Do lunchables need to be refrigerated?

[ShirikiUtundu]

A bump after all this time and not because someone was reporting the results of the lunchable left out of refrigeration for the last 3 years. Pretty disappointing.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Maybe someone in a current similar situation was searching, and it popped up?

In case that's it, I'll throw in my usual plan in these situations:

We always save extra packets of ketchup, soy sauce, etc. when we get food delivered, and keep then in the freezer. They make great tiny, disposable ice packs! I place a couple on the Lunchable and wrap tin foil around the whole thing for insulation, then pop it in the paper bag with whatever else I'm sending.

 

[RedAngie]

Seriously! I survived 12 years of ham and cheese sandwiches, etc. (I'm way too old to have brought lunchables to school.) I can't think of anyone in my school who didn't bring some sort of cheese or deli meat at least occasionally, except for my one friend who only ate cream cheese and olive sandwiches (eew!) I'm positive your son is correct that lots of other kids bring lunchables without refrigerations and are just fine.

I know this thread is old, but I wanted to comment. Yeah, I'm one of those who brought unrefrigerated deli sandwiches with mayo to school and survived. So did my daughters. People are paranoid about a problem that doesn't exist.

Cream cheese and olives.....yum!!! I still eat that occasionally.

 

[aprilgail]

Another thing he brings is a whole jar of applesauce. Yes the big jars. He'll put one in his lunch and that's what he'll have for lunch with maybe a bear paw. .

My daughter sometimes takes the entire jar of peanut butter and spoon for lunch! I bought her some of the little individual cups of peanut butter but she likes the big jar and spoon.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

OOOOO A zombie thread.

6 out of 10 zombies say absolutely human brain lunchables don't have to be refrigerated.
3 out of 10 say it depends upon the temperature.
One zombie said he finds enough fresh brains that he doesn't have to pack a lunch. Seeing as how it was lunch time, we ended the survey and got out of there quickly.

 

[leebee]

I know this thread is old, but I wanted to comment. Yeah, I'm one of those who brought unrefrigerated deli sandwiches with mayo to school and survived. So did my daughters. People are paranoid about a problem that doesn't exist.

Cream cheese and olives.....yum!!! I still eat that occasionally.

Cream cheese and olive is a favorite of mine; if you make them at home, try grilling them, like you'd make a grilled cheese. Double yum!

Kids bring Lunchables to school all the time; no refrigeration necessary for that short time. I'm of the generation that took lunch in a brown paper bag and kept it in my desk until lunchtime. Cold cuts, egg salad, tuna salad... nobody died. If your kitchen/utensils are clean when you make/pack the lunch, there's not much to worry about between then and lunch time. Just keep the lunch cold before sending it to school.

I hated to be the kid with the egg salad sandwich; stunk up the desk and the classroom... ewwww....

 

[Patch'sD]

I just spoke with the OP, The lunchable after four years is still good. No refrigeration required.

 

[AppleDumpling]

Whats a subway "grinder"??? I assume its a regular subway sandwich?

Started reading, then realized this is a zombie thread. Even though it's OT and not the original question, thought I'd answer this for anyone who cares.

Yes, a grinder is another name for a submarine sandwich or sub. And I'm guessing the person who called it that is from Connecticut, western Massachusetts or Vermont, or possibly another part of New England. Here in the NYC area, we call it a hero. In Philadelphia and South Jersey, it's a hoagie. I'm sure there's a few other local names and I think sub is pretty universal in the US. I find it interesting to learn about regional differences and they often come up on the Dis.

 

[North of Mouse]

this thread is from 2012!

Love it! Just as relevant today as it was in the 'olden days of 2012!!!

 

[aprilgail]

Yes, a grinder is another name for a submarine sandwich or sub. And I'm guessing the person who called it that is from Connecticut, western Massachusetts or Vermont, or possibly another part of New England. Here in the NYC area, we call it a hero. In Philadelphia and South Jersey, it's a hoagie. I'm sure there's a few other local names and I think sub is pretty universal in the US. I find it interesting to learn about regional differences and they often come up on the Dis.

I was in a local deli about a year ago and there was a guy there trying to order lunch- he is asking for a grinder and they have no clue what he is talking about- I finally said "he is looking for a hero" - he turned around and said "thanks I didn't know they were called anything other than grinders" - and the only reason I knew what he wanted was because I read on here that some people called heros -grinders LOL.

 

[Kitty 34]

this thread is from 2012!

So are you insinuating that the Lunchable might be bad by now????

 

[sonnyjane]

I was in a local deli about a year ago and there was a guy there trying to order lunch- he is asking for a grinder and they have no clue what he is talking about- I finally said "he is looking for a hero" - he turned around and said "thanks I didn't know they were called anything other than grinders" - and the only reason I knew what he wanted was because I read on here that some people called heros -grinders LOL.

See we definitely don't call them "hero" sandwiches here (or grinders), but I laughed reading your line, "he is looking for a hero!". I'd bust into the "Holding out for a hero..." song haha!

 

[Julie's Haircut]

I was in a local deli about a year ago and there was a guy there trying to order lunch- he is asking for a grinder and they have no clue what he is talking about- I finally said "he is looking for a hero" - he turned around and said "thanks I didn't know they were called anything other than grinders" - and the only reason I knew what he wanted was because I read on here that some people called heros -grinders LOL.

Grinders, heros, subs, hoagies, pretty much the same, but some aficionados might say otherwise. There's a small region in eastern Pennsylvania where they're called zeps, (or zeppelins), and they do NOT have shredded lettuce on them.

As for Lunchables, like someone said years ago here, they're so loaded with preservatives and chemicals they'd probably last a lifetime.

 

[bcla]

My daughter sometimes takes the entire jar of peanut butter and spoon for lunch! I bought her some of the little individual cups of peanut butter but she likes the big jar and spoon.

Can't do that in my kid's classroom. Nut allergy.

 

[bcla]

I'd say while the deli meats are probably preserved with nitrates, the other stuff isn't. My kid's favorite is the extra cheesy pizza. Without refrigeration, the cheese will probably separate; I've seen string cheese left at room temp for days and the oil separates. The sauce packet is probably the most stable part.

In general there's a reason why they list a sell by date of maybe a couple of months tops. They're meant to be refrigerated, although I wouldn't worry about cooling one for a school day.

I do remember buying one for my kid, and it was clearly pizza but the label was for chicken dunks.

 

[aprilgail]

Can't do that in my kid's classroom. Nut allergy.

She couldn't eat it in the classroom due to nut allergies but in the cafeteria she could- they put the nut allergy kids at a special table.