Beyond Lead: A Pediatrician’s Concerns With ‘Lunchables’ and School Lunch Standards
Ultraprocessed foods are the real villains in the deteriorating health of our nation’s children.
West Linn, OR, USA - Sep 7, 2021: Lunchables Pizza with Pepperoni is seen in the cooler at a Walmart neighborhood market. Lunchables is a brand of food and snacks manufactured by Kraft Heinz.Tada Images/Shutterstock
Recent uproar over concerning levels of lead, sodium, and phthalates in “Lunchables” should alarm any parent, but these are merely the tip of the iceberg. As a pediatrician deeply invested in the nutritional health of our children, it’s the ultra-processed nature of these “meals” that alarms me most. The recent spotlight by Consumer Reports on the content of such popular school meal options underscores a broader issue: The quality of food we provide our school children is woefully inadequate, especially when compared to international standards.
Childhood Nutrition–A Nation in Crisis
Today, the state of childhood nutrition in the United States presents a grim picture of a nation grappling with a deepening health crisis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that more than 40 percent of American children are afflicted with at least one chronic condition. Even more alarming is the surge in childhood obesity rates, which have more than tripled since the 1970s. Currently, approximately 19.3 percent of children and adolescents aged 2–19 years are battling obesity. Furthermore, one-third of all children are now facing prediabetes or diabetes, conditions that were once predominantly seen in adults.
Joel Warsh
Joel “Gator” Warsh, of the popular parenting Instagram @drjoelgator is a board-certified pediatrician in Los Angeles who specializes in parenting, wellness, and integrative medicine. He is the author of “Parenting at Your Child’s Pace: The Integrative Pediatrician’s Guide to the First Three Years,” and "Between a Shot and a Hard Place" (2025).
