Lunchables, a household name known for its convenience, has been on grocery store shelves for the past 35 years. They offer a variety of choices — pizza, crackers, nachos, you name it. It’s every kid’s dream lunch! Unrivaled in the prepackaged lunch scene, Lunchables has dominated the refrigerated aisle. However, as Americans look for healthier options, Lunchly has emerged as a promising competitor.

Lunchly was released by YouTube celebrity MrBeast, British boxer KSI, and WWE wrestler Logan Paul on Sep. 16, 2024. Lunchly currently has three options for consumers to choose from: “Fiesta Nachos,” “Turkey Stack ‘Ems,” and “The Pizza.” Each meal consists of the main course, a Prime hydration drink (owned by Logan Paul and KSI), and a Feastables chocolate bar (owned by MrBeast). 

Lunchly claims to be a healthier alternative to Lunchables and markets itself as macro-friendly. Its prepackaged lunch kits contain fewer calories, sugar, sodium, and fat. For example, its turkey cracker lunch kit has seven grams of sugar per package, while Lunchables has 21 grams. That’s a 14-gram difference, which could seal the deal for health-conscious Americans. 

But, is Lunchly really healthier than Lunchables? While it contains fewer calories, its ingredients are equally as poor as Lunchables.

Ingredients present in Lunchly’s prepackaged lunch kits include seed oils, corn syrup, and artificial sweeteners. These ingredients are not only cheap, but are also linked to health issues. These health issues include inflammation, diabetes, obesity, and fatty liver disease. Lunchables are known for including these ingredients, debunking Lunchly’s claim of being healthier.

So, whether you’re tuning into the Talk Tuah podcast, or listening to KSI’s “Thick of It,” remember that the Lunchly hype isn’t any healthier for your body than Lunchables.