It really is amazing so many of us made it out of childhood alive. 😅 😬
I grew up on Lunchables, and now, all these years later, it turns out these things may contain high levels of lead, sodium, and more.
A consumer advocacy group recently tested 12 store-bought Lunchables produced by Kraft Heinz, as well as similar lunch and snack kits.
Their findings revealed "high levels of lead and cadmium" in the Lunchables kits.
The petition from Consumer Reports (CR) says "relatively high levels of lead" and cadmium were found in the Lunchables, which isn't exactly a scientific measurement since we don't know what it is relative to, but anything involving elevated lead in a kid's product is cause for concern.
Likewise, cadmium is also a human carcinogen.
According to CR, the sodium content in the kits varied from 460 to 740 milligrams per serving, which is around a quarter to half of what a kid should have in a day (salt, salt, and more salt!). Additionally, CR reported that all but one of the kits contained harmful phthalates, which are chemicals present in plastic associated with reproductive problems, diabetes, and certain cancers.
After all those Lunchables I've consumed, how on Earth have I made it to the age of [redacted]?!
What's even more crazy is that the National School Lunch Program distributes these lunch kits to schools as of fall 2023.
Kraft Heinz has succeeded in getting its ready-to-eat packaged Lunchables into school lunch programs starting this fall, in a major new initiative. But the company had to reformulate the ingredients to ensure the products meet federal guidelines first.
More from WaPo:
Consumer Reports' findings follow a Washington Post investigation last year that showed how powerful food companies get ultra-processed foods such as Lunchables to qualify for the National School Lunch Program through years of extensive lobbying to lower government nutrition standards.
A spokesperson for Kraft Heinz Lunchables defended their products (because duh), saying their offerings provide a "good source of protein" and nutrients.
We've taken great steps to improve the nutrition profile of Lunchables.
...
All our foods meet strict safety standards that we happily feed to our own families. Lead and cadmium occur naturally in the environment and may be present in low levels in food products. We are proud of Lunchables and stand by the quality and integrity that goes into making them.
Meanwhile, the director of food policy at CR, Brian Ronholm, said that Lunchables are "not a healthy option for kids and shouldn't be allowed on the menu as part of the National School Lunch Program." A spokesperson from the USDA stated that the agency takes their responsibility "very seriously" in ensuring "school meals are of the highest nutritional quality."
Importantly, USDA doesn't allow or disallow individual food items. Our requirements address the overall content of meals — some of them on a daily basis and others on a weekly basis.
CR says you should pair Lunchables with fruit, veggies, and milk to help balance out all the terrible things in there.
(Basically, give your kids basic/homemade food items instead of processed ones and they'll be healthier ... genius!)
Lunchables were always a favorite of mine. I felt like a little chef putting together my cheese and crackers, gourmet pizzas, and hot dogs.
But I do remember the day they stopped tasting right to me ... it must have been my body rejecting all that lead.
I'll leave you with some nostalgia.
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