If there's one major back-to-school [1] downside for parents, it can be described in a single word: lunch [2]. For the past three years, I've packed my soon-to-be third-grade daughter a semi-homemade lunch pretty much every day of the school year [3] (that's 176 days, to be exact). This year, with her little brother starting kindergarten, that number will up to 352 lunches I'll need to prepare in the approximately five free minutes I have between my alarm going off and their bus arriving an hour later (the other 55 minutes are filled with begging them to get up, get dressed, brush their teeth, and eat breakfast as quickly as possible, natch).
By my calculations, I have now packed more than 500 school lunches in a hurried morning craze (I've never been one to prep the night before), and I've gotten it down to a science. Using the following products and prepackaged foods [4], I'm proud to say, I can pack a healthy, filling, well-rounded lunch in under two minutes. Start stocking up on the following 17 hero items now, and you'll be a lunch-making pro before you know it.
Pottery Barn Kids' Mackenzie Cold Pack Lunch Box
Pottery Barn Kids' Mackenzie Cold Pack Lunch Box [6] ($25, on sale from $35) is a perennial favourite of mine because of its functionality and durability. It comes in a variety of styles, ranging from glow-in-the-dark lightning bolts to your kids' favourite princesses and super heroes. The box comes with a removable ice pack, which also works to create compartments so food and snacks are neatly organised.
Fluf Zipper Lunch Bag
Fluf is another one of my favourite lunch boxes because its bags are big enough to hold pretty much whatever your child could possibly want for a midday meal. The Zipper Whatever Lunch Bag [7] ($29) is machine washable, so it'll never smell like last week's tuna salad.
Bentgo Kids' Leakproof Lunch Box
Available in three colours, Bentgo Kids Lunch Box [8] ($28) features a compartment for fruit, veggies, dip, an entrée, and dessert, inspiring you to pack a more wholesome, balanced lunch — and your kids to actually eat it.
CamelBak Eddy Kids Vacuum Stainless Water Bottle
Our family has tried every sippy cup and kids' water bottle out there (or at least, it feels like we have), and the CamelBak Eddy Kids Vacuum Stainless Water Bottle [9] ($20) is the best. It never spills and is dishwasher safe, and the double-wall vacuum-insulated stainless steel maintains temperature and is sweatproof.
Sistema Food Storage Container Set
Dishwasher safe and perfectly sized for lunches, the Sistema Klip It 18-piece food storage container set [10] ($13) is modular and stackable. Easy-to-use locking clips and flexible seals help food to stay fresh.
Stasher Silicone Reusable Sandwich and Snack Bags
Stasher Silicone Reusable Sandwich and Snack Bags [11] ($13) are durable, environmentally friendly, and safe to pop in the dishwasher, microwave, or freezer.
Ziploc Toy Story 4 Sandwich Bags
If your school requires lunches to be fully disposable, make those plastic baggies more fun by picking up Ziploc's Toy Story 4 Sandwich Bags [12] ($3), featuring four designs with Woody, Buzz, Bo Peep, and Forky.
Pottery Barn Kids Soft Freezer Packs
Who knew cold packs could be this cute? Pottery Barn Kids' Soft Freezer Packs [13] ($4 and up) come in 11 designs, ranging from dinosaurs and sharks to rainbows and unicorns. Each stays frozen for approximately six hours.
Fit & Fresh Cool Coolers
Fit & Fresh Cool Coolers [15] ($13 for six) are reusable ice packs slim enough to squeeze into any lunch box. Stack them together for even more cooling power.
Lunch Lines by Dan Signer
When I don't have the energy to come up with a note for my kids' lunch box I turn to Lunch Lines [16] ($10) by Dan Signer. The book contains 188 individual tear-out, surprisingly funny jokes (enough for every day of the school year). Tear out a page, fold it in half, and voila, you're mom of the year.
Annie's Sour Bunnies Fruit Snacks
Your kids love fruit snacks and sour candies, and you can feel good about giving them both with Annie's Sour Bunnies [17] ($4 for five individual bags). The fruit snacks are made with real fruit juice and contain no artificial flavours or synthetic colours.
The New Primal Snack Mates
The New Primal Snack Mates' Classic Beef Sticks [18] ($5 for 5 sticks) are protein filled and kid-size. The snacks only contain ingredients you'll recognise, and the meat is sourced solely from cattle that are grass-fed and raised on family pastures without growth hormones or antibiotics.
The Pampered Chef Cut and Seal
Make sandwiches a little more exciting with The Pampered Chef Cut and Seal [19] ($12). It's an easy way to make a healthier version of those popular freezer-section sandwiches. Make a batch at the beginning of the week, pop them in the freezer, and lunch will come together in no time.
GoGo Squeez Fruit on the Go
Confession: I love these pouches almost as much as my kids do, which is why I always buy the GoGo Squeez Fruit on the Go bulk variety packs [20] ($6). The brand makes more than 20 kinds of fruit and veggie snacks, all with natural ingredients packaged in a squeezable, reclosable pouch, perfect for lunches.
Kind Kids Chewy Bars
Kind Kids' Chewy Bars [21] ($4 for six bars) come in three yummy flavours. Each bar has wholesome, natural ingredients, at least half a serving of whole grains, and 25 percent less sugar than the granola bars your kids are probably eating now.
Smartfood White Cheddar Cheese Flavoured Popcorn
Popcorn is healthier than those chips your kids want, and they still love it. Win-win. Smartfood's white cheddar cheese popcorn [22] ($4 for 12 bags) is a longtime lunch favourite in my house.
Annie's Snack Time Variety Pack
When you feel like you're packing the same thing over and over in your kids' lunches, a variety pack is an easy way to mix it up a bit — without receiving any complaints. Annie's Snack Time Variety Pack [23] ($6 for 12 count) comes with Cheddar Bunnies, Cheddar Squares, and Friends Bunny Grahams, all of which contain no artificial flavours, synthetic colours, or preservatives.