Feed Your Hunger with Fuel To-Go Containers & Lunch Bag!

   

Now that summer is coming to a close, it's the time when we're beginning to think about, and look forward to, getting back into the swing of things. Part of that is getting back into healthy eating, and more meal planning.

Trudeau Maison is a new line of affordable kitchen products and to-go containers. Their Fuel line offers a number of environmentally friendly and BPA-free lunch containers, lunch bags and lunch accessories, perfect for back to school or work. 

I happily sampled 3 items from their Fuel line: 

The Fuel 5-Piece Lunch Set includes a large Sandwich Container, a 10oz reusable juice box, as well as, a Snack'N Dip Container. The sandwich protector is quite sturdy and roomy inside. You could easily fit a thicker deli style sandwich inside and still be able to get it closed. No more squished sandwiches! Personally, I don't like to drink out of plastic containers very much, but I could see this being useful to those who do. The snack container is sectioned into two parts. One 5oz compartment for items like veggies or crackers, and a smaller 2oz section that would be perfect for dips like hummus, yogurt, or peanut butter. The snack container also comes with a little spreader that fits snugly inside the container, ready when you need it. The Fuel 5-Piece Lunch Set retails for about $19.49CAN. 

If you are a condiment addict like I am, then the Fuel 3-Piece Condiment Set will be right up your alley. It's nice to find small, durable and leak resistant containers for salad dressings and other sauces. Each of these will hold 1.5oz, and they are very durable. This Fuel 3-Piece Condiment Set retails for approximately $9.49CAN.

And last, but not least, the Fuel Hungry Lunch Bag allows you to transport your food items in a functional, insulated, and classy lunch bag. It has a large opening so that you can have easy access to all items inside, and a wide carrying strap to take the load off. The large opening allows you to easily fit food containers inside, along with various snacks. You could probably even get a drink inside as well depending on how much food you've already got in there. I like that everything inside the lunch bag is easily accessible when you unzip it. No more digging to the bottom! It's lightweight, easy to wipe down and water resistant. The only thing I would change is to have the carry strap be adjustable for when you'd prefer to be hands-free. It retails for $26.99. 

In my opinion, the Fuel line would be best suited to older children and adults who can appreciate the trendy and sophisticated design and colour scheme that these items have to offer. They are an environmentally friendly alternative, and in the end, could save you money if you were one to purchase a lot of take-out before utilizing re-usable containers like these. 

Additionally, Trudeau Maison has a whole line of other useful to-go items. Particularly noteworthy is their Fuel Salad Container. It has a snap-in ice pack and an attached dressing container inside. They also have a Bento Box, as well as, a number of cutlery solutions. Their items come with varying warranties, and are available at a wide variety of specialty and mass market retailers across Canada.  To check out all Trudeau Maison has to offer, visit their website.

Happy noshing! 

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post. *****

SugarBooger - It's Not What You Think!

   

Whenever you have a product with the word "booger" in it, kids are sure to be intrigued! Ore Originals is a small Southern California company, and their Sugarbooger brand is no different! Except for maybe that the parents will love it too! LOL

Designed with young kids in mind, Ore Originals' Ocean Zipee! Backpack is made of hand washable, well-constructed cotton & nylon canvas, and seems more durable than most school bags for little kids that are on the market. It weighs only 7 ounces, and is perfect for little kids! The sturdy zipper has a carabiner clip on it for attaching little key chains, and other little accessories they might be into. The zipper pulls have oversized zipper fobs on them to make it easy for little fingers to grasp and hold onto while opening and closing.  There is a place to mark who the bag belongs to, and the front zippered pocket adds extra space, allowing for smaller items to be secured easily. The mesh pocket on the size for water bottles is also a great feature, allowing for more room inside the backpack. I did find the backpack straps to be a little bit narrow, but they are well padded and adjustable, so it's likely not an issue. Price: $28.00US.

The Ore Originals' Ocean Zipee! Lunch Tote is made of a denim like cotton canvas. The thicker fabric ensures this lunch box will last a lot longer than most, and the inner lining can be easily wiped clean. It's machine washable and is waterproof and stain resistant. The main compartment is deeper than most kids' lunch boxes. I love this, as it ensures that you can pack your child's lunch without forcing or jamming things inside. The Ore Originals Good Lunch Box (or another similar size container) fits perfectly inside, and leaves enough room to add in an ice pack or some extra snacks along with the container itself. There is also a mesh pocket inside that will keep an ice pack secure, and along with the thick insulation of the tote itself, helps keep cold food chilled until the lunch hour. And hopefully until they get home if there are any leftovers to reduce food waste. In addition to the main compartment, you will find a pocket in the front of the lunch bag to be useful for small items such as cutlery, napkins, a love note etc... Like the Zipee! Backpack, the zipper pulls on the Lunch Tote also have zipper fobs, and includes an information card to write your child's information on. It is BPA, phthalate, lead and PVC free, and meets or exceeds Canadian, U.S. and European safety standards. Price: $20.00US

I love a matching set, and the Ocean Good Lunch Small Snack Containers (they also come in Large) are not only super cute and the same design as the Ocean Zipee! Backpack, but they are fully functional & practical. These small clear containers are perfect for snacks and come in both a 1/2 cup and 1 1/4 cup measure. They are freezer and top rack dishwasher safe. They're BPA free, shatter & scratch resistant as well as resists odours and stains. They are also stackable and leak-proof! Price: $7.50US.

The Ore Originals' Good Lunch Box is designed to fit into Ore Originals' Zipee! Lunch Tote. This container is made of food safe, nontoxic, lead-free, PVC-free and phthalate free polypropylene. Like the Lunch Tote, the Good Lunch Box is quite deep and has 3 compartments that are perfect for keeping items separate, in keeping with the current bento box trend. We all know that for some kids, having one item touch another can make lunch a tear jerker! The container is microwaveable, freezer & top rack dishwasher safe. It is airtight, but it does state to avoid liquids just in case. The Good Lunch Box measures 8 1/2" wide, 5 1/1" deep and 2 1/2" high. Price: $7.00US.

Overall the Sugarbooger brand offers a wide variety of fun & trendy durable child friendly items. They come in several gender specific or unisex designs which you can mix and match or buy the complete matching set! Yes, it may cost more than your typical supplies at your discount department store, but you really do get what you pay for in this case! 

Ore Originals Sugarbooger products are available both online at Ore Originals, and at various independent retailers throughout Canada and the U.S. To check out these items in person, visit their Retailer Locator page, email them at customerservice@oreoriginals.com or simply call them directly at (800) 367-2675.

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post.*****

Cool Coolers Puts the Extra-Cool In The Nathan Lunch Bag!

   

Who doesn't try to make sure their kids' school lunches (& their own!) stay cool until the lunch hour? Who hasn't had their child come home with a warm yogurt, cheese or other products that were wasted because they weren't kept at the proper temperature when they didn't get eaten? We usually stick a cooler pack in our child's lunch, and most of the time, we can salvage whatever perishable items may not have been consumed that day.

I recently found out about Fit & Fresh's Cool Coolers and they are just that - COOL! Literally & figuratively!  These playful designs are slim enough so they barely take up space in your kid's lunch bag and keep food cool! Not only do they come in the Cool Coolers Cars design, but they also come in Sunglasses, Penguins & Squares! There are 4 non-toxic & BPA-free ice packs to a pack and they retail for approximately $7.99, making them a great investment in both keeping your child's lunch cool, but also in helping to reduce food waste. Simply wipe clean and throw in the freezer and re-use as necessary!

Fit & Fresh also has a great selection of lunch bags both for your kids and for yourself! Those Cool Coolers would fit into their Nathan Kids' Insulated Lunch Bag perfectly, if it didn't already come with its own ice pack! The Nathan Kids' Lunch Bag is made of 12oz cotton that you can tell is very durable just by touching it. It seems much more durable, is much more insulated, and has a deeper cavity than most other mass market kids' lunch bags out there, while still being a comparable size. The extra insulation along with the ice pack is another way that you can ensure cold food stays cold until lunch time, and even possibly salvage any leftovers that are kept at the right temperature throughout the day.

It has a mesh pocket inside to hold the ice pack snugly and has a front Velcro pocket, and a zippered back pocket that would be perfect for cutlery, etc...

This non-toxic, PVC-free, BPA-free lunch bag comes in both the Surf Sketch design as pictured in this product review, as well as a Flames pattern. It is easy to clean by simply wiping down the PEVA-lined interior, and is opened and closed by zipper. It is 9" tall, 4 1/2" deep and 7 1/2" wide.

At $14.99, the Nathan Kids' Insulated Lunch Bag with Ice Pack is a great value. You can shop online at Fit & Fresh's website, or find their products at various retailers!

***Now, here's 100 School Lunch Box Ideas on what to fill it with!***

Happy munching everyone!

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post.*****

I-Am-A-Budget-Friendly-Robot-Lunch-Bag! (Robot Voice!)

  

If you are looking for a budget-friendly thermal lunch bag, Target Canada has a selection of affordable Circo Thermal Lunch Bags!

They come in a wide variety of brightly coloured embroidered designs and retail for approximately $12.99CAN. They are about the same size as your traditional rectangular lunch bags, and have a sturdy zipper with 2 zipper pulls so that you can open up the lunch bag from any side. This is great for left or right handed kids!

You can fit a small thermos in there, as well as a sandwich, fruit, savoury snacks, puddings - you name it! If you're wondering what on earth you are going to make for your kids' lunches this year, you can check out InfoMommy's 100 School Lunch Box Ideas to help you fill your child's tummy!

These lunch bags have a padded handle that comes with a clip on the side so that you can actually clip it to your child's school bag. I love this feature as we all know how hard it can be to try and fit all of their supplies, books, hoodies, etc in there! This is a great space saving feature that is not typical to most kids' lunch bags. Clipping it on the outside also reduces the wear and tear of jamming things into the backpack, putting strain on the backpack zipper, the seams, etc...   

It also has a section on the back of the lunch bag for you or your child to write their name and phone # on. This is especially great for the younger ones or those starting JK who aren't used to lugging all their stuff around. Losing these items can be easy for them in particular, so it's a great way to make sure someone can contact you if it was to get lost. 

And, like most lunch bags, they have an easy to clean interior that can be wiped down!

Happy lunching everyone! :)

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post.*****