The Main Reason Hot Pockets Got Rid Of The Sleeves

In September 2024, Hot Pockets announced that the company's handheld snacks would no longer come with the microwaving sleeve that had become their trademark. Naturally, folks began to panic. As devotees of the brand know, the sleeve was more than just a barrier to protect your hands from scalding cheese burns. It was also artfully designed with a metallic liner that made the sleeve work like a convection oven, transferring high heat directly to the pocket's shell and toasting it to crispy, crunchy perfection. So, why would the company get rid of it after so many years? To be sweet to our planet.

Without making too much of a fuss about it, Nestlé issued a statement announcing that the sleeves would be a thing of the past come 2025. Eliminating the sleeves will save the Earth from an estimated five million pounds of paper waste annually. To mark the occasion, a branded holiday sweater with zip-off sleeves was released in tandem (as an act of goodwill for the devastated customers, one might presume). 

The eco-friendly initiative comes a decade after Hot Pockets' recipe was altered to remove artificial flavors and reduce the sodium content. Who says Big Food doesn't have a heart!? To soften the blow, Hot Pockets is also pushing the idea that the move will make the cooking process faster and easier, allowing you to get to snacking at a rate of speed not yet seen by Hot Pockets enthusiasts. 

Though he has a famous bit about them, comedian Jim Gaffigan exclusively told Mashed he's not much of a fan of Hot Pockets — even before the sleeve went out of style. Now that the sleeves are gone, many folks on social media are saying they don't want anything to do with them either. While some believe going sans sleeve makes the handheld snacks soggy and less convenient to eat, others have an issue with the idea that something is being taken away from them. 

Speaking out on a Reddit thread dedicated to the loss of the Hot Pockets' sleeves, one commenter wrote, "They change so many small things that people enjoy just to save money." There's even a petition on Change.org to bring the sleeves back. Perhaps the 164 people who signed it are unaware of the environmental benefits.

If you're worried the taste and texture of your Hot Pockets will be compromised by the loss of the sleeve, the company says you needn't be. Revised cooking instructions suggest using an air fryer for a crispy crust and microwaving for a softer sandwich. Plus, the new Pepperoni Pizza Hot Pockets are packed with 30% more pepperoni. With proportions like that, who needs the sleeve, anyway? While it will take longer than microwaving, maybe air-frying will remedy the age-old issue of having every bite of Hot Pockets register as a different temperature.