Life

What Lunchables Use By Dates Have Been Recalled? Parents Should Check Their Boxes

by Becky Bracken

Time to check the fridge again. There's been another recall of everyday lunchbox favorites. Kraft announced this week it is recalling nearly 1,000 pounds of "Lunchables Ham and American Cracker Stackers" because they contain wheat and soy, but aren't appropriately labeled. To find out if your Lunchables are included in the recall, check the date on the label. Here are what Lunchables "use by" dates have been recalled.

The company said the Cracker Stackers were mistakenly given labels intended for the "Nacho Lunchables," according to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service statement. The recalled Cracker Stackers were made on Sept. 21 and shipped to stores across both Utah and California, Kraft said in its statement.

The recalled 3.4-ounce boxes are marked with a "USE BY" date of "25 DEC 2016," according to Kraft and the USDA. The recalled boxes will also have productions times stamped on the side of the plastic container between 9:13 and 10:00. Recalled boxes will also include a marking called an "establishment number" that reads "EST. 537K" included with the USDA inspection mark.

The good news is that the problem was discovered by a sharp-eyed consumer before anyone suffered an allergic reaction.

If you have one of the recalled Lunchables, you are being urged by Kraft to throw it away or return it to the store for a refund.

According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, symptoms of a soy allergy reaction include hives or a rash, itchy mouth, runny or stuffy nose, or asthma-like symptoms. Wheat allergies, according to the ACAAI can be more serious, and in rare cases can cause anaphylaxis, a dangerous reaction that blocks breathing.

Anyone with questions about the recall can contact Kraft Heinz Consumer Relations Center at 1-800-573-3877.

Just last month, a plant that makes Lunchables, the only solely dedicated to making Lunchables, in Fullerton, California, was saved from being closed, enabling more than 350 workers to keep their jobs making the lunch box staples, according to the OC Register. Lunchables earns Kraft Heinz about $500 million a year in sales and comes in more than 50 varieties, The Register added. The company said it is going to be able to keep the plant open because of "high consumer demand" for Lunchables.

Fans of Lunchables are committed and likely won't let a little thing like a missed label get between them and their favorite. But it seems like it's the pizza and nacho varieties are the most popular.

Adults should check their Lunchables stash for Ham and Cheese Cracker Stacker recalled meals — especially if their kid is allergy prone.