Back-to-School: Best Lunch Boxes, Water Bottles, and Snack Containers that your Kids will Love

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When my kids started school, I had no idea what to pack for them, or how to pack it! I have tried a lot of products, some cheap, some pricey. It took a few years to find the products that worked really well for us.

I’m not sure if this is the most cost effective thing to do, but I started purchasing multiples of these items, and it has worked wonders for my sanity. Each child has multiple lunch boxes, water bottles, or bento boxes to choose from. This helps me meal prep for them so I’m not starting from scratch every day.

Lunchboxes

I’m going to be honest, I don’t have strong feelings about lunch boxes. We have purchased several brands and sizes over the years, and they all get the job done. I will advocate for having multiples, though! Each of my kids has several lunch boxes, and this has saved me so many headaches over the years. If one gets dirty (aka spilled dried yogurt), I can throw it in the washing machine and just use a backup.

Water Bottles

My kids are avid water drinkers, which makes us really proud. They encourage me to drink water when I’d rather have a coke or iced coffee. I made the mistake of purchasing cheap water bottles for a few years. There were constant leaks and spills that drove us all crazy. Now, I stick to these tried and true bottles. They are durable, dishwasher safe, and have lasted for years!

My five year old has used this hydrapeak water bottle for the last three years. It’s been great from preschool until now, when she’s entering kindergarten. It’s the perfect size for her, it doesn’t get too heavy when full, it’s easy to clean and cute! It has gotten thrown around in her backpack, tossed in the car and it never leaks. It’s a tank!! We own four of them and rotate them daily.

My son has used various water bottles, including this gatorade and clear bottle. They both got the job done as long as the water was room temperature, which is usually fine.

My high schooler, she’s – a high schooler. As you can imagine, she went through her Hydraflask phase, then her Stanley phase, and now she’s an Owala girl. She carries her water bottle with her everywhere, and it has significantly upgraded her water intake.

Bento boxes

These are a really handy way of making sure the kids have variety. My son loves to bring these because they look cool, and they are fun for him to pack.

We purchased an Omie box for both kids. This wasn’t an easy purchase for me because of the price tag! My son used his Omie box every day. It was a little heavier than we expected, but it was a great lunch solution.

Insulated Food Storage

These are the most important lunch items that we own, by far! My daughter prefers to eat pasta salad every day, so I put it in these containers to keep it cold, and to reduce leaks. My son likes to use them for his yogurt. They are dishwasher safe, easy to clean, and they have never steered us wrong. I own four of them, so sometimes I’ll pack three days worth of lunches.

Snack accessories

When we need to pack extra items for the kids lunches, we try to use

Cooler packs

I hate the thought of my kids eating warm cheese sticks or something intended to be cold! We purchased these ultra thin cooler packs to keep their food cold for as long as possible. I bought a large pack three years ago and use them for myself and my husband, too.

School Lunch Ideas

I’ll be sharing lots of ideas for lunches! As I mentioned before, my daughter absolutely loves pasta salad, so I meal prep it every Sunday night. Here’s one of the most common variations that I make.

School Lunch Box FAQs

Stay tuned for more updates!