New Lunchables-like Product Debuts

Revolution Foods, a company based in Oakland, Calif., has launched a new retail product line that stands to compete with Kraft's "Lunchables" by offering a similar - but more healthful - alternative called "Meal Kits."

Revolution Foods is offering 4 options:

1. Turkey & Cheddar Meal Kit
2. Ham & Cheddar Meal Kit
3. Cheese Pizza Meal Kit
4. Peanut Butter & Jelly Meal Kit

All boast being without artificial flavors, colors and preservatives and without high fructose corn syrup. The meats are nitrites/nitrates and the cheese comes from cows not treated with hormones. Instead of a cookie or pudding dessert, kiddos will get 1-serving of fruit in the form of dried fruit rope. These aren't going to win the approval of the food purists, but they're certainly a better alternative to Lunchables.

Speaking of Lunchables, according to the New York Times:

"The Kraft Food Group’s Oscar Mayer brand created the concept of prepackaged lunch meals for children in 1988 and has effectively owned that business ever since, with sales accounting for 76 percent of the small but lucrative $1.35 billion niche product category, according to IRI, a market research firm in Chicago" [source].

Lunchables has been getting a bad rap since the '90s, but even recently, its name came up when Michael Moss published his book Salt Sugar Fat. Mr. Moss seems particularly fascinated with how Kraft manufactured the product and consistently tried new tactics to monopolize the market share in this niche despite the product offered questionable nutritional value (to put it mildly).

Revolution Foods' retail lunch line might very well give Lunchables a run for its money - though it really depends on price point, availability (right now, they're limited to Nor Cal) and whether kids can give up their nitrate-filled mystery meat with enriched wheat cracker and pudding cup for something more healthful.

Kids are having enough trouble with their more healthful school lunches. Perhaps Revolution Foods can find a market in the growing number of kids who will be bringing lunch from home?

© Annabel Adams, Smart Snacks In School, 2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Annabel Adams with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.