Pop-Tarts vs Toaster Strudel: 30 g vs 18 g Added Sugar?

Pop-Tarts Frosted Strawberry and Pillsbury Toaster Strudel Strawberry are compared here only by what their labels state, and no winner is named. Per two-pastry serving, Pop-Tarts lists more calories (370 vs 340), more total sugars (31 g vs 19 g) and more added sugars (30 g vs 18 g), while Toaster Strudel lists more saturated fat (4.5 g vs 2.5 g). Both labels list Red 40, and the federal dye phase-out announced in 2025 is voluntary.

Key takeaways

• Per two-pastry serving, Pop-Tarts Frosted Strawberry lists 370 calories, 31 g total sugars and 30 g added sugars. Pillsbury Toaster Strudel Strawberry lists 340 calories, 19 g total sugars and 18 g added sugars.
• Pop-Tarts lists 2.5 g saturated fat and 310 mg sodium per serving. Toaster Strudel lists 4.5 g saturated fat and 320 mg sodium per serving.
• Neither brand discloses the percentage of strawberry in its pastry. Both fruit listings fall inside the '2% or less' group of the ingredient list.
• Both labels list Red 40 and Blue 1. Pop-Tarts also lists Yellow 6.
• Pop-Tarts contains gelatin and is not vegetarian. Toaster Strudel lists milk and may contain egg. Both list wheat.

Pop-Tarts Frosted Strawberry vs Pillsbury Toaster Strudel Strawberry at a Glance

The table below places the figures printed on each label side by side. Pop-Tarts figures come from the Open Food Facts entry for the 8-count, 13.5 oz box, because the brand site blocks automated access. Toaster Strudel figures come from Pillsbury's Strawberry Toaster Strudel page for the 6-count frozen package.

Label item	Pop-Tarts Frosted Strawberry (per 2 pastries)	Toaster Strudel Strawberry (per 2 pastries with icing)
Gram weight of serving	96 g	Not on brand page
Servings per package	4 per box	3 per container
Calories	370	340
Total fat	8 g	12 g
Saturated fat	2.5 g	4.5 g (24% DV)
Trans fat	Not disclosed in cited data	0 g
Cholesterol	Not disclosed in cited data	0 mg
Sodium	310 mg	320 mg (14% DV)
Total carbohydrate	71 g	54 g
Fiber	1 g	1 g
Total sugars	31 g	19 g
Added sugars	30 g	18 g (36% DV)
Protein	4 g	5 g
Iron	Not disclosed in cited data	2.1 mg

The table reports only what each label prints. Where a value is blank, the cited sources did not provide it, so no figure has been estimated.

Calories and Serving Size: How Each Pastry Is Labeled

Both brands print their nutrition panel per serving, but the serving is defined differently. Pop-Tarts defines one serving as two pastries weighing 96 g, with four servings per box. Pillsbury defines one serving as two pastries with icing, with three servings per container. The Toaster Strudel brand page does not give a gram weight, so this comparison does not state one.

Because the serving sizes are built differently, the per-pastry numbers are easier to compare if you check the arithmetic yourself. Dividing the labeled values by two gives roughly 185 calories and 15.5 g of total sugars per Pop-Tarts pastry. For Toaster Strudel, the same division gives 170 calories and 9.5 g of total sugars per pastry with icing. These are calculations from the printed serving values, not separate label claims.

Serving counts also change how a whole package adds up. Multiplying the labeled values by the number of servings gives about 1,480 calories for a full Pop-Tarts box and about 1,020 calories for a full Toaster Strudel container. Those totals assume the entire package is eaten, which is a reading of the label math, not a recommendation about portions.

• Check the serving line first, including the number of pastries and whether icing is counted.
• Confirm the gram weight when the package prints one, since some brand pages leave it out.
• Multiply by servings only if you want a whole-package total.

Sugar: 31 g vs 19 g Total Sugars Per Serving

How much sugar in a pop tart?

Two Pop-Tarts Frosted Strawberry pastries, listed as one 96 g serving, contain 31 g of total sugars, and 30 g of those are added sugars. Per single pastry, the arithmetic is about 15.5 g total sugars and 15 g added sugars.

How much sugar in a toaster strudel?

Two Pillsbury Toaster Strudel Strawberry pastries with icing, one labeled serving, contain 19 g of total sugars, and 18 g of those are added sugars. Per single pastry with icing, the arithmetic is about 9.5 g total sugars and 9 g added sugars. Icing is included in that serving count.

The FDA sets the Daily Value for added sugars at 50 g per day on a 2,000-calorie diet, and the Dietary Guidelines advise keeping added sugars below 10 percent of calories. On that Daily Value basis, the 30 g of added sugars in a Pop-Tarts serving works out to 60 percent of the reference amount, and the 18 g in a Toaster Strudel serving is printed on its label as 36 percent. The FDA explains how added sugars appear on the Nutrition Facts label.

For a sugar comparison of a different snack category, see Oreo vs Chips Ahoy: Which Has More Sugar? 14 g vs 10 g. Sugar figures are most useful when compared against the same serving size.

Saturated Fat, Sodium and Protein Side by Side

Per serving, Toaster Strudel lists more saturated fat, 4.5 g compared with 2.5 g for Pop-Tarts, and it lists more total fat, 12 g compared with 8 g. The Toaster Strudel label printed 24 percent of the Daily Value for saturated fat. The Pop-Tarts cited data does not provide a matching percentage, so no comparison of percent Daily Value is made for that item.

Sodium is close in the two labels. Pop-Tarts lists 310 mg per serving, and Toaster Strudel lists 320 mg, which the brand page prints as 14 percent of the Daily Value. Protein is 4 g for Pop-Tarts and 5 g for Toaster Strudel per serving.

The Toaster Strudel ingredient list includes hydrogenated palm oil, and its label shows 0 g of trans fat. Readers who want to understand that line should read the ingredient list alongside the Nutrition Facts panel rather than relying on the trans fat number alone. For a side-by-side look at sodium in another snack pair, see Cheez-It vs Goldfish: Ingredients, Sodium and Calories.

How Much Strawberry Is in Each? What the Ingredient Lists Show

Is there real fruit in pop tarts?

Yes, the Pop-Tarts Frosted Strawberry ingredient list names dried strawberries, dried pears and dried apples. All three appear in the group the label describes as '2% or less,' and the brand does not disclose the percentage of fruit in the pastry.

The Toaster Strudel Strawberry ingredient list names strawberry juice concentrate as its only strawberry ingredient. That item also falls in the '2% or less' group, and the brand does not disclose its percentage either.

Because neither brand states a fruit percentage, the labels cannot tell you how much of the filling is strawberry by weight. Ingredient order can show relative amounts only in a general way, and the '2% or less' grouping limits what can be read from the list. Readers who want to know the exact fruit content would need a figure from the manufacturer, and none was disclosed in the sources used here.

Which Dyes Appear on Each Label, and Where Red 40 Stands in 2026

Do pop tarts have red 40?

Yes, the Pop-Tarts Frosted Strawberry label lists Red 40, Yellow 6 and Blue 1, along with caramel color and turmeric extract color. The Toaster Strudel Strawberry label lists Red 40 and Blue 1, along with an unspecified 'artificial color' that the label does not name beyond those two dyes.

Red 40, also known as FD&C Red No. 40, is a synthetic dye.

On April 22, 2025, the FDA and HHS announced they would work with industry to eliminate six petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the food supply, including Red 40, Yellow 6 and Blue 1, by "the end of next year," meaning the end of 2026. It is a voluntary industry phase-out, not a ban.

Neither manufacturer's date for removing these dyes from these specific pastries was disclosed in the sources used here. For more dye-focused label checks, see 6 Snacks People Scan Most, and What Their Labels Say.

Does toaster strudel have tbhq?

Yes, the Toaster Strudel label lists TBHQ inside its preservatives group, which also includes sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate. Pop-Tarts lists TBHQ in its soybean and palm oil, described on the label as 'with tbhq for freshness.'

TBHQ, or tertiary butylhydroquinone, is a permitted antioxidant under 21 CFR 172.185. The regulation caps total antioxidant content at 0.02 percent of the food's oil or fat content. The amount of TBHQ in either pastry is not disclosed, so this comparison cannot state how much either product contains.

Does Either Label Contain Gelatin, Wheat, Milk or Egg?

Pop-Tarts Frosted Strawberry contains gelatin, which is an animal-derived ingredient, so the product is not vegetarian. The Toaster Strudel Strawberry ingredient list does not include gelatin.

Both labels list wheat. The Pop-Tarts label states that it contains wheat and soy ingredients. The Toaster Strudel allergen statement says it contains wheat and milk, and it may contain egg. Its ingredient list includes modified whey, which is a milk-derived ingredient. The cited Pop-Tarts text does not include a milk or egg allergen statement.

People who avoid these ingredients for medical, religious or dietary reasons should read the current package directly, since allergen statements and formulas can change. Label statements describe the product as declared, and they do not describe how any specific person will react.

How to Read These Labels Yourself and Compare Other Toaster Pastries

The same checklist works for most packaged breakfast pastries:

• Find the serving size, the number of servings and whether icing or filling is included.
• Compare total sugars and added sugars, then check the Daily Value line for added sugars.
• Read the ingredient list in order, and note any '2% or less' grouping that hides exact amounts.
• Check the dye list by name, including any vague entries such as 'artificial color.'
• Read the allergen statement, including 'may contain' language.
• Look for gelatin, modified whey and other animal-derived ingredients if you need to avoid them.

The evidence in this comparison has clear limits. Labels show what a company declares, but they cannot show how a specific person absorbs, tolerates or responds to a food. Formulas can change, so the current package is the final word.

If you want to check these two labels or any other packaged snack, you can scan the product yourself with the Aurascan app and review each ingredient on your own terms.