Lunchables Reportedly Found To Contain Relatively High Lead Levels & Can Put You At Risk Of Cancer

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Lunchables Reportedly Found To Contain Relatively High Lead Levels & Can Put You At Risk Of Cancer

For decades, Lunchables have been children’s favorite go-to meal. However, It turns out that the popular snack may not be the healthiest choice for growing children.

Lunchables have alarmingly high levels of lead and sodium, according to a new analysis released on Tuesday by a consumer watchdog group.

“They’re highly processed, and regularly eating processed meat, a main ingredient in many of these products, has been linked to increased risk of some cancers.” A registered dietitian at Consumer Reports, said in a statement to USA TODAY.

 

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The advocacy group stated that it studied 12 store-bought Lunchables products made by Kraft Heinz and compared them to identical lunch and snack kits from other manufacturers.

Although none of the kits surpassed any legal or regulatory limit, the testing revealed “relatively high levels of lead, cadmium, and sodium” in the Lunchables kits, according to Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports.

Following its results, the non-profit consumer organization claimed it has petitioned the USDA to remove Lunchables from school cafeterias. The petition had over 14,100 signatures as of Wednesday morning.

While the USDA does not authorize or restrict specific food items, it does have rules in place to “address the overall content of meals,” whether on a daily or weekly basis, according to the statement. This means that Lunchables must be coupled with fruit, vegetables, and milk, and schools must balance the frequency with which high-sodium meals are served, according to the agency.