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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 DV6BiW6M9jQ3He2eWcPYkEradXJ/JCCoQVroedxQD2F9hN4AU71E1r11yXBUniHe
 LYrz8m7jkG94W1Rcv38OOg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001240911-03-000001.txt : 20030806
<SEC-HEADER>0001240911-03-000001.hdr.sgml : 20030806
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030806140714
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001240911-03-000001
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030805
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030806

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			GRAGNANI LOUIS R
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001240911

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-00398
		FILM NUMBER:		03825836

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1107 GLYNWATER LANE
		CITY:			WAXHAW
		STATE:			NC
		ZIP:			28173

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			LANCE INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000057528
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	COOKIES & CRACKERS [2052]
		IRS NUMBER:				560292920
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			NC
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1226

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		8600 SOUTH BLVD
		STREET 2:		POST OFFICE BOX 32368
		CITY:			CHARLOTTE
		STATE:			NC
		ZIP:			28232
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7045541421

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		P O BOX 32368
		CITY:			CHARLOTTE
		STATE:			NC
		ZIP:			28232
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-05</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000057528</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>LANCE INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>LNCE</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001240911</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GRAGNANI LOUIS R</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1107 GLYNWATER LANE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WAXHAW</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NC</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>28173</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Vice President</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>$.83-1/3 par value Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-05</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1895</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>10.953</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>752.833</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></dir
ectOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>$.83-1/3 par value Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>13950</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>$.83-1/3 par value Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By spouse</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeH
olding><securityTitle><value>Option (right to buy)</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>18.87</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1998-05-01</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-05-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>8000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>8000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Option (right to buy)</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>20.906</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1999-04-16</value
><footnoteId id="F4"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-04-16</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>5800</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>5800</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Option (right to buy)</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>16.156</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2000-02-16</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-02-16</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecu
rityShares><value>13600</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>13600</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Option (right to buy)</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>10.125</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2001-04-20</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-04-20</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>20000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>20000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactio
nAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Option (right to buy)</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>12.69</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2002-01-30</value><footnoteId id="F6"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-01-30</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>10000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>10000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><secur
ityTitle><value>Option (right to buy)</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>14.45</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2003-01-24</value><footnoteId id="F7"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2012-01-24</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>10450</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>10450</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Option (right to buy)</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>7.65</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2004-04-24</value><footnoteId 
id="F8"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-04-24</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>18550</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>18550</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Shares held through the Company's Employee Stock Purchase Plan, a 16b-3 Plan.  Includes shares attributable to acquisitions under the Plan, including the reinvestment of dividends.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Includes shares attributable to acquisitions under the Dividend Reinvestment Plan, including the reinvestment of dividends.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Options granted under the 1997 I
ncentive Equity Plan, a 16b-3 Plan.</footnote><footnote id="F4">Options are fully exercisable.</footnote><footnote id="F5">Options become exercisable in four equal annual installments beginning 4/20/01.</footnote><footnote id="F6">Options become exercisable in four equal annual installments beginning 1/30/02.</footnote><footnote id="F7">Options become exercisable in four equal annual installments beginning 1/24/03.</footnote><footnote id="F8">Options become exercisable in four equal annual installments beginning 4/24/04.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Louis R. Gragnani by Edward H. Schuth his Attorney-In-Fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-06</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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