Lean Cuisines Across the Country Are Being Recalled for “Wood-Like Material”

Nestlé USA is voluntarily recalling several of the company’s Lean Cuisine and Stouffer’s frozen meals over the presence of “wood-like material.”

The recall involves certain batches of Lean Cuisine Butternut Squash Ravioli, Lean Cuisine Spinach Artichoke Ravioli, Lean Cuisine Lemon Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry, and Stouffer’s Party Size Chicken Lasagna that were produced between August 2024 and March 2025, according to a safety alert from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The recalled products were distributed to stores across the country from September 2024 through March 2025. 

“We are taking this action after consumers contacted Nestlé USA about this issue, including one potential choking incident to date,” says Nestlé USA in a public statement. 

Here’s a breakdown of the impacted products, including their batch numbers and best before dates, according to the FDA:

• Lean Cuisine Butternut Squash Ravioli: 4261595912, OCT2025; 4283595912, NOV2025; 4356595912, JAN2026; 5018595912, FEB2026; and 5038595912, MAR2026
• Lean Cuisine Spinach Artichoke Ravioli: 4311595912, DEC2025; 5002595912, FEB2026; 5037595912, MAR2026; and 5064595912, APR2026
• Lean Cuisine Lemon Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry: 4214595511 , SEPT2025
• Stouffer's Party Size Chicken Lasagna: 4262595915 , OCT2025; 4351595915, JAN2026; 5051595915, MAR2026; and 5052595915, MAR2026

No other Lean Cuisine and Stouffer’s products are part of the recall at this time. “The quality, safety and integrity of our products remain our number one priority,” a Nestlé spokesperson tells Well+Good. “Nestlé products that are not impacted by the recall are safe to consume.”

Why is this recall dangerous?

There are a few reasons why the recalled meals could be dangerous. Particularly, choking hazards. “Wood fragments in food can cause choking, as well as the potential for internal injury and digestive blockage,” says Ellen Shumaker, PhD, director of outreach for the Safe Plates program at North Carolina State University.

Wood fragments can be “particularly dangerous” if they splinter or are large enough to obstruct an airway, leading to choking, according to Darin Detwiler, author of the book Food Safety: Past, Present, and Predictions and a professor at Northeastern University. Mouth or throat injuries are also a concern, he says. If several choking or other health issues are linked to this recall, “Nestlé could face FDA scrutiny, liability claims, or increased pressure to improve quality control processes,” according to Detwiler. 

Wood-like materials could even cause dental damage, according to Wade Syers, DSocSci, extension specialist for food safety at Michigan State University Extension.

“The quality, safety and integrity of our products remain our number one priority; Nestlé products that are not impacted by the recall are safe to consume.”

How does ‘wood-like material’ end up in frozen foods?

Nestlé hasn’t provided any details about how the “wood-like material” ended up in the recalled products. However, food safety experts say that there are a few ways that a contaminant like this might end up in food. 

“Foreign materials such as ‘wood-like material’ in frozen meals can enter the food supply chain through multiple points in production, often as a result of ingredient sourcing, processing equipment, or packaging contamination,” Detwiler says.

The wood or wood-like materials can also get into food if the shipping pallets that are used to transport ingredients or products start to deteriorate or splinter. “They can puncture food packaging, ultimately contaminating the food inside the packaging,” Shumaker says. 

“Degraded machinery components may [also] shed into food during manufacturing,” according to Detwiler.

Some frozen meals are stored in warehouses where wood-based pallets or containers are used; fragments from those materials could accidentally end up in the food, Detwiler points out. “Of course, there may be a concern over human error or cross-contamination,” he adds. “If food processing lines are not properly inspected or cleaned, foreign material can persist from one batch to another.”

What to do if you have these frozen meals at home

If you have one of these frozen meals at home, do not prepare or eat it. Instead, the FDA recommends that you return it to the place where you purchased the product for a full refund, or contact Nestlé USA at (800) 681-1676 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST. 

If you’ve already eaten one of these meals, Shumaker says it’s a good idea to contact your doctor for specific advice on next steps.