Sara Lee's New White Bread Contains Vegetables And Vitamins

Sara Lee began as a small chain of bakeries in 1935 and has grown into a bread and dessert juggernaut today, according to the company's website. The well-known bakery has listened to recent consumer demands by offering lines of healthier breads, like Artesano Bakery bread, which boasts that it contains "no artificial colors, flavors and preservatives and [is] free from high fructose corn syrup." 

There's also the brand's Delightful line, which has 8 grams of whole grain per serving. Whole grains can help with a wide range of medical conditions, notes Mayo Clinic, and Americans should get at least 50% of their grains from whole grains, or food made by utilizing all parts of the grain without stripping the nutrients out. But, these breads aren't necessarily appealing for kids.

As the company moves forward with plans to capture more of its target market, hardworking families who want more nutrition, the vaunted bread brand wants to make its white bread more appealing to health-conscious consumers and parents. Therefore, the brand announced the launch of its newest product: Sara Lee White Bread Made with Veggies. The brand describes it as "nutritious disguised as delicious" in a recent press release

One cup of vegetables per loaf and vitamins A, D, and E

Parents are always looking for ways to serve their kids better food, and nearly three-fourths of parents cited nutrition as a main driver for making food purchases, says Food Insight. Sara Lee's new White Bread With Veggies makes a case for better nutrition with "one cup of vegetables in every loaf" prominently displayed on the packaging, notes the company's press release. Specifically, the bread contains dehydrated carrot, butternut squash, sweet potato, and tomato, per SmartLabel

The bread also contains added vitamins A, D, and E and one serving (two slices) has 150 calories. You and your kids will get some solid nutrition with 20% of your daily vitamin A, 10% of your vitamin D, 15% of your daily vitamin E, and a little less than one-tenth of your daily calcium. Although there are no whole grains, this fortified bread can still work well.

For comparison, Sara Lee's Delightful white bread has fewer calories (90) and more fiber (6 grams compared to 1 gram) than the new white bread with veggies, but it lacks the fortified vitamins found in the new bread line.