talk to me about your kids lunch box set and thermos....

[AnnieW625]

DD1 wants to take soy milk to school for her lunch (right now she goes once a week for lunch bunch). We have a Camelbak that is pretty leak free, but it has leaked a few times (and I need to get a replacement straw) so I am wondering if there is a better option out there, and stainless steel (I guess).

I was poking around the Lap Top Lunch box site and for the life of me can't figure out what would work best for her. I am also okay with Tupperware, or Snap Ware. I'll consider stainless, but there is absolutely no way I am sending a kindergartner to school with glass.

Right now she has a rectangular Dora lunch box and I am not sure that she'll take that to school next year. If she doesn't we'll most likely end up with one from Lands End, LL Bean, or PB Kids.

[egoldber]

Would this be once a week or everyday?

I used to use the Rubbermaid litterless juice boxes, but I started to have trouble with them leaking, so I've gone back to the aseptic milk boxes. Younger DD takes Silk soymilk and older DD takes Organic Valley milk.

[AnnieW625]

It would be once weekly now through the end of preschool in June, and then daily once she starts kindergarten in the fall. What's the best price on the asceptic cartons. Amazon has the Silk soy on auto ship for $17 for 18 (.94 a piece), which is much better than Whole Foods. Is that the best price out there (we don't pay tax on food so no issue if the seller is in California).

[egoldber]

There is probably a better price to be had, but honestly I don't have the time or energy. We do Amazon S&S for both milks.

[daisymommy]

Thermos stainless steel straw bottles keep things nice and cold all day long (not sure about your DD, but my kids won't drink something if it's not cold).

We have the LLBean Critter Lunch boxes, and yes, plastic http://www.easylunchboxes.com/

[daniele_ut]

My kids both take lunch to school daily and right now we have the LLBean Critter lunch boxes (I LOVE them) and we use these Ziploc divided containers for their lunch:


They are about $2.50 for a pair at Target and they fit perfectly in the Critter. I like them better than the Easy Lunchboxes because each compartment seals independently. I often pack yogurt for the kids. We use the stainless steel Camelbak straw bottles and I've never had one leak, except when dh doesn't put them together correctly when he makes lunch. They don't seem to keep things cold the way Funtainers straw cups do, however, so I always include a small rectangular ice pack in the mesh pocket when I give them milk. If I do water, I add lots of ice to the cup. We also have a Funtainer thermos that I will use when I want to send pasta or noodle soup.

I put the Camelbak cup in so that it will be upright when I zip the bag closed. I happen to have DD's lunch box here since they sent the wrong one home with her yesterday and I packed hers in a spare and brought her regular one back with me when I dropped her off. This is how it usually looks:

[bubbaray]

My girls both use one of these LE lunchboxes: http://www.landsend.com/pp/Featherli...&origin=search ETA: I really really love these lunchboxes, best we've found and I've already ordered more for next year. Clean up nicely, no smell, the ones that we started using Sept. 2010 look brand new still. They fit a decent amount (I pack lunches and snacks).

They are bigger than this LLB one (which we also have): http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/62857?from=SR&feat=sr


We have Thermos Funtainers for milk or water and the Funtainer food thermos' too. The food ones keep things hot until lunch (I pre-heat with boiling water). The liquid Funtainers seem to keep milk cold until lunch. DD#1 says her water isn't cold at the end of the day, though.

[crl]

We like ds' planetbox if you are looking for a stainless steel alternative to the laptop lunch boxes.

http://www.planetbox.com/

Catherine

[infomama]

I'm really trying to do more Bento style lunches so for us this lunchbox works best as I don't have to worry about her lunch being turned on it's side. Plus, her thermos (water) can go in the lidded area freeing up a lot of space. http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/67347...300-ppxs&dds=y

[jenmcadams]

We use the laptop lunch system and have for the last 4 years or so. My DD drinks regular milk, but is picky and likes the milk we get delivered the best, so I put some milk in the regular laptop lunch bottle and just put ice packs in the outer case. Her lunch time is relatively early 11:25 and she says her milk is always ice cold.