Kraft Heinz announced it has removed Lunchables from the National School Lunch Program, months after Consumer Reports said sodium levels in the lunch kits were too high.
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Lunchables will no longer be on the menu at schools around the United States.
Kraft Heinz, the company that produces Lunchables, announced Tuesday that it will remove the meal kits from the National School Lunch Program.
The company pulled the product because demand did not reach its targets, but it plans to revisit the idea in the future, according to an emailed statement from Kraft Heinz.
The decision comes after Consumer Reports tested the school versions of the grocery store snacks and found high levels of sodium, lead and cadmium.
“We’re pleased that Heinz Kraft has pulled Lunchables from the school lunch program,” Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports said in a statement. “The USDA should maintain stricter eligibility standards for the school lunch programs so that the millions of kids that depend on it get the healthier options they deserve.”
The National School Lunch Program –– a federally assisted program that provides low-cost and free nutritionally balanced lunches to students –– serves nearly 30 million kids, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service.
Consumer Reports found that the kits, which were created specifically for the school lunch program, contained even higher levels of sodium than those available in the grocery store.
Sodium levels in the store-bought lunch and snack kits it tested ranged from 460 to 740 milligrams per serving, or “nearly a quarter to half of a child’s daily recommended limit for sodium,” Consumer Reports said.
The turkey and cheddar school versions of Lunchables contained 930 milligrams of sodium, compared to 740 milligrams in the store-bought version.
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CNN — normal
Lunchables will no longer be on the menu at schools around the United States.
Kraft Heinz, the company that produces Lunchables, announced Tuesday that it will remove the meal kits from the National School Lunch Program.
The company pulled the product because demand did not reach its targets, but it plans to revisit the idea in the future, according to an emailed statement from Kraft Heinz.
The decision comes after Consumer Reports tested the school versions of the grocery store snacks and found high levels of sodium, lead and cadmium.
“We’re pleased that Heinz Kraft has pulled Lunchables from the school lunch program,” Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports said in a statement. “The USDA should maintain stricter eligibility standards for the school lunch programs so that the millions of kids that depend on it get the healthier options they deserve.”
The National School Lunch Program –– a federally assisted program that provides low-cost and free nutritionally balanced lunches to students –– serves nearly 30 million kids, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service.
Sodium levels in the school lunches
Two types of Lunchables were brought into the school lunch program last year: Turkey & Cheddar Cracker Stackers and Extra Cheesy Pizza.Consumer Reports found that the kits, which were created specifically for the school lunch program, contained even higher levels of sodium than those available in the grocery store.
Sodium levels in the store-bought lunch and snack kits it tested ranged from 460 to 740 milligrams per serving, or “nearly a quarter to half of a child’s daily recommended limit for sodium,” Consumer Reports said.
The turkey and cheddar school versions of Lunchables contained 930 milligrams of sodium, compared to 740 milligrams in the store-bought version.
Lunchables removed from national school lunch program | CNN Business
Kraft Heinz is removing its Lunchables meal kits from the national school lunch program, months after Consumer Reports raised concerns about high levels of sodium in the kits.
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