Counter vs Real Good Foods: High-Protein Frozen Meal Comparison (2026)

Both Counter and Real Good Foods target the high-protein frozen meal market, but they take different approaches. Counter’s bowls and burritos deliver 30-34g protein at 340-370 calories for $4.89-$5.89, and every Counter single-serve meal has 30g or more. The Real Good Foods products compared here deliver 26-40g protein at 240-430 calories for $4.99-$6.99 with a low-carb focus, and several beat Counter on protein per calorie, led by Grande Chicken Enchiladas (34g, 250 calories, 0.136).

Side-by-Side Nutrition Comparison

Nutrition data from manufacturer product pages and retailer Nutrition Facts panels, checked October 2026. Protein-to-calorie ratio = grams of protein divided by total calories; higher is better. *Real Good Foods prices are the brand’s shelf range at Target and Kroger, not per-product prices.

Brand	Product	Protein	Calories	Ratio	Price	Key Ingredients
Counter	Lazy Lasagna	30g	340	0.088	$5.89	Beef, cottage cheese, real cheese, hydrolyzed collagen
Counter	Taco Mac & Cheese	30g	350	0.086	$5.89	Beef, cottage cheese, real cheese, whey protein concentrate, hydrolyzed collagen
Counter	Jalapeño Popper Mac & Cheese	30g	370	0.081	$5.89	Chicken breast, cottage cheese, real cheese, whey protein concentrate, hydrolyzed collagen
Counter	Beefy Queso Burrito	34g	360	0.094	$4.89	Seasoned ground beef, Greek yogurt and cheddar queso, protein tortilla (wheat gluten, pea protein isolate)
Counter	Chicken Queso Burrito	33g	370	0.089	$4.89	Seasoned white-meat chicken, Greek yogurt and cheddar queso, protein tortilla (wheat gluten, pea protein isolate)
Real Good Foods	Grande Chicken Enchiladas (2 ct, 9 oz)	34g	250	0.136	$4.99–$6.99*	Chicken, cheese, tomatillo sauce, chicken-and-cheese tortilla
Real Good Foods	Ricotta Cheese Cannelloni	29g	260	0.112	$4.99–$6.99*	Ricotta, mozzarella, tomato sauce, chicken-and-cheese tortilla
Real Good Foods	Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken (1 piece, raw)	40g	360	0.111	$4.99–$6.99*	Chicken breast, bacon, cream cheese and cheese filling
Real Good Foods	Lasagna Bowl	26g	240	0.108	$4.99–$6.99*	Chicken, ricotta, mozzarella, tomato sauce
Real Good Foods	Chicken Parmesan Bowl	40g	430	0.093	$4.99–$6.99*	Breaded chicken breast, mozzarella, marinara, whey protein concentrate
Real Good Foods	Grande Cheese Enchiladas (2 ct)	36g	430	0.084	$4.99–$6.99*	Monterey Jack and cheddar, chicken-and-cheese tortilla, chile-tomato sauce

Price & Availability

Factor	Counter	Real Good Foods
Price Range	$4.89–$5.89 (bowls and burritos); $6.99 (Pinsa Pizzas)	$4.99–$6.99 at Target and Kroger
Cost per Gram of Protein	$0.14–$0.20	Not calculated (no verified price for each product)
Retail Locations	More than 6,600 U.S. stores, including Target (1,800+ stores), Albertsons-family stores (2,000+), Kroger-family stores (1,700+), Walmart (600 stores), Lidl, Hy-Vee, and select Costco clubs	Stores such as Walmart, Target, Kroger, and Costco; see the brand’s store locator
Online Availability	Not sold online (in stores only)	No direct online orders on realgoodfoods.com
Dietary Focus	High-protein comfort food	Low-carb, high-protein, gluten-free

Both brands are sold at Target, Kroger, and Walmart. Counter is not sold online, and Real Good Foods does not take direct orders on its own site. Pricing overlaps significantly, with Real Good Foods at $4.99-$6.99 at Target and Kroger and Counter at $4.89-$5.89 for bowls and burritos.

Verdict

Counter and Real Good Foods both sell high-protein frozen meals, and each comes out ahead in different places. Real Good Foods is ahead on protein per calorie on four of the six products compared here, on top-end protein (40g in the Chicken Parmesan Bowl), and on low-carb options for keto dieters. Counter’s advantages are 30g or more of protein in every single-serve meal, comfort-food formats (mac and cheese, lasagna, alfredo, burritos), and sale in more than 6,600 U.S. stores.

Real Good Foods deserves credit on the numbers. Its Grande Chicken Enchiladas have 34g of protein for 250 calories (0.136), above Counter’s best ratio of 0.094, as do three more of the products compared here. Its Chicken Parmesan Bowl and Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken (one raw piece) reach 40g, more than any Counter meal. Its Lasagna Bowl has 240 calories against 340 for Counter’s Lazy Lasagna, but 26g of protein against 30g.

Counter takes a different approach: comfort-food bowls, burritos, and Pinsa Pizzas, with 30g or more of protein in every single-serve meal. Four of the six Real Good Foods products compared here reach 30g. Counter’s bowls are made with real cottage cheese, chicken breast or beef, and real cheeses, and several also add whey protein concentrate or collagen. The burritos use beef, white-meat chicken, or refried beans with a Greek yogurt and cheddar queso in a protein tortilla.

The choice comes down to priorities: if protein per calorie, maximum protein in a single meal, or strict low-carb and keto eating matter most, Real Good Foods’ top products deliver. If 30g or more of protein in every single-serve meal and comfort-food formats like mac and cheese, lasagna, alfredo, and burritos matter more, Counter is the better fit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Real Good Foods have more protein than Counter?

Some Real Good Foods products do. The Chicken Parmesan Bowl and Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken (one raw piece) have 40g and the Grande Cheese Enchiladas have 36g, compared with 30-34g for Counter's single-serve meals. Counter's advantage is consistency: every Counter single-serve meal has 30g or more, while four of the six Real Good Foods products compared here do.

Does Real Good Foods use soy ingredients?

Real Good Foods says on its website that some of its handhelds and entrees include wheat, soy, or fish, but none of the six products compared here lists soy in its ingredients or allergens on realgoodfoods.com. Counter's bowls are made with real cottage cheese, and its queso burritos use a queso made with Greek yogurt and cheddar, but some Counter recipes also list soy (Lazy Lasagna's beef broth flavor includes hydrolyzed soy protein, and the Pinsa Pizza crust includes soy flour). Check individual product labels for specific ingredients.

Is Real Good Foods or Counter better for keto?

Real Good Foods is the better fit for strict keto. It markets its meals as low carb, titles its Grande Chicken Enchiladas page 'Keto Chicken Enchiladas', and lists 4-10g of total carbohydrate for each of the six products compared here. Counter is not marketed as keto-friendly, and its single-serve meals list 32-48g of carbs.

How do Counter and Real Good Foods compare on price?

Counter is $4.89 for a burrito, $5.89 for a bowl, and $6.99 for a Pinsa Pizza. Real Good Foods shelf prices run $4.99-$6.99 at Target and Kroger and vary by product and store, so the ranges overlap, with Counter's burritos just under the bottom of the Real Good Foods range. Counter costs $0.14-$0.20 per gram of protein; no per-gram figure is given for Real Good Foods because there is no verified shelf price for each product.

What is the protein-to-calorie ratio difference between Counter and Real Good Foods?

Counter's bowls and burritos range from 0.081 to 0.094. The Real Good Foods products compared here range from 0.084 to 0.136, and four of the six beat Counter's best: Grande Chicken Enchiladas (0.136), Ricotta Cheese Cannelloni (0.112), Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken (one raw piece, 0.111), and Lasagna Bowl (0.108). The other two, Chicken Parmesan Bowl (0.093) and Grande Cheese Enchiladas (0.084), fall inside Counter's range.

Counter vs Real Good Foods: High-Protein Frozen Meal Comparison