DETROIT – Everyone knows them, kids everywhere love them. Lunchables have been on store shelves and in school lunches everywhere since 1985. But a study from Consumer Reports has many parents concerned after elevated levels of sodium and lead were found in select Lunchables from different brands. Because of this, many families are trying to figure out healthier alternatives to the convenient grab-and-go kits, keeping the same appeal to kids that Lunchables offers, while also allowing busier families that same convenience the pre-made snacks offer.
To help with this, Local 4′s Rhonda Walker met with Henry Ford Dietitian and Michigan Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 2024 Dietitian of the Year, Ashlee Carnahan, to explore what should and shouldn’t be in these homemade lunch kits.
“Everything’s OK in moderation, but this has no real nutrient benefit at all,” Carnahan explained, addressing the Lunchables found on store shelves, “There’s no fiber, there’s no antioxidants, there’s really minimal protein, so it’s not going to provide you with a good meal to help you feel satisfied.”
When building a healthier, homemade grab-and-go “Lunchable,” Carnahan suggested a more protein-focused kit, starting with fruits and vegetables. “Fruits and vegetables are great antioxidant-building foods that can actually help prevent cancer.” She explained. She also explained that the food also provides a great healthy source of energy.
Hummus was also a recommended nice source of protein and healthy fats while also making for a satisfying dip for any vegetables included in these kits.
Carnahan also suggested lower sodium cheeses such as mozzarella and Swiss that also continue to provide another great source of protein.
For those that are able, nuts are also a fantastic source of protein that were suggested for use in these homemade lunch kits. “All nuts are healthy, in moderation,” Carnahan explained, “It gives you good protein, and it’s going to give you some healthy fats as well.”
Carnahan also made a recommendation of a couple of tablespoons of honey as a sweeter inclusion in these homemade lunch kits, pulling from an example with her own daughter, “You could just pour a couple tablespoons in here and she said she wanted to dip her apple in that, and I said, you know what? If that makes you eat an apple, a little bit of sugar in honey is definitely okay.”
When actually putting together these homemade kits, it was also suggested that kids get involved in making these, “If the kids actually make the foods, they’re more inclined to eat those healthy foods.”
For other inclusions for these kits, Carnahan strongly urges parents to look at nutritional labels; looking for things like protein and fiber content, “Definitely look at the protein content; how much protein is your child getting out of that. Look at the fiber, those are two big components for a healthy, well-rounded meal.”
She also suggested making sure to stick to recommended amounts of sodium in these snacks and be aware of preservatives, “It depends on your age, but generally speaking, you don’t want to go over 2 to 300mg of sodium in one packaged meal.”
Finally, for a familiar presentation, Carnahan suggested these reusable snack containers that can provide that same presentation Lunchables provide and allow the same convenience when trying to prepare these snacks, while being largely inexpensive.
Though the new data on the pre-packaged snacks is concerning, as Carnahan demonstrates, there’s no need to give up on the convenience of these quick grab-and-go kits. By following these guidelines, parents can ensure that their child is getting the desired and necessary amount of nutrients, while still having the same amount of convenience, fun, and taste that Lunchables offers.