Althouse: "American parents already pack Lunchables for their kids’ lunches, so bringing Lunchables to school cafeterias makes sense for parents, kids and for the brand."

October 17, 2023

"American parents already pack Lunchables for their kids’ lunches, so bringing Lunchables to school cafeterias makes sense for parents, kids and for the brand."

Said a Kraft Heinz spokesperson, quoted in "How Lunchables Ended up on School Lunch Trays/Weak rules and industry power have allowed ultra-processed products on the menu" (WaPo).

34 comments:

Leland said...: The spokesperson is right. It would be much easier though to cut school taxes that purchase “free” lunches and let parents decide if they want their kids eating lunchables.; 10/17/23, 9:58 AM
MadisonMan said...: Several phrases in this world grate on my nerves.
"Makes sense" is one of those.
What they really mean "is an easy shortcut" but you can't expect a company to tell it like it is.; 10/17/23, 10:11 AM
n.n said...: The Available, Convenient [Dietary] Act (ACA).; 10/17/23, 10:13 AM
Roger Sweeny said...: Whether a school lunch food is ultra-processed is irrelevant. All that matters is whether it is nutritious and whether the kids will eat it. Good food that ends up in the trash isn't a good lunch.; 10/17/23, 10:16 AM
Tom T. said...: It's stupid to call a packet of crackers, cheese, and sliced meat "ultra-processed." Their objection is really grounded in anti-capitalism.; 10/17/23, 10:17 AM
Kate said...: Parents pack lunches in the morning. Food will be cold and non-perishable. The point of a school lunch is hot food prepared for instant consumption.

They still hire cooks in school cafeterias, don't they??; 10/17/23, 10:18 AM
NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...: There's that pesky lack of free will again!; 10/17/23, 10:22 AM
Buckwheathikes said...: Government ... Democrat-run government is what allowed this. But yeah, blame the rules and the billionaire owner of the New England Patriots.

US oligarchs are running Bartertown now.; 10/17/23, 10:23 AM
JES said...: Our food is killing us.; 10/17/23, 10:25 AM
Mason G said...: "Ultra-processed products"? Lots of processing involved in getting a printed newspaper into someone's hands, you know. But that's different, I'm sure.; 10/17/23, 10:32 AM
Levi Starks said...: This is so ridiculous.
I’m a grown man, my lunch consists of small 4 ounce container of “minute brand” ready to eat brown rice, and a 2.6 ounce pouch of tuna.
Total cost about $2. Requires no refrigeration. Rice gets 40 seconds of microwave.; 10/17/23, 10:33 AM
n.n said...: WaPo has deemed lunchables as dietary "burdenables".; 10/17/23, 10:36 AM
CJinPA said...: "Weak rules"?

This was Michelle Obama's law, enacted when I served on a school board. There might be a Lunchables Loophole, but they weren't very weak. You can rest assured students are still being served whole wheat pasta.; 10/17/23, 10:38 AM
Jamie said...: See, when you take some artisanal flatbread, a wedge of good sharp cheddar, and a salami on a hike for a picnic lunch, you're actually eating ultra-processed food. (And you are. But the problem is that "processing" raw materials into food is not only not a bad thing to do, it often results in making the food's nutrients more available.)

There was a child in the little preschool I used to run who only liked one kind of cheese, and it cost around $50 a pound; she would bring it and some - yes - artisanal flatbread for lunch. (Her mom had been a chef, if you're asking yourself where she first tasted this cheese.) Then her father lost his job and she had to join the rest of the kids in eating more affordably.

I mean, I try to cook from scratch as often as I can, but it is not the end of the world if we order pizza or buy a frozen lasagna.; 10/17/23, 10:39 AM
n.n said...: It's not a lack of freewill per se, but rather a lack of political consensus and favor that irks the mainstream steering organs... press.; 10/17/23, 10:40 AM
Aggie said...: It fits with the allegorical condition that pervades our public school system: Unfit for consumption.

School choice and parental control over where public school funding is directed is fundamental to the reforms needed in our public education system. The overwhelming success of charter schools in all 50 states, speaks for itself. Charter schools have better ideas, and represent healthy competition. The Teacher's Union has corrupted its purpose and has become warped to protect the interests of teachers first, to excess, even at the direct expense of children's educational success.; 10/17/23, 10:42 AM
MadisonMan said...: They still hire cooks in school cafeterias, don't they??
In Madison, Public School lunches are cooked em masse at a site -- out on Stoughton Rd, I think? -- then shipped to schools where they are re-heated. At least that's how it worked when my kids were in school -- but that's been a while now. Time flies.
We made lunches for the kids until high school at which point they could walk and get their own lunches, either at home or at friends' houses.; 10/17/23, 11:03 AM
loudogblog said...: Levi Starks said...
"This is so ridiculous.
I’m a grown man, my lunch consists of small 4 ounce container of “minute brand” ready to eat brown rice, and a 2.6 ounce pouch of tuna."

I like the Minute Rice single servings for lunch, too. The brown and wild rice is pretty good. Also, for me, a little soy sauce before I nuke it is a must.

Lunchables aren't too bad. (Except for the "pizza" ones. Those are terrible.) When they were on sale, I'd buy a bunch for my lunches at work.; 10/17/23, 11:41 AM
Jupiter said...: Probably the least toxic thing the publicly-funded shitholes shove down their throats all day.; 10/17/23, 11:59 AM
Yancey Ward said...: I grew up on hot soup, balogna/sliced ham sandwiches with cheese, and PB&J sandwiches for lunch at school. I somehow managed to survive.; 10/17/23, 12:06 PM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: Well I guess I missed Kraft Foods purchasing Heinz so there really is no longer a need for me to avoid their products. When it was family-owned I avoided the brand so I would not unwittingly contribute any income to Theresa Heinz Kerry or her despicable husband. These products are not great for kids but if you think they displaced balanced prepared on-site meals, you are mistaken. Most school food is "highly processed" even after Michelle Obama "fixed it."; 10/17/23, 12:13 PM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: It's stupid to call a packet of crackers, cheese, and sliced meat "ultra-processed."

Hmmm. Have you seen the "meat" and "cheese" in these snack packs? Ultra-processed is exactly the right wording.; 10/17/23, 12:17 PM
Oligonicella said...: That "ultra-processed" is a purposely deceptive term. Which products? Bologna? Those stupid whipped-air entrees?

Maybe that Beef Wellington?; 10/17/23, 12:30 PM
n.n said...: Mom and dad are preoccupied earning taxable capital to pay for affordable health care, perpetual Springs, Democratic gerrymandering,
Green deals, unaffordable education, social progress, and other governmental forcings of progressive prices.; 10/17/23, 12:31 PM
JAORE said...: So Lunchables are why our kids can't read?

Thank goodness. I was blaming the teacher's union.; 10/17/23, 1:00 PM
rehajm said...: Rotten veggies are all natural...; 10/17/23, 1:11 PM
rehajm said...: If you want to know what's what, look for schools that serve Lunchables prohibiting children to bring Lunchables from home...; 10/17/23, 1:14 PM
tommyesq said...: We should force them to ban the highly processed Lunchables and instead make them bring in peanut butter (highly processed and sugar-laden) and jelly (highly processed and sugar laden)( sandwiches on white bread (highly processed and sugar laden) from home, along with a Twinkie. You know, something home-made.; 10/17/23, 3:13 PM
Left Bank of the Charles said...: Barenaked Ladies:

“If I had a million dollars
We wouldn't have to eat Kraft Dinner
But we would eat Kraft Dinner
Of course we would, we'd just eat more
And buy really expensive ketchups with it
That's right, all the fanciest-, Dijon ketchup, mm, mm”; 10/17/23, 6:57 PM
boatbuilder said...: Buckwheathikes--Robert Kraft has nothing to do with Kraft Foods. He made his money in paper.

Other teams are currently eating his team's lunch, however.; 10/17/23, 7:30 PM
Butkus51 said...: John Kerry cares. Eat up.; 10/17/23, 7:32 PM
typingtalker said...: Mother sauces:

Béchamel sauce: White sauce, based on milk thickened with a white roux.
Espagnole sauce: Brown sauce based on a brown stock reduction and thickened with a brown roux.
Tomato sauce: As well as tomatoes, ingredients typically include carrots, onion, garlic, butter, and flour, plus pork belly and veal broth.
Velouté sauce: Light coloured sauce, made by reducing clear stock (made from un-roasted bones) and thickened with a white roux. Velouté is French for “velvety”.
Hollandaise sauce: Warm emulsion of egg yolk, melted butter, and lemon juice or vinegar.
(Bing Chat)

Are these "ultra processed" and therefore bad?; 10/17/23, 9:05 PM
Bunkypotatohead said...: It's not so bad with some ketchup, and they'll get their vegetable for the day.; 10/17/23, 9:22 PM
JAORE said...: American kids go to schools carrying Lunchables.

Hamas kids go to schools carrying launchables.; 10/18/23, 2:39 PM