We all know Lunchables — the miniature snack-pack filled with pieces of ham and crackers, or small DIY pizzas that have excited American children for years.
Now, Lunchables won't only be available at grocery stores nationwide, but at schools where children can buy them directly or receive them through a free lunch program, Kraft Heinz announced Tuesday.
Starting this year, school administrators will be able to buy two different Lunchables offerings for the 2023-2024 school year: Turkey and Cheddar Cracker Stacker and Extra Cheesy Pizza, Kraft Heinz spokesperson Jenna Thornton told NBC News.
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.
Thornton said the two Lunchables now meet National School Lunch Program guidelines and "have a specialized recipe that incorporates more protein and whole grains," "reduced saturated fat and sodium, and an increased serving size."
"Not only does Lunchables keep kids powered throughout the day but it powers kids’ creativity and fun during mealtime," Thornton said.
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."
Ingredients for the turkey and cheddar Lunchables include roasted turkey with added smoke flavor, as well as preservatives such as sodium nitrate and tertiary butylhydroquinone, or TBHQ, while the pizza option includes sodium benzoate, a preservative that's common in processed foods, a study published last year in the journal Nutrients noted.
CORRECTION (March 14, 2023, 5:59 p.m. ET): A previous version of this article misstated the source of the information about sodium benzoate. It was a study published in the journal Nutrients, not the National Library of Medicine.
