Lunchables: The Other School Lunch
“Mom, can I have that? Pleeeeeease?!” If you’ve ever gone grocery shopping with a kid, it’s more than likely you’ve heard that phrase. Sometimes it’s for cookies, sometimes it’s for ice cream and sometimes it’s for Lunchables. But what’s a Lunchable?
Lunchables were introduced by Oscar Meyer in 1988. Originally marketed as a convenience food, they have since become standard fare in many lunchboxes across the country, with varieties such as pizza, nachos, chicken nuggets and ham and cheese. At first glance, Lunchables seem an acceptable alternative to school lunches. After all, the rolls are made “with whole grains”, there’s a fair amount of protein in them and they seem like complete meals. And they are fun to put together; much more fun than a sandwich or soup. But upon further inspection, and while Lunchables appear fun to eat (as the slogans “Make fun of lunch” or “Lunch your tummy right” imply), there is actually very little nutritional value to the product.
Having never eaten a Lunchable myself (I’d always been too scared of them), I decided it was time to do so (for research purposes). I purchased the Turkey and American Cheese Cracker Stackers. It was hard to decide which one to buy—the section with the Lunchables is fairly large and there are a lot of choices! I decided to purchase one that seemed “healthier” and more like a traditional lunch. But the Lunchable told a different story when I unpacked it. The food, which was comprised of Ritz crackers, little circles of processed turkey, American cheese, Capri Sun and a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, looked a bit like the plastic food my daughter uses to play with in her kitchen. Not exactly something that just screams healthy (or edible).
The food is also ridiculously monochrome. The crackers are beige, the turkey is some sort of white/beige combo, there’s yellow cheese and brown candy. The only splash of color is the not picture juice (red) and the Peanut Butter Cup wrapper (orange). Not exactly the rainbow hues recommended by the USDA.
In addition to looking pale and tragic, as well as inedible, there is almost no nutritional value to the food. See for yourself:
You’ll notice that 35% of the daily recommended amount of sodium is in this box (to the company’s credit, this is down from 75% when Lunchables were first introduced), along with 28% of the daily recommended fat and almost no vitamins. There’s also only 1 gram of fiber; according to an article by Dr. Mary Gavin, fiber is a key element to a healthy diet since it helps with the sense of fullness without adding calories, as well as aiding in digestion.
How about those ingredients:
That’s a lot of ingredients for crackers, turkey, cheese, juice and one piece of candy. I can’t even pronounce many of them! I don’t feel good about feeding children ingredients I can’t pronounce or spell without assistance. Given the exhaustive list of ingredients, Lunchables don’t exactly seem like the type of food worthy of the “Sensible Solutions” label. Yet in 2005, for certain Lunchables, that is exactly what happened. (Scary.)
Then there’s the taste. My husband, my daughter and I all gave parts of the Lunchable a try (I’m a vegetarian so I passed on the turkey). I found that the cheese tasted awful and had a rubbery texture while the cracker tasted like some sort of cracker/cardboard box combo (and I generally like Ritz crackers). My daughter was initially skeptical of the food (she actually asked “That’s turkey, right?”) but, like most kids, she enjoyed it overall. My husband, however, had the best reaction. After he was done sampling the Lunchable, he said “If I was starving and at a 7-11, I would choose a candy bar or a hot dog over one of these” (and this is from a man who eats scrapple).
Lunchables have long come under fire for their lack of nutritional value and contribution to childhood obesity. In fact, in 2004, the UK distributor of Lunchables removed Capri Sun and candy from the product and replaced them with orange juice and strawberry yogurt; the US has recently done the same, but only on a select variety of products (Wikipedia). Although that new line of products has made some strides in reducing the calories, sodium and fat, there is still some debate as to whether or not the new products actually qualify as “wholesome“. Check out this breakdown of the new Turkey and Cheese sub (part of the “wholesome” line); it’s pretty eye opening regarding what we as a society are now considering “wholesome” food.
I understand that, on the surface, Lunchables are enticing. They are easy, convenient, effortless, and come in varieties of foods that kids like to eat (nothing bothers a parent more than packing lunch only to find out it went straight to the trash or got traded away). But if you take an objective look at the nutrition information and the quality of the food, is that convenience worth it?
For more information on Lunchables, visit the product’s website. You’ll be glad you did.
Jana Lynch is a regular mom who’s concerned with what her kid eats. You can follow her disasters, adventures and try some of her recipes, all of which can be found on her blog, The Empty Kitchen.
lunchables were not a regular lunch for me, but my mom did let me have them sometimes and i loved them…the cheese pizza one was my favorite. i think the concept of lunchables is good- they're inexpensive, they're already made, and kids like them, but to be considered a good alternative to school lunch, they need to be much healthier.
Not to mention the environmental waste with all of that packaging. You can easily make your own version that tastes better and looks better.
I know I've mentioned in past comments that quite a few kids in the cafeteria bring Lunchables for lunch. Some have them 3-4 times a week!
When my son was in elem. school I bought them a few times but I didn't like the cost. You can put something very similar together yourself for far less than what that single lunch costs.
I can only imagine the amount of sodium between the sandwich meat, cheese and crackers.
I remember begging my mom to buy me Lunchables when I was a kid (I'm 23 now). She was more concerned over the rather high cost of the "meal" for the amount of food you get, but they were certainly a rare treat. Like so many of the common foods for kids these days, Lunchables are fine as an occasional treat, but should never be seen as a consistent substitute for real food.
Not to mention the environmental waste with all of that packaging. You can easily make your own version that tastes better and looks better.
thanks:)
I used to beg my mom to buy me lunchables! It was what all the cool kids had for lunch 🙂 Now, I think they are a great occasional treat, but shouldn't be a regular lunch. I was appalled to see some kids bring two regular lunchables for "snacks" and one Maxed Out Lunchable (yes, these do exist) for lunch when I worked as a camp counselor. Yikes!
Completely scary! And these have been sold for more than 20 years!
Scary!
I used to BEGGGG for these when I was a kid! How gross!
I worked for a summer camp one year and I was shocked about the number of kids who brought those EVERY DAY. It was not nearly enough food for them, and having bought some in a pinch for myself and my kids one day, the meat tastes awful. The cheese pizza one is okay tasting, but still not good for you. I make my own with stuff I buy at the store, cheaper overall and tastes much better.
Lunchables are so terrible. Has anyone noticed too, that the portion size of lunchables have grown much bigger over the last several years?
To momof3: EXACTLY! Better food, more variety and much less waste!
That Pearl
I was never allowed to have lunchables. My mother said they were not a real lunch and they were too expensive. I do remember when I would whine excessively she would take cookie cutters and cut round disks of deli meat and cheese and give them to me in baggies with ritz crackers and carrot sticks. I was always hungry later and eventually stopped asking for lunchables(cheese and crackers are a snack! not a lunch!)
I am so glad to hear someone speaking up about Lunchables!
I fully admit that I used to buy these for my kids on a regular basis. At first, I thought they weren't too horrible with turkey, cheese and crackers. However, when they started marketing the pizza and taco Lunchables I knew we had to stop.
I stopped buying them at the beginning of this school year. For awhile, they would constantly ask me to buy them everytime we went to the grocery store. But, they haven't asked in months. I am happy to report they are officially weaned off of Lunchables!
My kids beg for them, but then they don't eat them. My son just wants the toy or cardboard cutout, my daughters like the idea of nachos for dinner, so they end up hungry after I have spent $2.50 plus on each of thier "meals." Needless to say, I don't get suckered into them anymore. I buy whole grain crackers, sharp cheddar is always on hand, turkey or even peanut butter and I can make Mommy Lunchables for way cheaper, healthier and can actually throw a veggie and a fruit in. As far as capri Sun's, I admit to buying them. I buy the low sugar version and they are only allowed for school lunch (in the lunchbox, they are super easy).
Thats sick. I used to love these and I still do. When I'm out running errands I would grab one and that would be a afternoon snack. Umm not anymore. Mrs Q. You should do a comparative blog to things passed off as "Good Lunches" versus Doritos or something. Cant be to far off.
(Obviously there is a little exaggeration involved but you get the point)
My mom went through a phase when I was a kid where she packed these for me every day. That might have been when they first came out. She got lots of coupons for them.
This was before they had the hot dog, pizza, etc. I only got different combos of cheese and crackers. I never liked the basic Lunchables shown here. It was never enough food and they weren't very tasty.
What I did like were the "Deluxe" lunchables. There were kinds that had two kinds of meat, two kinds of cheese, a packet of mustard, and an Andes mint. I seem to remember they also had better crackers too, whole wheat of some kind rather than Ritz. There was also a kind that had herb cream cheese instead of cheese slices and deli-thin meats. I thought those were delicious.
Oh, I also got more than just the lunchable in the lunch. This was before they came with drinks and desserts, so my mom would also put a drink, a piece of fruit, and a desert of some kind. Just the lunchable alone was not enough food.
But once I got to high school and became in charge of my own lunch, I realized it was nicer to just put together my own "Lunchables" by getting a tupperware container and putting crackers, cheese, and deli meat in it myself. I did that because that way I could choose the exact cracker/cheese/meat combination I wanted, because I didn't always like what came with the Lunchable. And yeah, the rubbery processed cheese kind of grossed me out. Especially when it got wet from condensation and went all slimey.
Birth of a food snob, I guess?
It was probably a LOT cheaper too. How many "lunchables" can you get out of a whole box of your favorite crackers, a pack of sliced cheese, and a pack of deli meat from the grocery store?
Looking back I think, "How hard is it to put cheese and crackers in your kid's lunch?" I'm too old for Uncrustables, but when I saw those pre-made frozen PBJ sandwiches it gave me the same feeling. I understand some convenience foods when making it from scratch is a bit of a project, but how lazy are people that they can't put cheese and crackers in a container or spread peanut butter on bread?
All I can figure out is that the food companies have been brainwashing people into some kind of learned helplessness. I wonder if in a generation or two the idea of making your own sandwich will seem as odd as making your own bread seems today.
I've never bought or eaten Lunchables before (so thanks, Mrs L, for taking one for the team and trying them for us). They seem like such a waste of money for a few crackers with fake meat and cheese product, not to mention the waste of packaging that others have already noted. Also, as already noted, crackers even with real cheese and better quality meat, are a SNACK, not lunch! We love Ritz crackers; these days I buy the 100% wholewheat ones, and my (5 yr old) son loves them with cream cheese or peanut butter or plain. He could eat the whole box if I were to let him, but after that he would still want to eat a real meal of cooked pasta or rice, meat, veggies, etc. I would NEVER give him crackers to take to school for lunch, only as a snack! I pack him a thermos of cooked food, lots of fruits, and a baked item, usually homemade cookies. On the rare occasions when I don't have any homebaked stuff I give him a handfull of the 100% whole wheat Ritz but it's just as a snack to complement the cooked food and fruit.
Lunchables are GROSS and I'm proud to say that I have only bought them for my kids maybe twice in their life – just to show them how gross they are and that they aren't missing out on anything special – it's not a healthy lunch and I can think of way healthier snacks!
i loved this guest post. my husband was given a lunchable as a child on a car trip, and wouldn't eat it. he eats everything.
and anyone else notice that the candy is as big as the "lunch" in the picture?! hardly enough food to keep a child full for a couple of hours.
I keep thinking as I look at a Lunchable – where are the fruits and veggies?!
Re: crackers… Hate to burst your bubble on Ritz 'whole wheat' crackers, but they're not considered a whole grain serving at only 1.5 gm of fiber per serving and they contain partially hydrogenated oils and corn syrup. There are better, real whole grain cracker options out there…
Here are the ingredients! Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1]Riboflavin [Vitamin B2]Folic Acid)Whole Grain Wheat Flour, Soybean Oil, Sugar, Partially Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil, Leavening (Calcium Phosphate and/or Baking Soda)Salt, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Soy Lecithin (Emulsifier)Cornstarch.
I have 4 children, and they sometimes go through phases of really, really, really, and I mean REALLY wanting lunchables. I buy mostly fresh items, avoid high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils, and only eat free range, grass fed, "clean" meats. So, what happens when they do this begging?
I give them a lunchable.
Guess what? Their delicate palates, so used to wholesome food, can't stomach the reality of a lunchable.
This works even better than simply denying them completely, because,if I did, in their heads, it's built up to be some giant, amazing, fantastic meal they're being denied. Instead, faced with the reality of the unfoodiness of the "meal," they lose all interest and don't ask again for several months, when they get the crazy notion it might be better this time. (It never is.)
However, in the instant, wastefully packaged lunch departments, there are those Disney fruit and veggie packs on the market now too. They are wayyyy overpriced, but, at least it's a step towards fast fresh.
Some people say two lunchables is too much, some say one is not enough. What is the appropriate amount of calories for a child? Or an Obese child? Portion control for an obese/overweight child is equally as important as the quality of food they are eating.
By the way one of my favorite meals is cheese and crackers/a hunk of crusty bread, and, if I add an apple/grapes, its very nutritious. Cheese is caloric enough it can make it a meal, high in calcium and high in protein so it fills you up. There is nothing processed about fresh cheese, fruit and crusty bread.
I've noticed over the months many of Ms. Q's lunches would be too caloric if they were eaten in their entirety (although it sounds like most students don't).
Thinking of certain foods as only 'snacks' removes a lot of healthy, well portioned lunch ideas. Any snack in the appropriate quantity counts as a meal, calories wise anyway.
I love the concept of the lunchable, but hate the food in there.
I bought a sectioned tupperware for my son, and I will pack up different components for him.
I find that if I cube cheese, hardboil eggs and make a little more pasta than needed on the weekend, I am not in terrible shape for the week.
Mrs. Q — I'm almost afraid to ask this, as I eat them about 3 out of the 5 work days per week — but could we have a guest blogger segment on theses types of foods that are marketed to adults, specifically Lean Cuisines and their ilk? I have a nagging suspicion that they can't be really good for you, but like the Lunchables, are a quick and easy alternative for someone who's morning is already full of stuff to do (feed cat and dog, walk dog, groom self, pack lunch, leave early to avoid traffic, etc.) Clearly the pre-packaged food phenomenon is something that has been woven into the lives of us Millenials since we started with Lunchables and progressed to pre-packaged, reheatable "diet" lunches…
As some have mentioned before…my initial hangup with the product before even looking at the nutritional information was the packaging which equals waste which in turn equals high cost. It is another way in which kids are being marketed to. Its not really the food inside they want its the appeal of the little container with the separate compartments. I've never bought any for my kids, but have made my own for them over the years with more wholesome ingredients. My daughter is now in middle school and is starting to appreciate me sticking to my guns on our diet.
My daughter begs for Lunchables, too. I don't think it is because she thinks it is tasty, because she rarely eats it all. I think it is more of the packaging. Everything is in cute little compartments, and she likes that. I probably should buy a cute Bento box and see how she reacts to it.
I had these as a kid, maybe one a week. Now I know better. My daughter (6) has asked for them, but I've adamantly said no. Not because I don't think she couldn't have one as an occasional treat, but I know she would NOT like it. I've gotten her so used to eating healthy foods that she doesn't like a lot of the processed stuff. She's still a kid — she loves basic hershey's chocolate and she loves a scoop of strawberry ice cream from time to time, but overall she prefers healthier foods and understands the importance of healthy eating and exercise/playing.
I can honestly say that I have never had a Lunchable in my life. My mom told me that we "couldn't afford them." Thank goodness for that.
I've never bought a Lunchable for my kids either, but I will confess to buying a couple of Kid Cuisines, the Lunchable version of a TV dinner. After reading this article, I will never be talked into buying one of those again either.
I used to work for a man whose wife bought a SECOND Sub Zero fridge to house their twins' weekly Lunchables supply — TWENTY of them. Ten for their lunches, and ten more for their after school snack. Unbelievable. I thought it was disgusting 10 years ago before I had kids, and think it's even more astonishing now that I do. I've always wondered if the crap those kids were fed had anything to do with both having major attention deficit and learning disabilities. I don't think I could concentrate at school all afternoon after eating a Lunchable — I don't see how little kids could, either.
When Jake asked for those I came up with the "Momable". I bought a container that had little sections, then I filled it with good crackers, real cheese, a bit of lunch meat, and some fruit/veggies like cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, and grapes.
Jake was the hit of the lunch room-and they are SO MUCH cheaper.
I don't serve Lunchables, nor do I condone them as a good healthy lunch.
But.
In your analysis you suggest that 28% of your daily fat intake is a horrible stat for this meal.
Why?
It's less than a third of your suggested daily recommendation. And this is supposed to be a whole meal, which would be a third of your food for the day. So how is that bad?
My parents never once bought my sister and I Lunchables. Of course we managed to get some for ourselves later, when we moved within walking distance of the grocery store, but it all goes back to the principle that if one is completely deprived of something, they will only want more of it.
I've only ever been told the Lunchables are crap, but it's one of those things that, in moderation, should be allowed, if only to deprive the child of the "but you NEVER let us…" excuse. It's very different of course, but I like to think of it in terms of a child having a skateboard. When you're a kid, you see most of your friends learning to ride a skateboard. Now imagine not being allowed to have one because you might fall and hurt yourself.
It's a learning experience. Kids should be allowed to fall off a skateboard a couple times, and they should be allowed to learn how to moderate their Lunchables with their healthy meals. Again, the analogy is imperfect, but I hope you see what I mean.
There are some things that are simply a part of childhood, whether or not they are bad for them at the time (scraping a knee or an unhealthy lunch), it's important to learn from them.
I went through a period of having the turkey/cheese and nacho Lunchables in my cold lunch nearly every day because they were often on sale and there was an abundance of coupons for them at the time. I still refuse to eat either, having grown so sick of them a decade and a half ago. The pizza Lunchables are still something of a (rare) guilty pleasure/midnight snack for both MrMMO and I.
The comments about the Lean Cuisines and whatnot intrigue me a bit; most of them do seem really overprocessed, though the only result I got from practically living on them in high school was a strong hatred of red peppers — that was apparently the standard for 'flavor without calories' in the early '00s, and the flavor seemed to permeate everything. The sodium content is what worries me more than anything, but it's hard to tell since so many of those frozen meals have reformulated themselves in the past few years.
So why do kids like Lunchables so much? I think we need to examine why kids beg for them and how we, as adults, consider them a "treat". I think by simply changing the treat mentality, we might be able to teach our children what a treat really is.
Not long ago, I ended up sitting next to a Kraft Food executive on a flight to the midwest. I didn't tell this guy that I was a food activist, instead, I asked him loads of questions about Kraft products. He told me that the quality of meat in Lunchables was so poor that he would not allow his kids to eat Lunchables. I was shocked beyond belief, but instead continued to ask questions pretending like I was Barbara Walters. Parents who think for one minute that there are no hidden costs to these "convenient" edible foodlike substances are fooling themselves!
What can you do? If parents don't have "time" to cook, then they're giving themselves an excuse to give their children less than adequate healthy meals! Growing up my mom always woke up an hour earlier than she normally would to prepare for me my school lunch. I used to think I was unlucky because whenever I got to school everyone else would be eating something cool while I had a home cooked meal, turns out I got the better end of the deal! Looking back now, I can only thank my upbringing and meals as a child for where I am today.
The scary thing about lunchables, is that this is the exact portion an bulimic person would eat.
These are digusting especially the taco ones. Awefull. I do love the idea of little finger snacks and I think that is what the kids love about it too.
hthttp://polwig.com
I work in my boys school lunchroom and the number of UNOPENED Lunchables that I throw away everyday is ridiculous. I think the kids would rather not eat lunch than eat lunchables(again).
My company sells these in our vending machines for $1 each. I've eaten them twice, when I was running between meetings and had no time for lunch. It was DISGUSTING. I've stocked my desk with cans of soup and other food so I never ever even think of putting one of these in my face again. Brrrrr.
I used to work at a daycare, and I hated when kids brought Lunchables in for lunch. a) They only liked them because it made them look "cool" in front of the other kids. b) They rarely ate the whole thing, so parents who thought they sent their kid to school with enough food didn't realize their child probably only ate two crackers and a candy bar. These things should come with a warning label.
I'm an adult who finds these a lifesaver when doing some late after work shopping. If I'm at the grocery store, I'll grab the turkey and cheese, or ham and cheese (sans candy or cookies variety) as a snack. Probably about once every 2 months or so.
They're usually about $1.65, so cheaper than fast food. They're about 400 calories, so it's a semi-meal.
They're pretty terrible for you, but I don't find the taste abhorrent, especially when I'm starving. I figure it's better than a candy bar as a snack.
If I had a kid, I don't think this would be a wholesome lunch for them on a regular basis. I like everyone's ideas of making a home lunchable that tastes better, but in a reusable partitioned container like a bento box.
Or cutting up sandwiches small and cute or something akin to that.
Important peice. Even though parents may pack their kids lunch, it doesn't mean they're getting anything healthier (and possibly less) than what the school provides. An interesting piece I read in Mother Jones (great non-profit magazine) was talking about how the meat contains L-Cysteine which is commonly derived from HUMAN HAIR that is cut in a barber shop in India and adds a "meat-like" flavor.
I've had these a few times and wasn't too disgusted until I read that little fact. The L-Cysteine was either derived from human hair or duck feathers! I emailed Kraft to figure out where the L-Cysteine came from. First I asked what the acid was derived from and was told that was proprietary information and that they would not tell me. I asked who their supplier was, figuring I would ask them where the L-Cysteine came from. They told me their supplier was PROPRIETARY information and a secret I couldn't know.
Why a food company is allowed to hide behind patents and trademarks to stop consumers from knowing where their food comes from is digustingly American. The "Protect business above all else." mantra of the Republicans and Democrats alike is killing me on the inside.
tl;dr Lunchables contain secret ingredients. When you ask what the ingredients come from they stonewall you and expect you to keep being a good sheeple and forget that you ever worried about what was in what you eat.
Hi there. I've been reading your blog since the beginning and it's a real eye opener. I don't remember school lunch being quite so terrible when I was in school, and I'm sorry to see it's gone downhill.
What I would like to address is a theme I see in many of the posts: unidentifiable chemical ingredients. I agree wholeheartedly that natural is better, but please stop assuming that just because something has a scary sounding chemical name that it is going to kill you. Maybe you just need to broaden your vocabulary.
Quercetin, epicatechin, procyanidin B2, ascorbic acid… oh no! Run! Don't eat whatever contains that! Except you know, those are all found in apples. Yeah.
Again, I agree that natural is better (and I'd never eat a lunchable), but I'm tired of hearing about how not being able to pronounce items on an ingredient list makes the food automatically suspect. A little citric acid isn't going to hurt you.
If you want an awesome frozen convenience item for work try Amy's Kitchen. They are a family owned company in California that makes all of their items from scratch with organic whole ingredients. You can pronounce and recognize everything on the list!!! They even have dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan items. The burritos are the first thing my local store carried and they were absolutely yummy! I noticed over the last 5 yrs the selection at the store has expanded. The only problem area is the sodium content but it's not as bad as most of the over processed garbage meals. They seem to generally stay under 30% and they do have a small selection of lower sodium items.
The sad thing is, I ate these as a kid. Thinking back, they really weren't good, but my Mom bought them for me. I am certainly glad I know better now and I would never think about giving them to my child (if I had one)!
My kids have had these once. We were in a hurry to get somewhere (my sister was in labor!), so I just ran in the store to grab a couple that they could eat in the car – we got the kind showed here, though the pizza and nachos looked like they'd taste better (those aren't really car-friendly foods though). I figured it'd be at least a smidge healthier than a fast food joint.
I can't believe they actually call this a "lunch". I'm sorry, but my kids are not going to be full after a couple of crackers and some rubber meat. The candy is over a 1/4 of the whole package!
They happily ate it, but they were still hungry afterwards (and we weren't even to our destination yet!).
I feel a little guilty when I pack a Lean Cuisine or a SmartOnes for my lunch at work. I've never looked at the label on a Lunchable, but my frozen dinners are a lot healthier, which surprises me! And there is twice as much sodium in that Lunchable than the typical LC I buy – crazy!
I remember being repulsed by Lunchables as a kid, but I've never been a fan of lunch meat. My friend was one who begged and begged her mom to buy her a lunchable, and once she finally did, she was so embarrassed to tell her mom how gross it was!
I hate to admit it, but as much as I support this project and a change being made in school lunch quality, I am one that LOVES a good Lunchable (and, surprisingly, the Turkey and Cheese one is my favorite.
However, I live a very healthy life and my eating habits are great (this change coming only in the last couple of years, though), so a Lunchable is like a little indulgence for me. 😀
That Lunchables are so unhealthy, but that they are marketed so well to kids, is horrible. I know when I was a kid I begged my mom to buy me Lunchables all the time. They ARE fun to put together, and all consist of foods very appealing to kids. But my mom, thankfully, never bought them for me. I think I had Lunchables maybe once in my elementary school career. I hope that parents today can see past the "convenience" aspect of Lunchables and realize how terribly unhealthful they are.
Yuck people like the lunchables? I think that they are gross, but kids ;ove eating them