Cool lunch box ideas

Sep 04, 2012 10:00 AM by Kori Ellis

Posted in Parenting / Age by Age / School Age Kids

Get Creative With Lunch

Now that school is back in session, packing lunch becomes a daily routine for many moms. This school year, make your child's lunch fun and healthy with these cool lunch box ideas.

Make it a bento box

Bento boxes make it easy to offer your child a wide variety of items with a combination of cool colors and textures. Fill up your bento box with foods that are healthy and tasty. Make lunchtime a joy to create (and eat!) with this funny face bagel bento box.

Break out of the rut

The same PB&J sandwich and an apple can get boring day after day. Get inspired and get creative without spending a lot of extra time with this adorable owl sandwich. It looks time-consuming, but it's easy — and you don't even need a special cookie cutter.

Pack a pita pocket

Ditch the ordinary bread and fill up a pita pocket instead. Whole-wheat pitas are pefect for lunch — you can stuff them with plenty of veggies along with grilled chicken, turkey breast meat and other favorites. Try these pita ideas and other healthy lunches. Add a side of raw veggies with light ranch dressing for dipping.

Go beyond basic bread

Not every lunch needs to be a sandwich. Get inspired to create something a little different for your kids' lunches. We love the idea of skewers. With skewered lunches, your options are limitless. You can fill a skewer with everything from fresh fruit to prosciutto and asparagus tips.

Cool lunch boxes

Just as important as the lunch you are packing inside is the box that you are packing it in. Look for insulated boxes and bags that will keep your kids' lunches cold for hours. Here are a few of our favorite lunch boxes this fall.

ClassMate

Solid ClassMate soft sided lunch box (Lands' End, $19) - This insulated lunch box will keep your child's lunch cold for five hours with just an ice pack. It features an easy-to-clean, leak-resistant interior and we adore the color. Plus, you can have it monogrammed!

Dabbawalla

Dabbawalla lunch bags (Dabbawalla, $30) - Your kids will adore this colorful lunch bag in fun designs. You'll love that they are recyclable, degradable and chemical-free. Plus a huge bonus — they are completely machine washable for easy clean-up.

MadBox

Patches MadBox 2-piece lunch box (Lands' End, $35) - Your child will love this big lunch box from Lands' End. This monogrammed lunch box comes with an ice pack and it features a zippered exterior pocket to keep milk money, snacks and other extras handy.

Hot Pick

Check out the Packin’ SMART® Lock & Lock Stacking Bento (Innobaby, $15). You can throw these stackable bento boxes inside any bag for fun meals and snacks on the go. The slim, stackable design is stylish and convenient. They are BPA-, phthalates-, PVC- and lead-free.

More about kids' lunches

Lunchtime learning activities for your preschooler
Teaching your kids to make better lunchtime decisions
Why your kids should use a bento lunchbox this year

Tags: back to school lunch box ideas lunches

Comments

Comments on "Cool lunch box ideas"

Great suggestions! I'm sure my kids will love all of these! Lately I've been making pita sandwiches for them and they love it. It's healthier and something different than a plain old sandwich. Can't wait to try out all these other ideas! Thanks!