Do Lunchables and LunchMakers Have Nitrites? Yes, Both

Both kits list sodium nitrite in their cured turkey, so that ingredient does not separate them on the label. Per package, Armour LunchMakers lists 620 mg of sodium (26% DV) against 540 mg (23% DV) for Lunchables Turkey & American, and Lunchables lists 11 g of added sugar (22% DV) while Armour's added sugar was not disclosed. This comparison sets the label facts side by side and leaves the choice to you.

Key takeaways

• Both kits list sodium nitrite in their cured turkey ingredients, and neither label discloses the amount.
• Armour lists 620 mg sodium per package (26% DV), compared with 540 mg (23% DV) for Lunchables.
• Lunchables lists 11 g added sugar (22% DV). Armour's added sugar amount was not disclosed.
• Both cheeses list sorbic acid as a preservative, but the cheese names differ: 'American pasteurized prepared cheese product' versus 'light pasteurized process American cheese.'

Factor	Lunchables Turkey & American	Armour LunchMakers Turkey Cracker Crunchers
Sodium per package	540 mg (23% DV)	620 mg (26% DV)
Sodium nitrite in turkey	Listed; amount not disclosed	Listed; amount not disclosed
Added sugar	11 g (22% DV)	Not disclosed (sources conflict)
Cheese name	American pasteurized prepared cheese product	Light pasteurized process American cheese
Protein	10 g (20% DV)	8 g (14% DV)
Fiber	1 g (3% DV)	3% DV; gram amount not disclosed
Allergen ingredients	Wheat, milk and soy ingredients listed	Contains soy, peanuts, milk, wheat

Do Lunchables and LunchMakers Both Have Sodium Nitrite in Their Turkey?

Both turkeys list sodium nitrite in their ingredient lists, and neither label discloses the amount used. The amount in either turkey is not stated on the package label.

Lunchables Turkey & American with Chocolate Creme Cookies (3.2 oz kit, serving size 1 package) lists 'ROAST WHITE TURKEY - CURED - SMOKE FLAVOR ADDED.' Its listed ingredients include sodium nitrite, sodium phosphates, sodium diacetate, sodium ascorbate, and carrageenan. The brand copy describes the meat as '100% white meat turkey' and 'cured roast white turkey, smoke flavor added.'

Armour LunchMakers Turkey Cracker Crunchers (2.44 oz kit, serving size 1 package, 68 g) lists 'CURED WHITE TURKEY' with sodium nitrite, sodium phosphates, sodium diacetate, sodium erythorbate, corn syrup, and modified food starch. Both labels therefore show the same nitrite-plus-phosphate pairing in the turkey, with different supporting ingredients.

Federal rules at 9 CFR 424.21 list sodium nitrite for the purpose 'To fix color' in 'Cured meat and poultry products.' That regulation describes why the ingredient is used, not how much a specific package contains.

How Much Sodium Is in Lunchables Turkey vs Armour LunchMakers Turkey Cracker Crunchers?

Armour LunchMakers lists 620 mg of sodium per package (26% DV), and Lunchables Turkey & American lists 540 mg (23% DV). The 80 mg difference is simple arithmetic from the two Nutrition Facts panels (620 minus 540), and it applies to one package of each kit.

Which has more sodium, Lunchables or LunchMakers?

Armour LunchMakers Turkey Cracker Crunchers has more sodium per package, at 620 mg (26% DV) against 540 mg (23% DV) for Lunchables Turkey & American. Both figures are for one package, and the two kits are different weights, 3.2 oz for Lunchables and 2.44 oz (68 g) for Armour, so the labels do not support a per-ounce comparison.

The FDA lists the Daily Value for sodium as less than 2,300 mg per day, and its sodium guidance classifies 5% DV or less per serving as low and 20% DV or more as high. Source: FDA, Sodium in Your Diet. On that scale, both kits fall in the high range on a per-package basis.

Salt appears in both kits, along with other sodium-containing ingredients. Lunchables lists salt, sodium phosphates, sodium diacetate, and sodium ascorbate in its turkey. Armour lists salt, sodium phosphates, sodium diacetate, and sodium erythorbate. How much sodium each ingredient contributes was not disclosed on either label.

What Cheese Type Does Each Kit Use, and Which Preservatives Come With It?

Lunchables uses an 'American pasteurized prepared cheese product,' and Armour uses 'light pasteurized process American cheese.' Both cheese ingredient lists include sorbic acid, which the labels mark as a preservative.

Do Lunchables have real cheese?

The Lunchables cheese ingredient list includes milk, water, milk protein concentrate, milkfat, and whey, and the label names the product 'American pasteurized prepared cheese product.' That label term describes the product as labeled. Whether it carries a federal standard of identity was not disclosed here, so readers should rely on the ingredient list and label name rather than assume a specific standard applies.

The full Lunchables cheese list also includes less than 2% sodium citrate, salt, lactic acid, sorbic acid (preservative), enzymes, cheese culture, oleoresin paprika and annatto (color), and sunflower lecithin 'added for slice separation.'

The Armour cheese lists milk, water, milk protein concentrate, whey, modified food starch, sodium citrate, salt, lactic acid, potassium citrate, cheese culture, sorbic acid (preservative), enzymes, and color added. Its label notes that modified food starch is an ingredient not found in regular pasteurized process American cheese.

The two cheese lists differ in several ways. Lunchables names milkfat and sunflower lecithin, while Armour names modified food starch and potassium citrate. Armour's color is listed only as 'color added,' while Lunchables names oleoresin paprika and annatto.

The crackers also differ. Armour's Buttercrisp crackers list 'Canola Oil With TBHQ for Freshness.' The Lunchables cracker ingredient list does not include TBHQ, and it lists palm oil and vegetable oil (canola and/or soybean and/or palm oil). Readers who want background on TBHQ can read our TBHQ guide.

How Much Added Sugar Is in Lunchables vs Armour LunchMakers Turkey Cracker Crunchers?

Lunchables Turkey & American lists total sugars 12 g, of which added sugar 11 g, per package (22% DV). The LunchMakers brand page and a Food Lion retailer listing give different added sugar figures for this kit, so the Armour added sugar amount is not disclosed here, and this article does not report one.

The FDA sets the Daily Value for added sugars at 50 grams per day; see FDA guidance on added sugars. The Lunchables figure of 11 g equals 22% of that value, which matches the panel.

Ingredient lists show where sugar comes from. The Lunchables cookies list powdered sugar, sugar, and corn syrup, and the crackers list sugar. The Armour turkey lists corn syrup, its crackers list sugar and corn syrup, and the Butterfinger bar lists corn syrup and sugar. For a head-to-head on added sugar in a related Lunchables product, see Is Lunchly Healthier Than Lunchables? 6 g vs 14 g Added Sugar. For sodium nitrite in a different pair of turkey products, see Oscar Mayer vs Hillshire Turkey: Nitrates? 530 vs 600 mg Sodium.

Which Label Claims on Each Kit Hold Up Against the Nutrition Panel?

The Lunchables '10 grams of protein' claim matches its panel, which shows 10 g protein (20% DV). Armour's brand panel shows 8 g protein (14% DV), and the Food Lion listing describes the kit as a 'Good source of protein & calcium.' Armour's calcium is listed at 15% DV.

The Lunchables '100% white meat turkey' claim describes the turkey component. The ingredient list begins with white turkey but also includes water, modified cornstarch, dextrose, and other additives, so the label does not show a turkey-only breakdown.

Fiber is listed for both kits: Lunchables shows 1 g (3% DV), and Armour shows 3% DV with the gram amount not disclosed. Iron and calcium in milligrams were not disclosed for Armour. Panels can change when products are reformulated, so the figures here may not match the package in your store.

How Can Shoppers Spot Sodium Nitrite, Sodium, and Added Sugar on Any Lunch Kit Label?

Start with the ingredient list, then compare the Nutrition Facts panel for each package. Check these items on any kit:

• Look for sodium nitrite or sodium nitrate in the cured meat line.
• Compare sodium in mg and %DV, and note the serving size and package weight.
• Find the 'Includes X g Added Sugars' line beneath Total Sugars.
• Read the cheese name, since 'prepared cheese product' and 'process cheese' are different labels.
• Check preservative and antioxidant names such as sorbic acid and TBHQ.
• Read the allergen line, since this pair differs: the Armour kit lists peanuts from the Butterfinger bar.

Panels and recipes can change, so check the package in your hand against these lists before you buy.