Mark Elkman and Howard Panes Launch Mighty Yum

Mighty Yum is a vegan version of Lunchables and a healthy snack options for kids.

Parenting today is difficult. Modern parents have countless things to worry about related to the health and well-being of their children. With rising rates of childhood obesity, one of the top concerns is providing healthy meals for their children.

While this may seem like an easy task compared to other challenges, it takes a lot of time and attention to consistently shop for, prepare, and provide healthy meals. And as every parent knows, time and attention are often in short supply on any given day.

Mark Elkman and Howard Panes are tackling this challenge by launching a healthy vegan based kid friendly product called Mighty Yum^TM – giving parents an alternative to the quick, fast food meals and high calorie options that many of them rely on throughout their busy work week.

Having worked in the health and wellness industry for over 25 years, Elkman and Panes came together to create Mighty Yum™, a plant-based twist on our favorite nostalgic lunch kit. Mighty Yum^™ is on a mission to change the way families are eating on the go. With superfoods in every bite, these vegan lunch kits have combined necessary nutrients with our favorite finger foods.

The best part is, even though Mighty Yum^™ is created with 100% plant-based ingredients, it does not sacrifice the flavorful goodness that many kids have come to love. They can choose from favorites like turkey and cheese, ham and cheese, or pepperoni pizza, full of tasty flavors and incredible textures in each and every bite. In fact, some people don’t even know it’s plant-based from the looks and taste, fulfilling all the cravings of even the pickiest eaters.

Elkman and Panes believe that by implementing plant-based meals and snacks, reducing the consumption of heavy meats and dairy products, which are highly consumed by the standard American diet, our kids and youth will live a healthier life reducing the risk of obesity.

In 2022, childhood obesity rates hit record numbers, with 340 million children worldwide reported as obese. Unfortunately, childhood obesity can also lead to many other health problems that can last throughout one’s life, such as type II diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Busy families on the go are opting for highly calorie foods that are easy to provide on a jam-packed day. But these loaded products often include unhealthy, processed meats and dairy products rather than healthy alternatives. These options have certainly contributed to the childhood obesity epidemic. Additionally, they can impair cognitive mental health.

Reducing the consumption of these heavy meats and dairy products – staples in the Western diet most American youths rely on – can lead to a healthier life and reduce the risk of obesity and mental health issues. The American diet is plagued with the mentality that animal meat is required in every meal to get sufficient protein, but this is simply not true. Additionally, raising animals for food not only hurts the environment but consumes significant energy and other resources.

Since Elkman and Panes are both fathers, they had a genuine concern for their children’s health and countless others harmed by an over saturated diet. The idea for Mighty Yum^™ came from them realizing that there wasn’t any food out there that was both healthy and enjoyable for their children.

Now with Mighty Yum^™ on the market, they are helping all sorts of parents and kids on the go to enjoy healthy snacking that will satisfy their hunger while keeping their wellness in mind. And, since it’s vegan, getting kids to eat their veggies should be a little easier as well. Furthermore, the best part for parents is, they can now offer plant based meat that their kids will actually eat.