Are Lunchables healthy? An investigation

detroit – School mornings are busy for many families, so packaged lunch kits called Luntables help you quickly check “What’s for lunch?” box. But that convenience may come at a price, according to Consumer Reports.

Lunch menus and similar types of lunch kits are never healthy for children. CR’s testing found that these kits contained worrying sodium levels and harmful chemicals that could cause serious health problems over time.

Consumer Reports tested lunch and snack kits purchased at 12 stores and found that all had problematic levels of lead, cadmium, or both. Even small amounts of these heavy metals can cause developmental problems in children.

Kraft Heinz, the parent company of Lunchables, Oscar Mayer, and P3, told CR that “all of our food products meet rigorous safety standards,” adding, “Lead and cadmium are naturally occurring in the environment. , may be present at low levels in foods.” ” Smithfield Foods, which makes Armor Lunch Maker, said it adheres to “rigorous programs and policies that promote food safety and quality at every step of the value chain.” Target, which makes Good & Gather products, did not respond to CR’s request for comment.

The sodium levels in these kits are also very high, ranging from 460 to 740 mg, which is almost a quarter to half of the recommended daily limit for children. And versions included in some school lunch programs had even higher sodium levels. Children with high salt intake are about 40% more likely to develop high blood pressure than those on a low-sodium diet. ”

Smithfield Foods says, “Sodium is a key ingredient in many of our products, helping us meet customer and consumer demands for quality, reliability, flavor, and convenience.” Kraft Heinz and Maple Leaf Foods said it is working on ways to lower sodium levels.

So what can busy parents do to help their children make healthy food choices? CRs can look at school lunch menus at the beginning of the week to find nutritious items that children want to eat, or consider packing healthy whole grains, proteins, fruits, and vegetables into lunches at home. We recommend that you consider it.

CR also recommends that children drink water or regular milk with lunch, as the sugar content in juices and sweetened milk can add up quickly.