Why Kraft Heinz Pulled Lunchables Off Public School Menus

Lunchables are no longer on the menu at schools across the United States. 

On Tuesday, Kraft Heinz shared that it is pulling its Lunchables products from a program providing free and reduced meals to low-income school children across the U.S. 

The move comes several months after Consumer Reports sounded the alarm about the pre-packaged meals, which typically contain deli meats, cheeses, and crackers. In April, Food & Wine reported on the advocacy group's petition to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, asking it to pull the product from the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) due to the product's “relatively high” levels of lead, cadmium, and sodium.

“Lunchables are not a healthy option for kids and shouldn’t be allowed on the menu as part of the National School Lunch Program,” Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports, said in a statement at the time. “The Lunchables and similar lunch kits we tested contain concerning levels of sodium and harmful chemicals that can lead to serious health problems over time. The USDA should remove Lunchables from the National School Lunch Program and ensure that kids in schools have healthier options.”

Now, Consumer Reports is applauding its removal, with Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports, sharing on Tuesday, “We’re pleased that Kraft Heinz has pulled Lunchables from the school lunch program after lower than expected demand from school districts across the country. The USDA should maintain stricter eligibility standards for the school lunch programs so that the millions of kids that depend on it get the healthier options they deserve.”

Indeed, a company spokesperson for Kraft Heinz confirmed to CBS MoneyWatch, Kraft Heinz that the demand was low, adding, "Lunchables products are not available in schools this year, and we hope to revisit at a future date."

According to a Washington Post investigation, Kraft Heinz had changed its ingredients slightly for its Lunchables to ensure they would meet school nutrition standards by increasing their protein and dietary fiber. However, as the investigation noted, the sodium levels in the products sold in schools were 25% higher than the same version sold in grocery stores. 

Still, to Kraft Heinz, this will make little difference. According to a statement by the company, the school initiative accounted for “far less than 1% of overall Lunchables sales, so the business impact is negligible.”