BACK-TO-SCHOOL LUNCH ESSENTIALS: OUR TOP PICKS

Our Top Picks For All Ages and Why We Love Them!

Hi Mamas I know it may feel early to start thinking about school lunches (for us east-coasters) but in the Mid-West and West they are already thinking about going back to school! Many of us (including me) don't enjoy packing school lunches, but I do enjoy ordering these items to make packing lunch easier and more organized! Here are our top picks and reasons why we love them.

1. BENTGO BOXES We've tried other brands (like OmieBox and others) but typically come back to Bentgo. This year we are trying the Bentgo Kids Stainless Steel Lunch Box, which I am excited about the stainless option, and also the Bengto Chill with a built-in ice pack. IMPORTANT NOTE: The stainless steel Bentgo box is longer and thinner than the traditional Kids Bentgo. One design flaw is that this option fits in only select lunch boxes. It doesn't fit in Pottery Barn Lunch Boxes and its even tight in Herschel lunch boxes. This year we ordered the larger Bentgo Lunch Box to ensure a good fit with some room to spare!
   

2. BENTGO BUDDIES REUSABLE ICE PACKS When you pack lunches first thing in the morning they are guaranteed to be warm by the time the kiddos have lunch at school or camp. These Bentgo Buddies Reusable Ice Packs come in fun shapes including puppies, monster trucks, unicorns, pineapples, planets, dinosaurs and more! We've ordered these for years and love them. They are fun and get the job done. Have older kids that are too cool for shapes? Try instead these sleek Thin Chillers instead.
   

3. STAINLESS STEEL UTENSILS

Our prior go-to was the Pottery Barn Utensil Set and Carrying Case, adorable, works great, and lasts for years. The only downside is the carrying case is thick making it hard to fit inside the lunch box with a Bentgo Box. This year, we switched to the Bentgo Kids Stainless Steel Utensil Set with a slim design, making this easy to fit anywhere.

4. NAME BUBBLES

Avoid lost items with Name Bubbles Stickers. We have been using these for years. These adorable, dishwasher-safe labels are perfect for lunch boxes, water bottles, utensils, backpacks, and more. They also have clothing labels! They come in various designs and colors, allowing you to customize them with your child's name and favorite color or theme!

For our older daughter, we went with these Name Labels from Minted.

5. BENTGO STAINLESS STEEL FOOD JAR

We love this leak-proof container for hot lunches or cold ones like fruit and yogurt. These containers last long and have a great seal.

BONUS FAVORITES!

REUSABLE SNACK BAGS

We love these Reusable Bags by Grove Collaborative. We use these for the kids snacks - they easily fit an ice pack and 2-3 snacks! They are easy to rinse clean, durable, and help reduce waste. They also come in a few cute designs.

Equip the family with the best lunch gear to make mornings easier! Please share your own back-to-school essentials in the comments below!