JACKSONVILLE, Fla – Lunchables are convenient, inexpensive and often a favorite among children, but, according to Consumer Reports, they are full of sodium and harmful chemicals like lead.
CR’s researchers say the USDA should remove Lunchables from the National School Lunch Program. Kraft Heinz, the company behind the pre-packaged lunches targeted at children, defends the safety of the 35-year-old product -- but some parents are now looking for alternatives.
I showed my 9-year-old daughter an interview New4JAX did in April with Consumer Reports, explaining the dangers their researchers found in Lunchables.
We don’t eat them often in my house to begin with, but my daughter, who isn’t the most adventurous eater, does like them. Even so, she immediately told me she was done with Lunchables, I guess the idea of eating lead for lunch didn’t sit well with her.
That sparked a conversation about healthier alternatives, but I wanted to find options my children would actually eat. With some expert help and a little taste-testing, we eventually made some changes for the better.
5 guidelines for healthier lunches
I recruited Atlantic Beach Certified Nutritionist Katie Hammill to go shopping because so much of the food marketed to children and families isn’t the healthiest.
“I work with a lot of families and kids around kind of getting kids involved, getting kids to become adventurous eaters,” said Hammill.
Hammill teaches families to prepare lunch using five guidelines.
First, instead of grabbing that Lunchables container, buy your own.
“Finding a good lunch box, finding an easy one, finding one that’s kind of fun. I love these ones from Yumbox. Because the second tip is following a formula,” said Hammill.
A Bento-style, BPA-free lunchbox can last all year, and some spell out the healthy lunch formula on the actual lunchbox.
Hammill said your child’s lunch should include fruits, veggies, dairy, grains and protein.
“Tonight, you can sit down and ask, what are the list of proteins, you’d be totally OK to see in your lunch? What are the fruits and vegetables you like? Or that you’re open to trying? So we get that and we can pin that up on the fridge and it’s a lot easier when packing lunches,” Hammill said.
Hammill explained parents shouldn’t overthink it. Healthier options are typically basic.
I asked specifically about grain options.
“So this would be any sort of starchy carb. So crackers or popcorn are a great whole grain. So there’s a lot of different bread you could use. Cut up little sandwiches,” said Hammill.
Her third and fourth pieces of advice are to prepare lunch in advance and pack it the night before.
“Always make extra the night before. It’s going to be easier for you. If you’ve got protein prepped, if you did shredded chicken or something like that, you could put some of that for protein in the lunch the next day. If you did hard-boiled eggs, they’d be ready for lunch the next day,” said Hammill.
We shopped at Winn-Dixie for some grab-and-go items that Hammill does recommend, like single-serve guacamole, salsa or hummus. You can put them in the bento-style lunchbox or buy them pre-packed.
“Kids love to dip things. So really good healthy fats for their brains are fun,” Hammill said.
Whole fruit is always better than fruit juice.
“Fruit is going to have the fiber in it. It also takes longer to digest,” said Hammill.
Part of the problem with Lunchables, Hammill explained, is that everything is processed.
“Any sort of processed meat, any sort of processed food can contain artificial contaminants. That’s what lead is. Lead is a kind of a naturally occurring mineral, but we don’t want it in our food system,” said Hammill.
So even when you pick deli meat, look for nitrate-free, check the sodium levels and take control of what’s inside your kid’s lunch.
Passing the taste test
We purchased some foods that Hammill said are better choices, Greek yogurt, Winn Dixie brand Know and Love granola, caramel flavored rice cakes, dried apples, frozen strawberries, Annie’s organic bunnies, fruit snacks that really are a full serving of fruit and almond flour crackers.
Then, we took them back to our kid taste testers, because Hammill’s fifth guideline is to get the kids involved.
Watch our taste test below:
These discerning palates did not hesitate to express their true feelings about our choices.
We heard the good, the bad and the delicious -- but it got the kids thinking, tasting and choosing healthier options.
Hammill encourages families to get the kids involved at the grocery store and when packing lunches so that they feel like they’re part of the process.
One last thing Hammill pointed out is eating Lunchables every now and then is OK, but when you eat them every day for school lunch, that’s when you need to take a look at what’s on your kid’s menu.