A new school year means new gear that goes beyond school supplies to lunch time. Check out the latest tools that ensure your child’s lunch is as cold or as warm as it should be to guarantee your student enjoys a nutritious, balanced and safe lunch. Please remember that unless the foods you are packing are shelf stable (meaning you store them in your pantry or on your counter) you need to maintain their proper temperature (less than 40ºF for cold foods and greater than 140ºF for warm) until lunch.
Keep it hot:
Hot or Cold “FUNtainer” Food Jar (Thermos Brand): Use this to keep foods fresh and at the right temp. Tip for hot foods: Boil water and pour into this container to warm the inside metal, then pour water out and dry before adding warm foods.
Lava Lunch Lunch Bag: This lunch bag is a bit more expensive and may not be the bag your child wants to use every day. However, it may be worth investing in for the family. If your child (like mine!) is more into leftovers than sandwiches, it may be just what you need.
Pyrex Hot/Cold Packs: These versatile packs can be warmed in the microwave to use as a hot pack for warm lunches. My family pairs this with a warm food jar. Note: Be sure not to microwave it too long, or it may pop (yup, been there).
Keep it cold:
Cryopak Flexible Ice Mats: These flexible and safe ice mats stay cold for several hours and can be cut to size. Their unique thickness makes them easy to pack in most lunch boxes.
Fit n Fresh Sunglasses Ice Packs: Fit n Fresh ice packs come in a variety of shapes, including some that work with their containers to ensure the right fit.
Freezable Bento Box Set: This bento box becomes a small cooler when you freeze it overnight and then pack lunch in it in the morning.
Keep it reusable:
Kids 14-piece Chilled Value Container Set: This set includes six containers with lids and two cold packs. Perfect for packing assorted foods and snacks.
Snack Taxi Snack Bags, Sandwich Bags & Wraps: Not only are the patterns adorable in this set, but this line includes everything you need to avoid plastic bags and wraps.
Itzy Ritzy Reusable Bags: Also available in adorable patterns, these machine-washable, reusable bags come into small and medium sizes, each with a BPA free lining.
Keep it balanced:
Salad Dressing To-Go: These easy to squeeze bottles make packing salad dressing worry-free. Use them to encourage kids to bring salad to school.
Best Bento Boxes: This round-up of bento boxes will help you pack a balanced meal for your student.
Glad Mini-Round Containers: These affordable BPA, dishwasher-safe containers make packing an assortment of foods simple and easy. The lids are kid-friendly for little hands too!
Keep it easy:
Time Saver: Deconstructed Meals
Recipe Round-Up: Think Outside the Lunchbox
Nutrition Education for Students
Garden to Plate: Inspiring Children to eat Veggies