Check your freezer before taco night: Morningstar Farms has voluntarily pulled two of its frozen staples after warning that small pieces of plastic may have made their way into some packages. The recall covers Buffalo Chik'n Nuggets and Hot & Spicy Sausage Patties in select 10.5-ounce and 8-ounce sizes, affecting products shipped across the United States, Puerto Rico, and Costa Rica.
In a statement, the company said it is acting "because of possible plastic pieces in the food" and stressed that no other Morningstar Farms products are part of the recall, according to PR Newswire. The June 18 release lays out the specific SKUs and identifying codes for shoppers to match against what is in their freezer.
The warning quickly spread beyond corporate press rooms. PIX11 highlighted the affected products and walked consumers through the company’s customer-service steps, while local TV outlets and food-safety sites amplified the alert through the weekend, urging people to double-check their frozen stash before dinner.
Which products are affected
According to the company’s notice, the recalled U.S. items are Morningstar Farms Buffalo Chik'n Nuggets (10.5 oz) - UPC 00028989101105 - and Morningstar Farms Hot & Spicy Sausage Patties (8 oz) - UPC 00028989100948. The recalled packs carry "Better If Used Before" dates in early July 2027. The official recall lists the exact dates and UPC combinations and instructs consumers to throw out affected items or contact the company for a full refund, per PR Newswire. Shoppers are urged to carefully compare the UPC and date codes on their boxes before deciding what to keep or toss.
Why this matters
Even tiny plastic fragments in frozen or ready-to-eat foods can create a real problem at the dinner table, from choking hazards to cuts and injuries in the mouth or digestive tract. That kind of risk is exactly why companies tend to pull a product quickly when there is any sign that something went wrong on the production line.
This is not Morningstar’s first safety scare. Back in 2015, the brand recalled two black bean burger varieties because of an undeclared peanut allergen, a move that underscored how one supplier or production slip can reverberate across large food chains. Food Logistics covered that earlier recall.
What to do if you bought these packs
If your freezer holds either of these products, the guidance is simple: do not eat them. Toss the packages or bring them back to the store for a refund. For help, customers can call Morningstar’s Consumer Affairs line at 800-962-0120 (Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM ET) or text 877-453-5837, according to PIX11. It is a good idea to hang on to the box or snap a clear photo of the UPC and date code in case your retailer or the company asks for proof of purchase.
Morningstar says it is investigating how the plastic contamination occurred and is working with retailers to get affected products off shelves. This story will be updated if the company or regulators release additional details.
