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.*****

100 School Lunch Box Ideas - What Oh What to Make?

  

Though it may in fact be "the most wonderful time of the year" once school starts back up, most of us dread the thought of making school lunches. I can't lie, that's one of the reasons I look forward to
summer holidays! LOL So I totally hear you!  And that's why I've created this list to help us all keep our sanity during the school year!

Simply print off this list and either stick it on your fridge, tape it to the inside of one of your cupboard doors, or put it wherever else you can post it for easy access. This way, you will always have a handy list of what you can either plan for, or create out of what you already have in your fridge, freezer and pantry! Or you can use this list to plan your school lunches ahead of time so that you always have the ingredients that you need!

Let's get started!  

COLD ENTREES 

Breads:

• Loaf Bread (White, Whole Wheat, Rye, Pumpernickel, Cheese Loaf, etc)
• Sweet Breads (Raisin Loaf, etc)
• Bakery Buns (Check out various buns at your local bakery/grocery store)
• Pitas (White, Whole Wheat)
• Tortillas (Check out different varieties of flavoured tortillas)
• English Muffins
• Croissants
• Bagels (Various flavours, both sweet and savory)

Sandwich Fillings:

• Deli MeatsCanned Meats
• Canned Fish
• Spreads (Jam, Jellies, Nut-Free Peanut Butter, etc)
• Cheese or Cheese Spreads
• Grilled Chicken or other meat
• Grilled Veggies (Zucchini, eggplant, peppers, onions, mushrooms,etc)
• Chicken Salad (Minced meat with mayo, chopped onion, etc)
• Turkey Salad (Minced meat with mayo, chopped onion, etc)
• Egg Salad (Minced egg with mayo, chopped onion, etc)
• Fried Egg

  

Other Cold Entree Ideas: 

• Deconstructed Sandwiches (Pack everything separately)
• Cold Pizza
• Cold English Muffin Pizzas
• Quesadillas (Plain cheese, canned beans, refried beans, meats, tuna, veggies, etc)
• Tacos (Hard or soft shells, refried beans, meat, cheese, tomatoes, etc)
• Burritos (Refried beans, meat, cheese, tomatoes, etc)
• Tortillas (With cream cheese, shredded carrots and dried cranberries)
• Tortillas (With a whole banana and nut-free peanut butter, jam, etc)
• Hard-Boiled Eggs (Check out these egg molds! Guaranteed to please your kids!)
• Salads (If you are lucky enough to get your kids to eat salad!)
• Macaroni or Potato Salad

  

HOT ENTREES FOR A THERMOS 

• Macaroni & Cheese (Homemade, boxed, frozen - if there is a microwave)
• Canned Pasta and Sauce (Chef Boyardee, Alphagetti, etc)
• Pasta with Homemade Sauce
• Pasta with Butter and Parmesan
• Chicken Fingers & Fries
• Hot Dogs/Turkey Dogs/Soy Dogs
• Pogos
• Soups or Chili
• Porridge
• Any kind of leftovers that your child likes

FRUIT

• Grapes
• Berries
• Apples (Spritz lemon juice on slices so they don't brown!)
• Asian Pears (Spritz lemon juice on slices so they don't brown!)
• Pears (Spritz lemon juice on slices so they don't brown!)
• Bananas
• Oranges
• Melons
• Kiwi
• Fruit Cups
• Canned Fruit
• Dried Fruit (Try not to offer these all the time, as they can cause cavities!)
• Applesauce

  

  

VEGGIES

• Carrots
• Cucumbers
• Celery (Try "bribing" them by putting Cheese Whiz & raisins inside each stalk if they can't stand it! LOL)
• Peppers
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Raw Zucchini (We tell our kids that it's a different kind of cucumber - works like a charm! LOL)
• Snap Peas/Snow Peas

  

DIPS

• Salad Dressing (Ranch & Caesar are the most popular, or other dressing of choice)
• Marinara Sauce
• Honey Mustard Sauce (Just mix honey and regular yellow mustard together!)
• Tomato Salsa
• Cucumber Salsa
• Guacamole (Wrap it so there isn't any air on it or the discolouration might turn kids off!)
• Hummus (Cruise the hummus section to check out their various flavours!)
• Nut-Free Butters
• Tzaziki
• Baba Ganoush
• White Bean Dip
• Caramel Dip for Fruit

SAVOURY SNACKS

• Cheese (Processed slices, hard cheese slices or chunks, Cheesestrings, flavoured cheeses, Babybel)
• Rice Cakes
• Bread Sticks
• Crackers
• Pretzels
• Chips
• Popcorn
• Nuts & Bolts
• Pickles (Dill, Sweet, etc)

  

SWEET SNACKS

• Nut-free Granola Bars
• Cereal Bars
• Yogurt Cups/Tubes
• Yogurt with Fruit/Berries & Nut-Free Granola 
• Nut-Free Trail Mix
• Rice Krispy Squares
• Date Squares & Other Dessert Squares
• Cookies
• Pudding
• Dried Fruit/Berries (Try not to offer these all the time, as they can cause cavities!)
• Muffins

  

DRINKS

• Water
• White Milk (If sending in a cup, freeze 1/2 full and top it up in the morning so it's cold for lunch!)
• Chocolate Milk (If sending in a cup, freeze 1/2 full and top it up in the morning so it's cold for lunch!)
• Juice Boxes
• Lemonade
• Coconut Water (You can get flavoured coconut water for those kids who aren't keen on it!)

Bon Appetit! :)

***** 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.*****