Lunchables vs Lunchly: What teenage boys should really have in their lunch boxes

When popular YouTube stars KSI and Logan Paul launched their hydration drink Prime in 2022, it caused quite a frenzy among their teenage fanbase. The product was a huge hit, particularly among teenage boys, who queued at supermarkets and paid inflated prices to get their hands on the colourful bottles.

Now, KSI - whose real name is Olajide Olatunji - and Paul have teamed up with another YouTube star, Mr Beast (real name Jimmy Donaldson), to launch a new product for their school-age fans. The trio announced a new pre-packed lunch box that comes with a bottle of Prime, a chocolate bar from Donaldson’s snack brand Feastables, and a variety of snacks.

Customers can choose from Fiesta Nachos, The Pizza or Turkey Stack ‘Ems. Lunchly is set to launch in the US first, before hitting the shelves in the UK later this year.

Olatunji, Paul, and Donaldson have made it clear that they plan to rival the US-based brand Lunchables with their product. They claim that Lunchly products are healthier, with fewer calories and less sugar than Lunchables. In the UK, their equivalent rival would be Dairylea's Lunchers. However, Lunchly has not made comparisons against the nutritional value of Lunchers.

How does Lunchly really stack up against the established brands? We compared Lunchly’s Turkey Stack ‘Ems to Lunchables’ Ham and American Cheese Cracker Stackers to find out.

We have also included Lunchers Ham ‘N’ Cheese. However, Dairylea does not offer a combination packed lunch that includes a drink and sweet treat like the other two products, so any nutritional information is solely based on the crackers, meat and cheese included in the package.

Lunchly VS Lunchables VS Lunchers: How do they stack up?

Hover over the cards below to reveal contents and nutritional information. Swipe left for more.

According to our research, Lunchly's claims about having fewer calories, less fat and less sugar do ring true. However, it's important to note that the serving sizes differ, which affects the nutritional values.

Lunchly contains 72g of food in total, a whole 10g less than Lunchables. Despite the 10g difference, Lunchly only has 2g less fat compared to Lunchables' offering, and they both have the same amount of protein at 11g.

However, the most significant difference lies within the sugar content. Lunchly includes a 355ml bottle of Prime Hydration drink, as well as a milk chocolate bar, while Lunchables includes a 177ml packet of Capri Sun Pacific Cooler - a juice concentrate-based drink - and a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup.

Although Lunchables has a smaller drink and sweet treat, the sugar content of its pre-packed lunch comes to a total of 21g, compared to Lunchly's 7g.

What about Dairylea's Lunchers? Even without a sweet treat, the total amount of food in a package of Lunchers comes to 74g. It clocks in at 214 calories per package, which does seem like quite a lot compared to Lunchly's 230 calories, especially considering the latter does include a chocolate bar and a drink.

Shockingly, Lunchers also contains more salt than the other two brands, with a whopping 920mg of salt compared to Lunchly's 480mg and Lunchables' 570mg of sodium.

However, in terms of protein and fat content, Lunchers comes out on top. Dairylea's offering has only 9.3g of total fats, and 12g of protein, one gram more than its US counterparts.

What should teenage boys really be eating?

While all three products are popular among school-age children and busy parents, they all contain ultra-processed foods that may not necessarily be healthy for growing kids and teenagers.

Instead of reaching for pre-packaged lunches, independent nutritionist Sue Oldrieve suggests putting together lunch boxes that are rich in fruit and protein. Adding fruits can also help contribute to their Five-a-Day, as a recent survey by Juice Plus + reveals 75% of people don’t think they’re eating their Five-a-Day.

Lunch boxes don't have to take a long time to assemble, she reassures parents, as they can be kept simple but nutritious.

Oldrieve says: "Helping our children to eat healthy lunches is important for their development and for engaging them in varied diets into adulthood.

"The ideal packed lunch will therefore contain a mix of protein rich foods, some carbohydrate foods – preferably wholegrain – and a portion or two of fruits/veggies.

"Bananas, apples, satsumas… they are all the ultimate fast food to put into a lunch box. Add some protein-filled sandwiches (egg, tuna, chicken, hummus – with salad if they’ll eat it) and a bottle of water and you’re good to go.

"For teenage boys, scale up the portions and add extra snacks (cereal bars, bread sticks, dips). Preparation can be quick – just a few minutes of your day."

Read more about nutrition and parenting:

• Which vitamins and minerals do children need? (Yahoo Life UK, 6-min read)

• Feeding your child peanuts from a young age can help reduce allergies later, new study claims (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)

• Why you should reconsider giving kids fruit juice everyday (Yahoo Life UK, 6-min read)