Author: Annelise Atkin

A sandwich, bag of chips, and juice box is a classic bag lunch, but although it may be filling, it’s not exactly exciting. It’s time to throw the brown bag to the curb (well, not literally—don’t litter).

If you’re ready to upgrade your kid’s lunchtime, we can help. By keeping foods hot, cold, and compartmentalized, parents can to pack a healthier, tastier lunch. Here’s what you need to know.

Tip 1: Use Insulators.

Take advantage of highly effective insulators to keep food at the desired temperature throughout the day. The ability to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold makes the possibilities for a tasty lunch limitless.

PackIt Freezable Lunch Bag With Zip Closure

PackIt uses built-in freezable gel to keep lunches cold, so your child never has to eat lukewarm yogurt, fruit, or veggies. Just store the PackIt Lunch Bag in the freezer overnight, and the next morning it will be ready to keep their lunch cool and fresh all day. Pick from dozens of stylish patterns like buffalo check or camouflage.

Get it here for $19.90.

Thermos Vacuum Insulated Food Jar

This insulated jar from Thermos allows parents to save time by using last night’s leftovers for lunch. The stainless steel jar keeps food hot for up to four hours (or cold for up to six hours). Plus, you’ll love the easy-care interior canister that is microwave-, refrigerator-, freezer-, and top-rack dishwasher–safe.

Get it here for $19.99.

Thermos Insulated Dual Compartment Food Jar

Send your child off with soup and salad or other delicious and healthy combos that require separate hot and cold compartments. With a 16-ounce bowl for hot food and a 20-ounce top compartment for cold food, this versatile container can accommodate almost any meal. It’s also top-rack dishwasher–safe and comes with a stainless steel spork.

Get it here for $29.99.

Tip 2: Plan ahead and compartmentalize.

A little planning the night before makes the lunch-packing process smoother and less stressful. We recommend grabbing some compartmentalized containers and getting your children involved in the planning.

First, see if you have any leftovers from dinner that can be repurposed. Chicken or brisket can be made into sandwiches, and veggies can go straight into their own compartment. Getting children involved teaches them how to make healthy decisions and increases the chances that they’ll enjoy and finish their lunch.

Compartmentalized containers also aid in teaching about portion sizes and balancing meals. The little compartments get used for dessert, and the bigger ones go to healthier parts of the meal.

Sistema Klip-It Lunch Cube Max To Go

Separate compartments help you pack proper portions and keep everything fresh and delicious. Easily fit the contents of a brown bag lunch in the Klip-It Cube without having to use any baggies.

Get it here for $9.99.

Tip 3: Healthy snacks are the best snacks.

After you spend all that time and energy on lunch, don’t forget a nice snack. With small tweaks to recipes, many companies make more nutritious versions of classic snacks. Whether you choose whole-wheat goldfish, kale chips, or plain old celery sticks, keep them fresh in an airtight snack box.

Sistema 13.5 oz. Colorful Klip-It Snack Pack Boxes Pkg/3

These are perfect containers for snack time, whether it’s on the bus or at an after-school activity. Airtight lids keep the snacks fresh, and clips make them easy for kids to open.

Get them here for $7.99.

Annie’s Homegrown Organic Products

When you’re rushed, you don’t always feel like reading the ingredients on the side of a box. Instead, it’s nice to be able to trust a company to use only high-quality ingredients. Annie’s uses sustainable, organic ingredients, and their farm-to-table philosophy results in food that tastes great.

Find different varieties here.

Sensible Portions Veggie Chips and Straws

Another healthy snack option is Veggie Straws and Chips. These irresistible treats have less fat than potato chips as well as added spinach powder and turmeric.

Browse different varieties here.

Tip 4: Hydrate in style.

Don’t forget a drink! Insulated bottles keep drinks cool and allow parents to choose a healthy beverage (whether it’s green tea, whole milk, or plain old water).

Thermos 12oz FUNtainer Bottle

Parents love the practicality, and kids love going to school with their favorite characters from Paw Patrol or Shopkins. Everybody wins!

Find their favorite character or design here for $14.99.

You take care of your kids, run your household, and try to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Add in hobbies and a hectic day job, and you’re pretty strapped for time. On top of that, you don’t get sick days or time off, and you never lose your cool.

Congratulations, you’re a supermom. Feels great, doesn’t it?

The good news is that every superhero gets to use a secret weapon or two. These products will help you manage the chaos of your everyday life (well, to some extent).

1. Rifle Paper Co. Lively Floral Weekly Desk Pad You’re nothing if not organized, and you know the power of a good list. Few things are more satisfying than looking down at your schedule and seeing tangible proof of your productivity.

This desk pad lets you map out weekly activities for a full year, and it provides plenty of whitespace for organizing the schedules of your entire family. Use it in place of a typical mouse pad, and you’ll always have your schedule nearby. The tranquil floral design is the perfect touch. It’s available here.

2. momAgenda Need a more powerful planner? momAgenda is designed to help you coordinate schedules for up to four kids. There’s a separate schedule for Mom, too, and with chic cover options and a slim profile, this planner is an indispensable organizational tool. Check out the momAgenda here.

Key Review: “With 3 kids and very busy schedules, my day is a hectic one. Every morning when I wake up I check my agenda to see what is going on that day. What I have to do, what the kids’ activities are, what I’m making for dinner, etc. It helps me be more efficient with my time. It goes in my purse everywhere I go! I would be lost without it.” – Julia Rhinehart of Alpharetta, Georgia.

3. Rifle Paper Co. Rosa Weekly Meal Planner Keep control of grocery bills and plan out your meals like a boss (or, more accurately, like a supermom—even if that doesn’t roll off the tongue quite as easily).

One side of the planner lets you list your meals, while the other lets you build a shopping list. The shopping list pages are perforated, so you can tear them out and head to the store without bringing your full planner with you. All you’ll need are your car keys, if only you could find them. Available here.

4. Tile Combo Pack Nothing’s worse than hurrying out the door to a recital or sports practice only to realize that your keys (or purse, or wallet, or some other critical item) aren’t where they’re supposed to be. Hey, you’ve got a lot going on—we get it.

The Tile Combo Pack includes four ingenious Bluetooth trackers that fit onto keyrings, in wallets, and just about anywhere else. When you’ve lost something, open the Tile app to “ring” the missing item or display a map with its last known location.

Tile isn’t the only item tracker on the market, but it’s the only one we found that doesn’t require regular battery replacements or charging. Instead, they use a “custom power source” that lasts for a year, at which point you can trade them in to get a discounted price on a replacement. Check them out here.

Key Review: “I now have Tiles on my purse, keys, car, and luggage. I love that I can find things easily that often took me forever to find. Haven’t yet tested finding my car, but if it works, it will save me lots of time wandering around parking lots!” – Patricia

5. Monkey Mat Quilted Portable Floor Mat This mat easily folds up into a compact pouch. It’s a clean, portable surface that fits into your purse. What’s not to love?

Ideal for use indoors or outdoors, the Monkey Mat cleans easily, and it’s remarkably light. You’ll quickly wonder how you ever got along without it. Check it out here.

Key Review: “Love my Monkey Mat as a portable floor to take camping, to the beach or to the park! So ea
sy to fold up and carry anywhere!” – Fireblossom

6. Mom’s Besty Luxury Car Backseat Organizer with Tablet Holder Who needs a messy, unorganized car? Certainly not you.

This simple organizer holds toys, snacks, books, and more. It attaches easily to the back of the driver- or passenger-side seat, and extra straps help to keep it securely in place. There’s even a touch-screen viewer, so kids can watch movies on a tablet without taking it out of its pocket. Check it out here.

Key Review: “I now keep it stocked up! Bought this for a trip and it has proven to be awesome. Tons of pockets for my kids to organize their stuff. We are in the car a lot just going to and from. We currently have a pocket for toys, a pocket for snacks, a pocket for a water bottle, a pocket for their charger, a pocket for their tablet, and a pocket for tissues!” – Tiffany R.

7. Knock Knock Pads, $13.98/set – If you want a list for pretty much everything, these quirky pads should do the trick. Try the “Let’s Eat!” set, which contains a weekly meal planner and a grocery list, or the “List Lover’s” set, which includes a to-do list and a weekly planner.

Let’s Eat! Notepad Set

List Lover’s Notepad Set

There’s no shortage of clever options, so if you’re really into organization, you’ll definitely want to stop by KnockKnockStuff.com.

8. The Mommy Hook This might be the best invention since sliced bread. Actually, come to think of it, sliced bread wasn’t that great.

The Mommy Hook lets you easily hang on to grocery bags, diaper bags, and anything else with a loop. Attach it to your stroller, and you’ve basically turned it into a makeshift shopping cart. Check it out here.

Key Review: “Anyone who has ever tried to do grocery shopping with a stroller knows this item is necessary. I use it to hang my grocery basket on while I shop, then use it to carry the grocery bags home.” – April

9. Play & Go Mat Quickly clean up after playdates with this two-in-one mat. It provides a clean playing surface, and when you’re ready to go, it quickly converts into a drawstring bag for toys. It’s ideal for picnics or a day at the beach (and yes, it’s machine washable). Check it out here.