It’s that wonderful time of the year again. I don’t know about you, but I am dreaming of that first day of school, and yes, packing all those school lunches. I love my kids, but let’s be honest, summers are very difficult, for both working mothers and SAHM. The million times we hear “Mommy” would get to even the most mindful parent.
This year we traveled a lot. The kids had a great time exploring new places and learning, and I got some time to relax and read. As we enter the last days of summer break, I am starting to get everything ready for the school year. We are now getting school supplies and meeting the teachers, but my favorite part is getting everything ready for their school lunches.
It might sound crazy, but I actually enjoy packing school lunches. Now, not every day is easy, and some days I take the easy way out. But I can say that about 90% of the year we have things under control. Now, I’m not talking about Pinterest perfect, but we have reached a point where the kids and I get excited about what is packed almost every day.
Last year I wrote a post on quick ideas for homemade lunches. A year later, it’s still pretty much how we operate, with some upgrades and improvements as the kids get older. One of the biggest questions I get is on gear. What I use and recommend. So, in honor of back to school season, here are my top pics for lunchboxes and gear.
The Lunch Box
Here is where you can easily go crazy. I love the variety of options that we now have as parents. Lunchboxes are sold everywhere, with all kinds of patterns and characters. I wish we had as many options growing up. There is something for every budget and taste.
I love the Pottery Barn options. They are not the most budget friendly boxes in the market, but you they usually have clearance items. I like them particularly because I have found them to be of great quality and love the insulation. My youngest has had his for 3 years now and it still holding up strong. Wipe it every day and toss it in the washing machine every couple of months. It will last for a long time.
There are also great options at Target. I keep a spare one for each kid in case of emergency.
Bento Boxes and Containers
Omie Box: This is our every day favorite. It has cold and hot options and we adjust according to the menu. This can b heavy and a hard to use for younger kids to use though. My first grader loves it but has trouble closing it back, so it always goes inside a lunch box. It is also the lunchbox with the best hot container we have found.
Thermos: A true classic! One of the best options for warm food. It iss perfect for soups and Chili. The best part is that it comes in different sizes so you can adjust to your kids appetite.
Sistema: The easiest and most reliable closing mechanism I have tried. Perfect for little hands and the design is great to add a variety of snacks. We love these for fruits and sandwiches.
Fit & Fresh: These boxes are available pretty much everywhere, online and in your supermarket. I have found that not all of them stand the extended use, but the mini bento box is a great option. I love that it has different containers and an icepack to keep food fresh.
Water Bottles and other accessories
I am a big promoter of going plastic free, so I tend to pack things on reusable gear to reduce waste. Our son keeps a water bottle at school and usually takes another one every day. We have a combination of Thermos and other containers. I particularly like the containers from Costco. They rotate products every couple of months but you can usually find a nice double pack
I also have a couple of sets of stainless steal utensils. I recently added the pack from Pottery Barn because of their container case, but also have multiple Ikea sets.
To organize food, I add silicone baking cups silicone baking cups. They are waterproof and add tons of color to the box.
As for other snacks and sandwiches, I stay away from zip lock bags. I have found that Stasher bags are very reliable. Now, the price tag might initially come as a shock, but all you really need is one per kid and they will probably last you over a year. There are a lot of other options available that will fit your needs and budget better.
I know some might be thinking that homemade lunches come with a big initial cost. I see it more of an investment and that what I have selected specific gear. I believe in reusing as much as possible, so my recommendations are of products that we have used for the past two years. My kids don’t get new sets with the beginning of the year, so I am always searching durability. I know this might be hard as kids can be forgetful, lose stuff or simply toss it. So if that is your concern, start with the budget friendly gear, talk to them about bringing everything back and upgrade to other products next year.
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