April 17, 2023- Lunchables, the loveable miniature snack-pack filled with pieces of ham and crackers, or small DIY pizzas that have excited American children for years, won’t be only available at grocery stores. Students will be able to purchase them from their school or possibly receive them through a free lunch program. This revelation comes from Kraft Heinz, the manufacturer of Lunchables.
Starting this year, school administrators will be able able to purchase two different Lunchables offerings for the 2023-2024 school year: Turkey and Cheddar Cracker Stacker and Extra Cheesy Pizza. Much like the name suggests, the turkey and cheddar Lunchables include slices of turkey and cheddar with crackers, and the pizza option includes a Kraft cheese blend, pizza sauce and crusts. The two meals are stated to meet the National School Lunch Program guidelines.
Kraft Heinz has stated that the meals will have a change in recipe to meet the National School Lunch Program guidelines, and as such the, meals may have different taste compared to the store bought versions.
According to Kraft Heinz, the turkey and cheddar option comes in a 3.5-ounce container, includes 2-ounce equivalents of meat/meat alternative and 1-ounce equivalent of grain, and “meets whole grain rich criteria.” The pizza option is in a 5.05-ounce container and also includes 2-ounce equivalents of meat/meat alternative, 2-ounce equivalents of grain, 1/8 cup of red/orange vegetables and “meets whole grain rich criteria.”
To read more on the meals and their change in recipes, Kraft Heinz has presented a PDF stating more information on the meals.
