School lunch and bento box questions

[Anonymous]

This might fit better in the Food forum, but since it's specific to school lunches I'm posting here.

I know it's only January, but kindergarten registration has me thinking about all the other things that come along with school, including having to pack lunches. DC's preschool has always provided a hot lunch and snacks so having to think about food on a daily basis will be new to us.

It seems like these days reusable bento boxes are the way that people go instead of the thousands of Ziploc bags with peanut butter sandwiches that I threw away every day for 12 years. I have two questions. My first is what brand of bento-box things do people recommend and does it matter? My second question is whether these are all compatible with most lunch boxes or do I need to buy particular brands to match particular lunch boxes or bags? If I buy Pottery Barn's lunchbox, do I have to buy their food storage system, for example?

Sorry these are basic questions from a mom who is new to this.

[Anonymous]

Do not spend a lot of money. Be prepared for it to be left at school from time to time. Also, be prepared for parts to turn up missing. Are you also prepared to wash every night and have dry by a.m.?

[Anonymous]

Sorry--zip lock bags are messy, but I recommend them for a K kid. So much easier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do not spend a lot of money. Be prepared for it to be left at school from time to time. Also, be prepared for parts to turn up missing. Are you also prepared to wash every night and have dry by a.m.?

Agreed!

Plus, can she open and re-close the containers on her own. Ziplocs are messy and pricey.. but IMO a better option at this stage. You can get reusable lunch bags too.

http://www.reuseit.com/reusable-sandwich-and-snack-bags/reusable-sandwich-and-snack-bags.htm

[Anonymous]

You can buy silicone cupcake baking containers and use them to turn any Tupperware container into a bento box.

[Anonymous]

I've been packing lunch for ds for 3.5 years and he packs nearly every day, and he's never once lost a lunchbox or container. I bought this http://www.amazon.com/Sistema-Klip-Lunch-Container-47-3-Ounce/dp/B002B4S75I in kindergarten and he still has it. I bought a couple and use them everyday. I use ziplock bags on occasion too, but usually this container with a drink.

[Anonymous]

I bought some of these Sistema containers and they are not airtight. We have cut fruit a lot and I need airtight. Am I stuck with tupperware/gladware? That's OK because it's not being heated up, right?

[Anonymous]

Ziplock makes a 'disposable' bento box with 3 compartments. They fit into the wide, flat lunch boxes sold at the Container Store. Work great for old and young kids, cheap enough to have a stack, don't leak.

[Anonymous]

This is what you need...fits in lunchboxes, seals pretty well, easy to clean, cheap.

http://www.amazon.com/EasyLunchboxes-3-Compartment-Bento-Containers-Classic/dp/B004S129AQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1421526299&sr=1-1&keywords=easylunchboxes

[Anonymous]

I've been using these for about 3 years now (same 2 sets for 1 kid).

http://www.amazon.com/Square-3-Piece-Insulated-Stripe-Purple/dp/B00466I4RU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1421526272&sr=8-2&keywords=lunch+box+lock%26lock&pebp=1421526287288&peasin=B00466I4RU

each set includes 3 boxes and 3 inserts. The inserts fit two to a box so you can do an empty box, a box with 2 inserts that's divided into quarters or something in between. It's been 3-4 years and the only thing I've had to replace is the insulated bag. Typically my kid can't come close to eating anything more than 1 box worth of stuff so I never run out or am in a rush to wash. I supplement with mini tupperwares for stuff like sauces or extra fruit.

[Anonymous]

I would not use a disposable container for my kid's lunch ever day -- seems very wasteful.

My kid uses a neoprene lunch bag (http://www.amazon.com/BYO-Neoprene-Lunch-Monster-Mash-up/dp/B00F4AN9AO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1421527335&sr=8-2&keywords=neoprene+lunch+sack).

Into the bag goes some combination of the following:

Rubbermaid LunchBlox sandwich kit -- it has a box that fits a sandwich, an icepack, and two smaller boxes. They all fit together.

or on cold days he sometimes gets a thermos with hot lunch.

Plus also kids' silverware. Which isn't entirely necessary, but the plastic-handled stuff is easy to write names on with sharpie.

Whatever you end up getting, I recommend getting at least two sets, so that set one goes in the dishwasher while set two is in use.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've been packing lunch for ds for 3.5 years and he packs nearly every day, and he's never once lost a lunchbox or container. I bought this http://www.amazon.com/Sistema-Klip-Lunch-Container-47-3-Ounce/dp/B002B4S75I in kindergarten and he still has it. I bought a couple and use them everyday. I use ziplock bags on occasion too, but usually this container with a drink.

We use these. Have many in different shapes. I use them for two snacks a day, plus two or three containers for lunch. Easy for little hands to open and They are still going strong after almost four years of daily use. Never used a ziplock and have packed lunches daily through school and summer camp. I love being able to reuse containers.

[Anonymous]

I love our Planet Lunch Boxes. Especially the fact that the kids only open one thing and it's all laid out for them. Before that, I found they didn't open all the packets/boxes. I think I make healthier lunches because of the compartments (rather than throwing in a packet of something). If you will be making lunches for a few years, it's well worth the investment.

[Anonymous]

I use this. His protein (typcally a half a sandwhich) goes on one side and then the fruits and veggies on the other.
http://www.amazon.com/Sistema-11-8-Ounce-Rectangular-Split-Container/dp/B003819TPK/ref=sr_1_18?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1421528014&sr=1-18&keywords=sistema+lunch&pebp=1421528023735&peasin=B003819TPK

We also have to pack a morning snack so I use some relaly small lock and lock containers that I never had any use for until now.

Regardlng zip locks, we use a soft sided lunch box, I would worry he'd crush his lunch if things were in zip locks rather than containers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I bought some of these Sistema containers and they are not airtight. We have cut fruit a lot and I need airtight. Am I stuck with tupperware/gladware? That's OK because it's not being heated up, right?

These are.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002KKCLM8/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1421534966&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SY200_QL40&dpPl=1&dpID=51SpPcOn78L&ref=plSrch