Kid Safe Gear for Healthy School Lunches

I've been thinking a lot about school lunches lately. Probably because our son just started an elimination diet so we can determine what he's allergic or sensitive to, which means no gluten (wheat, oat, barley), dairy, eggs or citrus fruits of any kind. Sounds like fun,doesn't it?

Not really. But it does is force us to be more creative with his lunches. And there lies the fun in school lunches with a restricted diet. Yes, my husband thinks I'm a little insane but I believe that my kids appreciate the extra attention and love I put into their mid-day meals. I have to admit, I wouldn't be able to serve up tasty, safe lunches for school if it weren't for the gear we have. We have most of our bases covered and I'm always looking for new ideas.

Some of our eco-friendly (we're not using baggies, brown bags or buying bottled water at school!), kids-safe (no BPA here) lunch gear includes:

Crocodile Creek Water Bottles - Since I can't bear the thought of my son buying bottled water, he brings his own. And loves the fun designs on the BPA and phthalate-free stainless steel bottles. They're the perfect size for his bag and hold just the right amount of water. Stainless steel is a great alternative to plastic or other epoxy-lined metal containers.

Crocodile Creek Lunchbox - Marcelena loves their Sunflower lunchbox and feels likes such a big girl carrying it to class. Their lunchboxes are PVC, phthalate and lead free and has an insulated lining. The padded walls protect her sandwiches and chips, and the zipper is easy for a 3 year old to open it herself.

Thermos Food Jar - This little jar makes it all happen! The double-wall vacuum insulation holds his lunch to "just right" temperature (his own testimony). We fill it up with hot water while we warm up leftovers, his favorite chili, pasta or soup, shake it up, then fill it up with the hot food. The jar has a wide mouth so we're not making a mess when filling it up, and it's easy for him to eat without a mess. I know those lunch bags get tossed and turned, yet we've never had a leak. And it holds just the right amount for him. We've yet to find another lunch container like it for keeping his meal warm.

Reusable Sandwich/Snack Bag- Did you know that using one reusable bag has the potential to eliminate an average of 1,000 plastic bags over its lifetime? That there is reason enough for me to use these bags, but it helps that the kids like their cute designs. We give them a good wash weekly in the dishwasher or launder them with towels but mid-week we simply rinse or wipe them out. Ours are sandwich size and hold chopped veggies, fruit and chips well too.

Rubbermaid BPA-Free Storage Containers- I've shared these with you here before but continue to use them on a daily basis for my own lunches or the kids. Our mixed pack has a size that is perfect for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, another that's perfect to protect chips and crackers from being crushed, and a small size for hummus or peanut butter to dip in to. We've used these containers alot, always put them in the dishwasher and they're still holding up great.

Nalgene Grip-N-Gulp Water Bottle - Another BPA-free water bottle option that is great for a day on the go. The loop on top acts like a handle for little fingers and you can always find one (or two) of these in our car. The kids love that they each have their favorite colors and they look like "mommy's water bottle" (also Nalgene, along with Kleen Kanteen).

Whether you have "special" lunches or simply make sure that all the lunches you serve your children are safe, warm and healthy, having the right gear is important. I'd love to hear if you've got other containers, bags or jars that work well for you.

Comments

[Kelly Orehovec]

I also really love the colors! I think this is a great post for adults too since it is fun to bring our lunch to work (saves money!) and using the sorts of things that you suggest will make waiting in line for the microwave more bearable. Thanks for sharing your tips Gina.

[Gin]

Thanks for leaving a comment, Kelly. Yes, the colors are so fun. My daughter just loves her lunch gear. I'll admit that I almost brought my lunch in her Hello Kitty Thermos the other day - it's just so cute! And fun.

[Jodi]

We use a organic cotton reusable lunch bag in lieu of a brown bag. It also has matching napkin, snack bag, and sandwich bag. I can't remember where we bought them...somewhere on Etsy. But I figured out the pattern, found the organic fabric, and plan on sewing up some more to give out as gifts this year!

Loving your blog, thanks for all of your insight!

[Gin]

Jodi - Sewing your own is a great idea and can be so easy! We bought a bunch of material last fall to do the same thing but I've not had the time to get to it yet. I think they'd make great gifts too! We love encouraging other families to use these.

I forgot to mention that we put fabric napkins & silverware into their lunches so that we're not adding to the trash problem. I think some of the other kids think it's funny but it's what mine are used to so they think nothing of it.

Thanks Jodi!