5 ON YOUR SIDE: Lunchables investigation [Video]

School day mornings are busy in many homes, so those prepackaged lunch kits called Lunchables help quickly check the “what’s for lunch?” box. But according to Consumer Reports, that convenience may come at a cost.

Lunchables and similar kinds of lunch kits are simply not healthy for kids. CR’s tests found these kits contain concerning sodium levels and harmful chemicals that can lead to serious health problems over time.

Consumer Reports tested 12-store bought lunch and snack kits and found concerning levels of lead, cadmium, or both in all the kits. Even in small amounts, these heavy metals can cause developmental problems in children.

Kraft Heinz, the parent company of Lunchables, Oscar Mayer, and P3, told CR, “All our foods meet strict safety standards,” and said that “lead and cadmium occur naturally in the environment and may be present in low levels in food products.” Smithfield Foods, which makes Armour …