Turkey Twizzlers are making a comeback... but why did they go away?

Turkey Twizzlers are coming back

Lots of people have been talking about Turkey Twizzlers.

If you're wondering what makes a Twizzler... it's a spiral shaped sausage made of turkey.

You might not have seen or even heard of one before, but they caused quite the uproar back in 2005.

Turkey Twizzlers were a popular lunchtime staple, but they were removed from school menus after celebrity chef Jamie Oliver raised concerns about their nutritional value.

Turkey farmer and food production company Bernard Matthews is now relaunching a version they say is "significantly healthier".

What ever happened to the turkey twizzler?

Jamie Oliver launched a campaign in 2005 which aimed to get more children eating healthier food at school

Jamie Oliver started a campaign 15 years ago which aimed to tackle the unhealthy food choices on offer in schools in England.

The campaign, called Feed Me Better, eventually led to a television programme which followed the chef's attempts to get school kids to swap out burgers, chips and other processed food items for more fruit and veg.

The TV show drew in millions of viewers and the campaign ended up becoming a huge success, with more than 270,000 people signing a petition to get more healthy meals and snacks in schools and less nutritious options taken out.

The TV chef ended up taking the petition to Downing Street and soon after, the government, led by former Prime Minister Tony Blair, agreed to spend an additional £280 million on revamping school dinners.

Turkey twizzlers, which were criticised for their low meat and high fat content, became one of the most famous food items removed from schools.

How do the new Turkey Twizzlers compare to the old ones?

The turkey twizzler has lots of fans!

Bernard Matthews says their newest version of the Twizzler is a lot healthier than their previous offering. They say they have doubled the amount of meat in them, as well as having lower levels of fat, salt and sugar.

"We have spent a lot of time making sure that we are delivering a healthy, a significantly healthier, product than it was before. It is very much a different product," said David Leigh who is the marketing director at the company.

The current focus is on getting the product back into stores, but it's hoped they'll eventually be on school menus once again.

Jamie Oliver hasn't commented on the reintroduction of the Turkey Twizzlers just yet.

However, some fans will be excited about their return: 27,000 people signed a petition in 2018 to bring the food item back.

Have you ever had a Turkey Twizzler? Would you try one if they were an option on your school's menu? Let us know in the comments!