LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. — Imagine finally getting your hands on a Lunchly, excited to try the new sensation after a long wait. However, once you open it, your eyes are drawn to the green, fuzzy mold forming on the cheese in your brand-new Lunchly pack. This is what happened to YouTuber Rosanna Pansino.
Lunchly, a food brand created by the influencers MrBeast, Logan Paul and KSI, claims to be the healthier alternative to Lunchables, but new controversy has slandered the brand. According to the National Library of Medicine, the recommended sodium intake for kids 9-13 is 1200 mg. Lunchly’s “The Pizza” lunch contains 710 mg of sodium for a single meal.
On Sept. 16, Lunchly made its way to stores across the U.S. On the Official Lunchly website, the brand compares its nutrition facts to Lunchables. Although it seems better, some facts remain unlisted, like sodium. Sodium is a nutritional fact that can be overlooked but can make a great impact.
On their website, Lunchly claims that the main difference between them and the more well-known brand, Lunchables, is the decrease in calories. Lunchables showcases their 390 calories, while Lunchly has significantly fewer at 360 calories.
“USDA caloric guidelines say that a lunch meal for kids K (through eight) should contain around 625 calories. Kids need energy to function, and calories give them that energy,” said the YouTuber “Doctor Mike,” Mikhail Varshavski, a certified Family Medicine Doctor and influencer, in his recent video.
Consumers will fail to gain their sufficient caloric intake from the Lunchly product, resulting in a lack of energy. All children, small children especially, need energy to function. A child would have to eat approximately three Lunchlys to achieve a healthy meal.
“This is selling stuff for the sake of making money,” said YouTuber DanTDM on an X post. “How does this benefit their fans? This is selling crap to kids who don’t know better than to trust the people who are selling it to them.”
Influencers seem to not care enough about consumer health; they simply try to market and make money off of their fans. Multiple reports from social media platforms like TikTok show that mold has been found in the real cheese that Lunchly sells in their meals.
“(Influencers) should have somebody in the back end, like a nutritionist or dietician, somebody familiar in the food industry. That’s (what) a lot of businesses do,” said Chef Kevin, food service manager at Los Alamitos High School.
At the time of publication, Dec. 4, Lunchly has faced rumors of recalls, though according to Times Now News, Logan Paul confirmed these allegations are false. The question remains: How much longer will Lunchly last?
