by - MrBeast, Logan Paul, and KSI introduced a new meal kit called Lunchly.
- It includes a Feastables bar, Prime hydration drink, and one of three entrée options.
- They claim it’s a “better for you” alternative to Lunchables.
- However, despite some improvements, it is still not a healthy choice for children.
- Experts recommend packing your child a lunch that includes fruit and vegetables instead.
MrBeast (real name Jimmy Donaldson), Logan Paul, and Olajide “KSI” Olatunji have announced that they will team up to compete with Kraft Heinz’s Lunchables meal kits with their own “healthier” offering called “Lunchly.”
However, this is not their first foray into the food and beverage business. Feastable MrBeast chocolate bars and Paul and Prime KSI energy drinks are already available nationwide.
The online influencers’ “better for you” lunch combos will include one of three choices – Fiesta Nachos, “The Pizza,” or Turkey Stack ‘Ems – served with a Prime hydration drink and a Feastables chocolate bar.
On the Lunchly website, they do a head-to-head comparison between Lunchly and Lunchables, showing that Lunchly is indeed lower in calories and sugar and also provides an electrolyte boost that is not present in Lunchable’s Capri Sun drink.
But is Lunchly really as healthy as it claims to be? We asked nutrition experts to weigh in.
However, it is not caffeinated, which sets it apart from Prime Energy drinks, which contain 200 milligrams of caffeine per 12-ounce can.
“The entrée choices—turkey and cheese, pepperoni pizza, or nachos—are highly processed,” she said.
Oladitan said one of the big issues with Lunchly, however, is its sodium content.
“Like most processed foods, lunch meals provide over 20% of the recommended daily intake of salt in a single serving,” she said.
Too much sodium is associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure, according to Oladitan.
“Studies show that children between the ages of 2-19 are eating
“Also, Lunchly is missing two critical food groups – fruits and vegetables,” she said. “Without these, children miss out on vital nutrients, fiber and phytonutrients that are essential for overall health.”
Oladitan summed up his thoughts on Lunchly as follows: “Although it is convenient, it is not a healthy option.”
So what about their claim that Lunchly is at least a better option than Lunchables?
Commenting on these two products, Dimitar Marinov, MD, a medical doctor specializing in Nutrition and Dietetics with a Ph.D. in Preventive Medicine and Nutrition, “Although it is being marketed as a better and ‘healthier’ alternative to Lunchables, the reality check would be more difficult.”
The items included in Lunchly are not a source of nutritional power,” he said, “but are instead a form of processed food.”
Marinov said it’s important to check the nutrition label on any packaged foods you buy, including prepackaged lunch kits like Lunch and Lunch.talents.
Further comparing the two, he said they are almost tied to each other when it comes to hygiene.
“On the one hand, when Lunchly started offering small improvements like providing whole grain crackers and leaner meats, it still includes processed foods and added sugars,” Marinov said.
“Overall, Lunchly’s marketing strategy is the main issue,” he said. “Paul and MrBeast are probably giving parents the wrong idea by labeling Lunchly as a ‘healthier’ option.”
Both lunch and dinner should be eaten in moderation, Marinov said, since they are both processed foods.
“If, as a parent, you really want to feed your child a healthy diet,” he said, “you need to consider packing fresh fruits, vegetables and whole foods instead.”
Marinov recommends getting children involved in the process to make it a fun activity.
“Above all, it will greatly encourage healthier eating habits,” he said.
Online influencers MrBeast, Logan Paul, and Olajide “KSI” Olatunji are collaborating to offer a lunch kit called “Lunchly,” which they say is “healthier” than Lunchables.
However, nutrition experts say that the ingredients are still less than healthy. Despite the small improvements that have been made, they are still processed foods high in sodium and saturated fat.
They are also missing out on vital fruits and vegetables that children need to stay healthy.
A better option is to pack a healthy lunch for your child that contains fresh fruits, vegetables and whole foods.
