Oscar Mayer Lunchables Lunch Combinations Expands Wholesome Product Line

MADISON, Wis., Sept. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- This back-to-school season the Lunchables team is doing its part to help parents gear up for another year with the introduction of wholesome new products they can feel good about and their kids will enjoy. Hitting the shelves this summer are the newest additions to the Lunchables with water line which feature options like rotisserie seasoned and 100% white meat chicken as well as a full serving of fruit.

NEW Lunchables Varieties

The line expansion includes the introduction of two new varieties: Chicken Strips made with 100% white meat chicken and Chicken + American Sub Sandwich which features rotisserie seasoned chicken and bread made with 8g of whole grain. Both products are good sources of protein and calcium and join the Lunchables with water roster introduced last year that offers quality meats, cheeses and spring water.

Additionally, while select varieties previously saw the addition of unsweetened applesauce, this season marks the first time Lunchables Lunch Combinations provides parents with the option of mandarin oranges. Two recipes – Chicken Strips and Deep Dish Cheese Pizza – include a full serving of fruit: DOLE® Mandarin Oranges in 100% fruit juices.  Four varieties now include fruit.  

"We strive to give parents choices they can feel good about, while also providing kids with foods they'll eat," said Darin Dugan, Senior Director of Marketing, Lunchables. "We're excited about the addition of mandarin oranges because parents requested it."  

Committed To Improvement

To continue to offer parents a full range of products that meet all of their needs, over the last 10 years the Lunchables Lunch Combinations line has been extensively revamped.  Along with the introduction of new, more wholesome offerings in 2009, the entire line of Maxed Out products were eliminated. This evolution has resulted in a 24% reduction in sodium, a 22% reduction in fat and a 21% decrease in calories across the portfolio.

"We're always looking for ways to make our products better," said Dugan. "As a result, we constantly evaluate the nutritional profile of our food and have worked hard to improve it by adding whole grains, spring water and fruit options. We've also removed ingredients like high fructose corn syrup from our crackers."

Helping More Kids  

The Lunchables team is also providing parents with a way to help feed their kids' potential through the Lunch Note Promise program. Based on the notion that a little encouragement can go a long way towards helping kids be their best, the program gives parents an easy way to make a difference in their child's life, and ultimately, the lives of other children.

For every parent who logs onto the Lunch Note Promise site and promises to send a lunch note, the Lunchables team will donate $1 – up to $100,000 – to the creative learning programs at a Boys & Girls Club near them. Parents can also download cool stationery templates with kid-approved designs while on the site.

To view the complete line of Lunchables Lunch Combinations with water, which are available in the refrigerated section of grocery stores and retail for $3.49, visit Lunchables.com. To make a Lunch Note Promise, visit lunchnotepromise.com.

ABOUT KRAFT FOODS

Kraft Foods is building a global snacks powerhouse and an unrivaled portfolio of brands people love. With annual revenues of approximately $48 billion, the company is the world's second largest food company, making delicious products for billions of consumers in approximately 170 countries. The portfolio includes 11 iconic brands with revenues exceeding $1 billion – Oreo, Nabisco and LU biscuits; Milka and Cadbury chocolates; Trident gum; Jacobs and Maxwell House coffees; Philadelphia cream cheeses; Kraft cheeses, dinners and dressings; and Oscar Mayer meats. Approximately 70 brands generate annual revenues of more than $100 million. Kraft Foods (www.kraftfoodscompany.com; NYSE: KFT) is a member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Standard & Poor's 500, Dow Jones Sustainability Index and Ethibel Sustainability Index.

ABOUT BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA

For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (www.bgca.org) has enabled young people, especially those who need Clubs most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, some 4,000 Boys & Girls Clubs serve more than 4.2 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs can be found throughout the country and on U.S. military installations worldwide, providing young people 6-18 years old with guidance-oriented character development programs conducted by trained, professional staff. Key programs emphasize leadership development; education and career exploration; community service; technology training; financial literacy; health and life skills; the arts; sports, fitness and recreation; and family outreach. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta.

ABOUT DOLE

Dole, with 2009 net revenues of $6.8 billion, is the world's largest producer and marketer of high-quality fresh fruit and fresh vegetables, and is the leading producer of organic bananas. Dole markets a growing line of packaged and frozen fruit and is a produce industry leader in nutrition education and research.

SOURCE Kraft Foods