Lunchables are a lifesaver for super busy moms that are short on time when preparing their kids for school.
With already cooked crust and pizza ingredients in the box, all you have to do is teach your kids how to dress up the pizza and they’re good to go.
Or are they not??
Since maybe you might be required to cook the pizza first?
Or can the lunchables be enjoyed cold?
Wait..?
Are pizza lunchables supposed to be cooked?
In this article, we’ll answer the question whether or not pizza lunchables are meant to be heated, and also discuss the right kind of method for cooking them if at all they can be heated.
What are pizza lunchables?
Lunchables is a food brand that offers packaged meals in containers for kids (and adults to enjoy). It was originally meant to serve as a substitute (as well as a time saver) for mothers packing lunch for their kids to eat in school.
Lunchables offer different meal varieties from crackers, pizzas, hotdogs to wraps and small burgers.
The pizza lunchables is the variety that prepares and packages pizza in a mini cardboard container.
In the container, you have already baked pizza crust separated on one side and the toppings such as sauce, Mozzarella cheese and pepperoni on the other.
The consumer is then meant to dress up the crust with the toppings and consume it.
Are lunchables supposed to be heated? Are lunchables ready to eat?
Pizza lunchables can be eaten right out of the box without further warming because the ingredients are fully cooked and preserved well, although it is still recommended to it up for a better experience.
How to heat pizza lunchables?
If you read through the packaging of the pizza lunchables, it’s crystal clear how you can do that.
First, prepare the pizza by laying the crust on a microwaveable plate and top it with the sauce, Mozzarella cheese and pepperoni. Then put it in the microwave on high for 30 seconds.
Be very careful with the pizza coming out from the microwave as it is very hot and can cause burns when it comes into contact with the skin. If possible, use an oven mitt to retrieve the pizza from the oven.
Also, avoid heating the pizza in its packaging as doing so may cause the packaging to burn in the microwave.
Is pizza better reheated or cold?
Whether or not pizza is better heated or cold is something that is really subjective.
I personally love my pizza warm or just slightly hot as I dislike the very uninteresting taste of refrigerated pizza.
Each and every ingredient (of a refrigerated pizza) in my opinion is muted by the cold it acquired from the refrigerator, and you can barely taste what you’re supposed to be tasting.
For a hot cheesy pizza however, every ingredient is brought back to life, sizzling and steaming with heat, and you can feel the taste of each and every ingredient with a bite.
Can you bake pizza lunchables in the oven?
It is not recommended anywhere on the package to bake pizza lunchables in the oven, be it a regular oven or a toaster oven.
And this I think is partly due to the fact that the pizza crust included is very small and can easily bake to a hard or burnt crust in the oven.
So stick with microwaving and do that for only 30 seconds.
Can you freeze pizza lunchables?
You are not expected to freeze pizza lunchables because freezing destroys the textural integrity of the ingredients including the crust.
And this is something that would be very evident in the crust during defrosting and in the taste of the sauce and cheese after heating.
The best way to store lunchables is in a plastic bag sealed and kept in the refrigerator.
