I can’t believe we’re in the last week of September, aka “Back-to-School Month” here at The Lunch Tray. We’ve talked a lot this month about what foods to pack for lunch, and now here are a few more cool lunch boxes to put them in.
First, my friend Donna referred me to this detailed product review of the “muck-free,” soup-to-nuts lunch kits from Citizenpip. The full set of items — Thermoses, reusable bags, utensils and more – isn’t cheap, but it’s clearly quite functional and environmentally friendly.
Second, Stephanie Holguin, the blogger behind Foodie-isms, a blog “obsessively interested in all things culinary,” has been posting on The Lunch Tray’s Facebook fan page her series of lunch box reviews. In addition to the previously-discussed-here Planet Box and Lap Top Lunches, Stephanie has reviewed the Goodbyn:
and Lunchbots:
Wow. These are all a far cry from what I was toting to school, back in the day. (Really.)
As I learn of more great lunch systems — and there seems to be no end to designers’ ingenuity out there – I’ll post about them on The Lunch Tray.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I knew we were kindred spirits…I had the same lunchbox! One of the few things my mom tossed that I wish she would’ve kept.
Donna – No way! Glad to know I wasn’t alone in Partridge Family geekdom. And if our moms had kept those, we could be selling them on eBay for some serious money!
– Bettina
Wow, expensive! These are cool too: http://www.planetbox.com/planetbox.html
and
http://www.mysquaremeal.com/My_Square_Meal/home.html
are cool too.
My big question is Why are American made bento boxes so expensive when the ones from the Japanese stores are usually under $20. Some alot less. Is the mark up huge or is it costing us that much More to make these cute boxes?
I LOVE some of the American boxes being made and if I could put out that much money for cool boxes I buy them All for myself! My 16 yr old wouldn’t be seen carrying one of these.
She carries a striped thermos bag, reusable steel water bottle, reusable lock n lock boxes and sometimes (gasp) plastic baggies.
I carry a Thermos bag with a bento or lock n lock box, or snack taxi, and a bpa free cup with a steel straw.
Viki: I’d posted about the Planet Box early on (“Coolest Lunch Box Ever“) but will check out My Square Meal as well. I agree – a lot of these are expensive, but when I think of the cost of replacing my kids’ cheap soft sided lunch boxes most years, plus the cost of baggies, foil, etc., it may work out in the end. – Bettina
Is that your actual school lunch box?! Very cool. I had so many lunches boxes over my elementary school career, but all I remember about them is that the glass inside the thermos was always breaking.
Alas – just a photo I clipped from the internet (I know, I know, terrible for a former intellectual property lawyer to admit). But you made me laugh about the Thermos – had totally forgotten about that, but your comment conjured disturbing memories of glass shards in my soup!
– Bettina
If you need more lunch packing ideas – check out Foodie-isms ‘Lunchbox Love’ series. It gives you great lunchbox packing ideas and advice from a nutritionist about the 5 nutrition must-haves for your kids school lunch. Enjoy! http://foodie-isms.com/?p=1866