FOOD NEWS
How Lunchables Is Changing Its Iconic Recipes For Its School Cafeteria Debut
By Jennifer Waldera
The USDA helps schools to procure healthy food through the Food In Schools program, which sources food that is grown or produced in the United States. The USDA has vetted many products for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), but the newest one coming in the 2023-2024 school year has been a lunchbox favorite for years: Kraft Heinz's Lunchables.
After reformulating the meals to conform to the USDA's NSLP guidelines, Heinz Kraft will be offering two different Lunchables options: the Turkey and Cheddar Cracker Stacker and Extra Cheesy Pizza. Both offerings meet the whole-grain rich criteria and also contain two ounces of meat or a meat alternative, but the meals have a reduced amount of sugar and sodium.
Because the meals have been remade to fit the guidelines, some question if the flavors of the meals will remain similar to the originals, and others are concerned about the price of the products. Meanwhile, others are grateful for Heinz Kraft's innovation, citing the potential for the new offering to ease issues related to short staffing and the rising cost of food.