Preschool Lunchbox Must-Haves + Giveaway

Preschool Lunchbox Must Haves flatlay- Felixinsideout

Just like that, Summer is gone. Last week my 3rd grader returned to school, and this week J.J. is heading off to Pre-K. I mean… what? It’s a bit bittersweet; on the one hand, get these stir-crazy kids out of my house! On the other hand, the lazy summer days are about to be traded in for hectic school year obligations. And now that’s its September I have completely moved on to daydreaming about all things Fall; don’t judge me. But before I move on to Fall, I wanted to share how I’m setting myself up for success. Let’s start with preschool lunchbox must-haves + a sweet little Giveaway [closed].

I’ve been talking a lot about our efforts to make more sustainable choices, and our children’s lunchboxes are one place that we integrate that desire with our need for healthy eats. Gone are the days of paper bag lunches, while recyclable, that still has a pretty significant carbon footprint, so starting off with a lunchbox that our boys love is a natural first step. Once we’ve settled on lunchboxes, chucking plastic water bottles is an obvious next step. But did you know you can also say goodbye to plastic utensils? Yup! See below for some of my faves and keep reading for a chance to win some of these preschool lunchbox must-haves.

FYI- If you have older kids, this giveaway is for you too, the only thing that’s truly pre-school oriented is the lunchbox because it’s a tad bit cute. You could easily share the love by giving that away to a neighborhood preschooler heading back to school.

Lunchbox

The “Chomp” lunchbox by Tula is adorable, insulated, and easy to clean. It’s also one of the newest editions to the Tula Baby family. I’ve used and loved Tula baby wraps, and was excited to see them expand into lunchboxes and backpacks. This cute shark design has my 4.5yr old over the moon. He couldn’t wait for Pre-K to begin using his new lunchbox. I don’t blame him. 🦈

Utensils

These reusable, kid-friendly, bamboo utensils by T0-goware are easy to use and excellent for on the go. The recycled P.E.T. utensil holder is made from one water bottle. Talk about sustainable and eco-friendly. I love that I can throw them in a lunch box for school, or keep a few in the car so that we always have utensils on the go. Say goodbye to plasticware.

Reusable Water bottle

Kids need lots of water. My preschooler is in nature preschool and is constantly climbing, jumping, and sweating. We care about being sustainable. So a reusable water bottle is a no-brainer. We have a lot of water bottles we love, but these Thermos Brand “FunTainer” water bottles are one of our faves. These are just the right size for little hands, come in fun designs, and are durable, easy to clean stainless steel. They also keep water ice-cold for up to 12hrs. I don’t know about you, but my preschooler is quick to let me know that his water tastes “old,” aka it got warm. Cold water means he drinks more water. Done.

These are also easily accessible and can be found at Target or on Amazon (Here). I love the spout, and they are leak proof. This style not your Jam? We also love the HydroFlask wide-mouth kids line, but its a bit pricier and not as accessible- I never see them in stores, not even outdoor stores. The CamelBak Eddy kids line is also a favorite, BPA-free plastic option, but after a few years in the dishwasher, they lose their leak-free status. The Thermos + Hydroflask do not.

“Juice Box”

Kids drink too much juice. There, I said it. The American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics agree excessive juice consumption can lead to excessive weight gain and tooth decay in children and adolescence. But try to tell your preschooler he can’t have a juice box when all of his buddies seem to get one. We’ve been serving up water with a splash of juice since my eldest was a toddler, but with each subsequent child, it gets harder and harder to shelter them from outside influences.

I love that these Wonder+Well fruit waters are flavored with the natural extracts and essential oils derived from the fruit. They are certified organic and contain no added sugar, synthetic chemicals, pesticides or GMOs. But, perhaps most importantly, they look like everyone else’s juice box. You can find these on Amazon, and I found them on super sale at my local HomeGoods! Which is why I always cruise through the food section; HG has so many little gems (I also found our favorite Chosen Foods Avocado Oil spray).

Smoothie

Always more veggies. That’s an unspoken motto in our household, and lunchtime is no exception. If you’ve been following me on Instagram for a while, you know that I am currently an ambassador for Once Upon a Farm. I’ve been using these fresh, organic, cold-pressed pouches for nearly a year as a supplement to Eleanor’s meals. I love that it’s as fresh as you can find, without making it yourself, and that they are excellent for on the go. But, you can totally think outside of the baby food box with Once Upon a Farm because in addition to baby food purees they also have applesauce blends and smoothies; they are loved by all, from baby to big boy.

Preschool lunch hack: take a frozen pouch and use it as a cold pack, it makes for a creamy treat come lunch time and packs a veggie + protein punch.

See the pic above? Told ya, loved by all. My 8.5yr old loves Once Upon a Farm smoothies before Soccer Practice. I love that they are filled with fruit, veggies, and have 3 grams of protein. Jackpot!

A little something sweet

I don’t know about you, but if there isn’t a little something sweet in my preschooler’s lunchbox, he feels cheated. But I am not about to load him up with candy before naptime (yes we still nap). I love these Bear Nibbles real fruit yo-yos. They are cute, fun, and 100% fruit and veggies with no added sugars.

Admittedly, we typically look for organic fruit leather, but there is something about these rollups that makes my preschooler feel special; so, every so often we indulge. Looking for another option? We also love Stretch Island Organic fruit leather + bites, and when we have extra ripe fruit, we sometimes make our own.