USDA Approves Lunchables for School Lunches

[LoreD]

Lunchables are going to be rolled out directly to students​

https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/13/business/lunchables-in-schools/index.html

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.

This would mark the first time Lunchables are directly entering schools, the company told CNN Business Tuesday. Kraft Heinz said the new products will be available nationwide to all school administrators to procure and offer to students either for purchase in the lunchroom – though the company did not disclose the cost to schools – or for free through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).

A Kraft Heinz (KHC) executive, speaking at the annual Consumer Analyst Group of New York conference on Feb. 21, first announced that the company was preparing to deliver its packaged ready-to-eat Lunchable kids meals directly to students by putting them in school cafeterias.

Carlos Abrams-Rivera, an executive vice president with Kraft Heinz, said two new varieties of Lunchables (separate from Lunchables sold in grocery stores), with “improved nutrition” that comply with the NSLP requirements, will be served in K-12 schools nationwide, beginning this fall.

 

[beancounter]

If it meets minimum nutritional and calorie requirements, and they allocate a certain percentage to poor children, then I'm fine with it.

Food security for dependent children is more important than whether something is vegan or not.

 

[Lou]

Lunchables don't HAVE to be unhealthy. there used to be a company called Yumble that made healthy versions, Even Kraft lunchables don't HAVE to be unhealthy. Just leave out the nitrates, sodium, and saturated fats.

 

[LoreD]

Lunchables don't HAVE to be unhealthy. there used to be a company called Yumble that made healthy versions, Even Kraft lunchables don't HAVE to be unhealthy. Just leave out the nitrates, sodium, and saturated fats.

But they are really unhealthy. I'm old enough to remember when for profit corporations were banned from providing school lunches.

Lunch ladies were making homemade bread, pies, and cakes in the morning. We could smell the bread baking, and the food cooking all through the building. We had a two week lunch rotation, and everything was made from scratch.

Most other countries make healthy nutritious meals.

An average Lunchable has 44 unpronounceable ingredients.

Here is the school lunch in Japan:




School lunch in France:

 

[silva]

When my kids were in grade school I would buy them for a field trip lunch. They were about the worst foods.
It's bad enough poor communities are food deserts, barren of fresh produce. Schools should be subsidised with healthy alternatives and garden

 

[LoreD]

When my kids were in grade school I would buy them for a field trip lunch. They were about the worst foods.
It's bad enough poor communities are food deserts, barren of fresh produce. Schools should be subsidised with healthy alternatives and garden

My issue is that I think that Lunchables will be the lunches for low income schools.

I worked in some high income schools. These were some of the wealthiest school districts in the country. Their lunch programs were run like restaurants. Chefs running the lunch program. Some of them didn't have low income lunch income programs. Nobody qualified, not even their staff's children.

The wealthy schools have salad bars and restaurant quality meals, while the poor schools get Lunchables.

 

[Emma JC]

these are the contents...

The packaging for the turkey and cheddar Lunchables option is described as a 3.5 ounce container. The document said it contains 2-ounce equivalents MMA (meat/meat alternative), one ounce equivalent of grain and “meets whole grain rich criteria” of the NSLP. Kraft Heinz said Tuesday that it contains 6g of saturated fat and 930mg of sodium.


The extra cheesy pizza option comes in a 5.05 ounce container and contains 2 ounces equivalent of MMA, 2 ounce equivalents of grain, 1/8 cup of red/orange vegetable, 7g of saturated fat, 700 mg of sodium and “meets whole grain rich criteria” of the NSLP.

so gross ... here's the link that I took the above from - there are photos there

Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com

 

[Lou]

in defense of myself, I said that Lunchables didn't HAVE to be unhealthy
I even referede to a company that made healthier Lunchables. It can be done.
And in defense of the NSLP, they stated that before Lunchables would be adopted they would have to meet the NSLP requirements. I'm assuming that in their present form they do not.

I do see the adoption of lunchables as a step in the wrong direction. I did watch Michale Moore's Where to Invade Next, and really liked what I saw of the lunch program in a school in France. But I worry about both practicality and also what economists call opportunity cost - you can't spend money everywhere.

So I'm kind of thinking that the adoption of lunchables is not an All-Bad thing. Kids and moms seem to like them.

 

[Lou]

In a semi related piece of news.

There is a bill being proposed in the California Legislature to ban Skittles and some other candies and junk food. They contain toxic chemicals. FYI, these chemicals are already banned in the EU

The chemicals, currently banned in the European Union, are found in numerous snack staples including Skittles, Mountain Dew, Ding Dongs (with red heart sprinkles) and a host of other ubiquitous food items.​

Skittles, Hot Tamales could be banned due to new California bill - Los Angeles Times

TG regular Ding Dongs are not on the list.

 

[silva]

My issue is that I think that Lunchables will be the lunches for low income schools.

I worked in some high income schools. These were some of the wealthiest school districts in the country. Their lunch programs were run like restaurants. Chefs running the lunch program. Some of them didn't have low income lunch income programs. Nobody qualified, not even their staff's children.

The wealthy schools have salad bars and restaurant quality meals, while the poor schools get Lunchables.

Exactly.
There should never be such disparity in education, clean air and water, living conditions and food regardless of income. It's the highest earners who have ruined so much by stealing it for themselves

 

[silva]

In a semi related piece of news.

There is a bill being proposed in the California Legislature to ban Skittles and some other candies and junk food. They contain toxic chemicals. FYI, these chemicals are already banned in the EU

The chemicals, currently banned in the European Union, are found in numerous snack staples including Skittles, Mountain Dew, Ding Dongs (with red heart sprinkles) and a host of other ubiquitous food items.​

Skittles, Hot Tamales could be banned due to new California bill - Los Angeles Times

TG regular Ding Dongs are not on the list.

Whoa. I forgot about Skittles. Are they still free of gelatin? They were a candy I could cave into, that little bag could last me a while!

(when I saw the headline about banning Skittles I thought it was Desantis because they could be inferred as promoting lgbt acceptance)

 

[shyvas]

I've never heard of them before so googled. They look like crap and highly processed snack food.

 

[Deleted member 3018]

If it's really unhealthy, no one is actually saving any money, because of the future health problems.

Ideally every school should have a garden. Making raised beds is possible even on top of concrete.

 

[LoreD]

One of the issues with allowing for profit companies to provide our school lunches is how much goes to the company.

I watched a documentary about a school district that fired the Fortune 500 company that provided lunches, and hired a fully trained chef to plan the lunch program. They asked him how he could provide a healthy lunch when the major company couldn't. He said that 1/3rd of the lunch funds left the school and went to funding corporate offices, executive bonuses, corporate jets, and dividends to stockholders. $1 went to overhead, $1 to food, and $1 was corporate profit. Since the program was now run by the district; $1 would go to overhead, and $2 to food.

This is the Lunchables problem. It means the gutting of low income school lunch programs. You don't even need the minimal staff hired to heat up the frozen pizza and burger patties, just a stack of Lunchables sitting by the cafeteria door.

 

[MargueriteVargas]

Lunchables are going to be rolled out directly to students​

https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/13/business/lunchables-in-schools/index.html
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.

This would mark the first time Lunchables are directly entering schools, the company told CNN Business Tuesday. Kraft Heinz said the new products will be available nationwide to all school administrators to procure and offer to students either for purchase in the lunchroom – though the company did not disclose the cost to schools – or for free through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).

A Kraft Heinz (KHC) executive, speaking at the annual Consumer Analyst Group of New York conference on Feb. 21, first announced that the company was preparing to deliver its packaged ready-to-eat Lunchable kids meals directly to students by putting them in school cafeterias.
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Carlos Abrams-Rivera, an executive vice president with Kraft Heinz, said two new varieties of Lunchables (separate from Lunchables sold in grocery stores), with “improved nutrition” that comply with the NSLP requirements, will be served in K-12 schools nationwide, beginning this fall.

Kraft Heinz stated that the new Lunchables products will be accessible to all school administrators nationwide. Students will have the option to purchase them in the lunchroom, although the article does not disclose the cost to schools. Alternatively, the Lunchables may be provided for free through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).

 

[Lou]

Kraft Heinz stated that the new Lunchables products will be accessible to all school administrators nationwide. Students will have the option to purchase them in the lunchroom, although the article does not disclose the cost to schools. Alternatively, the Lunchables may be provided for free through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).

What do you think? Good news or Bad?

 

[Lou]

Thank you ... Ongoing discussions and efforts to improve school lunch programs can lead to positive changes and better choices for students in the future.

You sound like a robot here to promote Techzapk.