a recall of several ready-to-eat meal products made by FreshRealm, which supplies the Marketside and Home Chef lines to Walmart and Kroger.

The following products are included in the recall:

32.8-oz. tray packages containing “MARKETSIDE GRILLED CHICKEN ALFREDO WITH FETTUCCINE Tender Pasta with Creamy Alfredo Sauce, White Meat Chicken and Shaved Parmesan Cheese” with best-by date 06/27/25 or prior.
12.3 oz. tray packages containing “MARKETSIDE GRILLED CHICKEN ALFREDO WITH FETTUCCINE Tender Pasta with Creamy Alfredo Sauce, White Meat Chicken, Broccoli and Shaved Parmesan Cheese” with best-by date 06/26/25 or prior.
12.5 oz. tray packages containing “HOME CHEF Heat & Eat Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo with pasta, grilled white meat chicken, and Parmesan cheese” with best-by date 06/19/25 or prior.

According to the announcement, listeria from these products resulted in both deaths and a miscarriage.

“FSIS and public health partners are investigating an outbreak of Lm that currently includes 17 ill people in 13 states,” it reads. “As of June 17, 2025, there have been three reported deaths and one fetal loss associated with this outbreak.”

Several of the people who became ill purchased and consumed the chicken fettuccine alfredo products, and an outbreak strain collected from ill people between August 2024 and May 2025 also matched a sample from the ready-to-eat food in question.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) urges consumers who have purchased these products to dispose of them or return them to the store where they originally bought them.

How common is listeria?

While consuming food contaminated with listeria is a fairly rare occurrence, it can be a deadly one.

Every year 1,600 people are infected with listeria, and 260 people die from the infection, per the Centers for Disease Control.

People who are infected with listeria may think they have a stomach bug or what’s called food poisoning. The latter is correct. The most common symptoms are diarrhea, an upset stomach, and vomiting.

However, if the germs that cause the infection spread through the blood and reach the brain or spinal cord, new symptoms can appear such as fever, muscle aches, fatigue, headache, stiffness in the neck, confusion, a loss of balance, and even seizures.