Public Schools to Start Serving Kraft Lunchables, Thanks to ‘Sweetheart Deal’ With USDA • Children’s Health Defense

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Starting this fall, more highly processed foods will be on the menu for children in public schools thanks to a “major new initiative” to get Kraft Heinz’s “Lunchables” products into U.S. public school cafeterias.

 

The company said two versions of the Lunchables product will be served in K-12 public schools, either for students to buy or free, under the National School Lunch Program.

 

The company said it developed two styles of Lunchables — turkey and cheddar or extra cheesy pizza— that meet the federal nutritional guidelines set for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National School Lunch Program, which provides meals to nearly 30 million kids across the country.

 

Both options were made using “a specialized recipe that incorporates more protein and whole grains to keep kids powered throughout the day, reduced saturated fat and sodium, and an increased serving size,” Kraft Heinz told CNN Business.

 

But critics — including John Fagan, Ph.D., a leading authority on biosafety, food authenticity and sustainability in the food and agricultural system — said he doubted the nutritional value of the products.

 

The USDA business deal with Kraft Heinz is “disappointing,” Fagan told The Defender.

 

“Our government is not recognizing … the school lunch opportunity to strengthen our food system, but instead providing a sweetheart deal to one of the big players in Big Food,” Fagan said.

 

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