The bento-like box of crackers, deli meats and other snacks has been available in grocery stores since 1988, but will start to be offered in school cafeterias this autumn.
The product will be reformulated to offer two options that comply with school nutritional guidelines.
But can the lunch choice of the cool-kid table convince its detractors?
It was marketed as a complete lunch to go, with a drink, protein and a dessert. While some varieties seem fairly standard, like “turkey and cheddar cracker stackers” others were riffs on popular fast food, like pizza or chicken nuggets. Most boxes included a mini-sized candy bar or cookie.
At a couple of dollars a pop, many parents deemed them too expensive, and too unhealthy – a sign of the 20th Century’s waning wholesomeness.
Now, the generation that grew up on Lunchables have become parents themselves. TikTok is full of DIY Lunchable recipes that use less processed foods, as well as nostalgic homages to adults’ favourite Lunchables growing up. Some have even credited the store-bought snack with popularising the charcuterie board for grown-up millennials.
Noran Osman, mother to newborn son Zayn, said her own fond memories of eating Lunchables on special occasions growing up would likely motivate her to offer the meal to her son every now and then as he gets older.
“I think it was my first memory of feeling like food was an experience rather than a chore I had to finish so my parents don’t get mad,” said the 29-year-old, who lives in Tampa, Florida.
“In an age with picky eaters and negative food associations, I think it’s beneficial for kids to feel like they participate in making their own food, even if it’s just in the assembly.”
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