*Randi received the above product(s), free of charge, to facilitate this review. All opinions are those of reviewer only.
And so it begins! School, that is. We went on a mini shopping trip this afternoon to pick up a few basic household items and that’s when it hit me (before ever happening) – the start of school has apparently come and gone. Wait… already? My little one hasn’t even started this school year yet but all of our local stores (even the big ones!) are getting out their fall, Halloween, and Thanksgiving displays?! I’m not sure if they’ve looked at the calendar recently, but it is still only August! Sure, I know that different parts of the country start school at different times but SLOW DOWN! The majority of us parents are still trying to catch up and get back into the groove of the whole back-to-school thing. We’re early shoppers so we already have everything that we need and then some for the school year ahead but there are a few things that always wait until last minute. Lunch is one of those things. Obviously, I cannot exactly plan for school lunches months in advance… or can I?
Lunch at school when I was a kid was a choice between four things – the home packed classic PB&J, a soggy mayo and lunch-meat sandwich, a pile of slop from the school’s cafeteria, or (the one “good” choice) Friday pizza. These days, PB&J is a very serious allergy hazard even if your child is not allergic. Soggy mayonnaise sandwiches are a health concern. Cafeteria slop, well, that’s another post on its own. Pizza, while still a child’s favorite, isn’t always the best choice. Now, as my turn as the parent, I am determined to give my kids better and healthier options with more of a selection. The problem with doing so, I’ve found, is trying to pack it. You have to make sure the temperature stays correct in order to keep the food fresh and, therefore, safe for your child. You have to ensure that your packaging will not allow items to spill out. There are certain things that need to be kept separate from others. And, of course, it all needs to fit. Luckily, I think I may have finally found what we’ve all been looking for.
Rubbermaid products have been in our own kitchen for as long as I can remember. I’ve used their items growing up and have always been a fan. Storing leftovers was (and is) a cinch with their gear and now, they have lunch covered (quite literally) as well! Recently, I had the opportunity to try out one of their hot back-to-school products and I couldn’t be happier with it.
The Rubbermaid LunchBlox Kids is THE perfect way to pack and store your child’s school lunch. With separate “blox,” or compartments, of different sizes, you can assure that your child gets a fully balanced nutritious lunch every day of the week. The modular containers, three in total (one with dividers), snap together with the added ice tray to keep your kid’s lunch organized and cool. LunchBlox Kids products are also freezer, dishwasher, and microwave safe as well as being BPA-free.
In addition to already being an organizational life-saver for parents, the Rubbermaid LunchBlox Kids also helps us to provide better portion control for our little ones. Each of the “blox” are optimally sized to be able to include favorite lunch must-haves while still assuring that it’ll all fit neatly within your child’s lunch box. Speaking of lunch boxes, there are hundreds if not thousands of styles available and, to accommodate for the differences in lunch box sizes, the Rubbermaid LunchBlox Kids products are available in two options.
The LunchBlox Kids for Tall Lunch Bags is, of course, great for taller lunch boxes because it allows you to stack the “blox” and place the ice tray in between.
The LunchBlox Kids for Flat Lunch Bags, the model that I received, is perfect for smaller, flatter lunch boxes. This option allows you to snap all of the different “blox” onto the bottom ice tray.
The flatter style works perfectly for the lunch bag that our little guy picked out for this school year. Before learning of this product, I was having trouble trying to figure out how I was going to pack his lunch. I was afraid that it would be squished, that the ice pack would sit at the bottom not keeping everything properly cooled, or that everything would fall out of place the second that the bag was picked up. With the Rubbermaid LunchBlox Kids, I no longer have to worry about any of these issues. Every single item that I pack for him will now remain in its place, properly sealed, and evenly cooled.
My little guy has loved this set thus far and school has not even begun yet! For now, we’re storing it with tasty snacks for family outings but he likes it just the same. It’s great to see that the leak-proof lids are still a breeze for him to open and close on his own. Most leak-proof containers are often hard for children to handle without help from an adult. The Rubbermaid LunchBlox Kids products have catered to and kept the children in mind with every aspect and feature. Even the color options have my little guy hooked. He loves that one set comes in multiple colors and has a blast helping me match up the food to the same colored “blox.” He gets a kick out of having his baby carrots in the orange side container!
Now, the only thing left to worry about is what you’re going to pack in your LunchBlox Kids products. But, wait! Rubbermaid has you covered there, too! With the help of their Build a Better Lunch website, parents can find everything from tips and recipes to coupons and even special deals and new product announcements! One of my favorite tips is this one:
Even we adults get sick of bread after a while. It’s fun to change things up a bit by using something new. A favorite change-it-up recipe of ours is one for tuna tortilla wraps. The kids love it and it’s great that it helps them stray from the possible peanut allergies that could affect others. You can even make lunch extra fun with the use of shapes and a little imagination!
BUY
You can purchase the LunchBlox Kids products direct from the Rubbermaid website as well as many major retailers, including Target and Wal-Mart, nationwide.
CONNECT
You can keep up with Rubbermaid and LunchBlox Kids via social media on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for the latest news, newest products, sales, tips, recipes, giveaways, and more!
Speaking of giveaways…
That’s right! We have one for you right now! Would your kids like a snazzy, new way to enjoy lunch? And you, would you find peace in knowing that your child’s lunch is safe and organized? If you answered “yes” to any of those questions then you, my friend, are in luck.
THE GIVEAWAY:
One (1) winner will receive a Rubbermaid LunchBlox Kids for Flat Lunch Bags in the blue/orange/green color scheme.
Giveaway open to US and Canada residents only. Ends 9/1/13. ARV of $14.99.
No purchase necessary. Open to residents of US & Canada only. Giveaway ends September 1st, 2013 at 9:00 p.m. (PST). ONE ENTRANT PER HOUSEHOLD/IP Address! We check all entries – cheating will not be tolerated.
Winners will be chosen randomly by Rafflecopter, and winner’s name will be displayed on the Rafflecopter widget within 3 days of end date. Winner will be notified via email and must reply within 48 hours. If no reply has been received within that time frame, a new winner will be chosen. Please make sure you check your spam folder, as we are not responsible for lost winning email notifications. Winners name(s) will also be posted on the Eighty MPH Mom Winners List within 2 weeks of drawing.
**By entering this giveaway, you confirm that you have read and agree to the Eighty MPH Mom giveaway rules. Prize will be shipped directly from sponsor or their PR Agency unless otherwise noted. Sponsor reserves the right to limit one prize per person/household {of this item/prize pack}. Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of prize {although it is usually much sooner}.
This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. We hereby release Facebook of any liability. Odds of winning: The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. All prizes will be awarded. Void where prohibited by law.
Denise N.
I love the idea of tip #12 making fruit kabobs. It’s amazing how kids love to eat food when it’s in different shapes. I could see my kiddos gobbling this right up. And it’s healthy too!
Melissa P.
I like tip #3. Go beyond the bread. My son starts middle school this year and I’m thinking he is going to really need a lunch that goes beyond. : )
alicia k
i like the cranberry thanksgiving chicken sandwich
Janice Crespo
Cranberry Thanksgiving Turkey Sandwich – Yum!
Katie | FashionFrugality.com
The Mediterranean tuna wrap sounds so delicious!
Beanybopp
Sandwiching the Jelly…..it’s one of those “now why didn’t I think of that?” tips lol
When making a PB & J, spread your Jif® peanut butter on the
insides of both bread slices and then spread on the Smucker’s®
jelly. It’ll make for a super non-soggy sandwich.
Sara G
Mediterranean Tuna Wrap
Ashley C
I like the deep fried buffalo chicken wrap sounds amazing!
demureprincess7(at)gmail(dot)com
Beth @ TheAngelForever
Can not wait to try the Mediterranean Tuna Wrap for hubby and the PB&J Burrito for the kids.
Rachel
My favorite aspect of the Rubbermaid LunchBlox is that it is easy to open. My kids are always asking me to open this and that and I always wonder how that works out for them at school.
Maureen
The classic tuna sandwich would be a winner in my family.
jeannine s
love the Mediterranean tuna wrap
hallie p
I love the tips on making the kids lunch fun by creating animals and such.
Stephaneie
That deep fried buffalo wrap sounds incredible.
Hana
the Summer Tuna Salad looks delicious!
BusyWorkingMama
I like their recipes section. With a daughter in Kindergarten, I need some ideas!
Michelle Frame
I like the summer tuna salad
Linda Kish
I like the PB&J burrito. you can never go wrong with peanut butter, jelly and a banana.
Alena Bejenarou
Peanut Butter jelly!
sanikache@aol.com
Dorothy Teel
My youngest granddaughter would love the JIP peanut butter and jelly sushi, she actually loves real sushi and this would be cool..
Renee Hutchinson
I am going to try the PB and J snack bars
Jessica L.
I like the jif peanutty white chocolate snack mix recipe. It looks really good.
Colleen Maurina
I like their PB & J Snack Bar recipe.
Ashleigh Gunter
I like the PB&J Burritos! They look so cute and yummy!
latanya
go beyond bread
Carmen S
The Mediterranean tuna wrap sounds delicious!
sandra davis
i like the PB & J Burrito recipe
Heather Freeman
I’d like to make the Jif Peanut Butter and Sushi Rolls. Fun!
Melissa @ My Recent Favorite books
I love the Turkey Veggie sandwich! =)
themamahood
Loved this tip: “Rather than buying lots of lunch-sized foods, purchase foods in bulk and then store
them properly in airtight LunchBlox™ Kids food containers.”
Sharon Kaminski
summer tuna salad looks good
Asimina kaminis
Fruit kabobs although I love mine with chocolate
Jonnie
I like the PB&J Burrito recipe
Julie Bolduc
the cranberry thanksgiving chicken sandwich sounds good
Lin
Classic tuna sandwich sounds delish.
Shelly H.
PB & J Burrito is something the Princess would like!!
Robert
The chocolate peanut butter munch sounds quite tasty.
Melissa Zimmerman
turkey veggie sandwich
Brittany C.
PB & J Burrito
Kristi Bonus
Tip for a non soggy PB&J: Spread Peanut butter on the insides of both slices of bread THEN apply jelly. GENIUS!
Michele P
the summer tuna salad sounds good.
Andrea
I like the Turkey Veggie Sandwich!
Ruby Daniels
I like the pb and j burrito
carla bonesteel
I like the “Sandwich the jelly” tip. My boyfriend likes PB&J, but not soggy bread. My mother actually taught me this tip a while ago, and it really works!
Jeannie
I would try the turkey veggie sandwich.
Fawn H
I like the Turkey Veggie Sandwich recipe
Addison Kat
I like the peanut butter and jelly surprises recipe. I think I’ll make that tomorrow for lunch for the kiddos
Andrea H
I love the fruit kabob idea!
Allyson Bossie
The Pb and j snack bars sound tasty
polly
A tip they shared that I always did with my 2 kids lunches was tucking a little note in their lunches on a little card with a cute sticker. They loved it!
Laura
Buffalo chicken wrap!
tina reynolds
I want to try the deep buffalo chicken wrap looks so darn good
Katie Roch
I would love to try the recipe for chocolate peanut butter munch. It looks so decadent.
Tamar
I’d love to try the mediterranean tuna wrap
Samantha Vermeulen
Do you think the flat one will fit in a Skip Hop lunchie? Email me back!
Ani
The recipe for the Mediterranean Tuna Wrap looks good.
michelle hebert
Jif peanut butter and jelly sushi rolls
Sara
I like the recipe for the turkey veggie sandwich
Debbie F
I like the think outside the box and not always have sandwich.
jackie reid
Cranberry Thanksgiving Turkey Sandwich
a fam fav here around christmas 🙂
darlene carbajal
I like the classic tuna sandwich 🙂
kate
The turkey-veggie sandwich looks great!
sara haaf
The pbj burritos are cute.
danielle johnson
i would like to try the deep-fried buffalo chicken wrap
sandra
i like the recipe for the cranberry thanksgiving turkey sandwich
Rebecca Orr
We do the “sandwich the jelly” tip. We put pb on both slices of bread and put the jelly between.
Angela s
Summer Tuna Salad
andysavi.mom@gmail.com
Rene
Jif Peanutty White Chocolate Snack Mix looks super yummy!
Helga
I like the summer tuna salad recipe.
Monique Rizzo
The Fish sandwich is so cute.
Thanks for the chance.
mogrill12@gmail.com
Victoria Carlson
The Jif Chewy Peanut Butter and Chocolate Hazelnut sandwich cookies look AMAZING! I want to try them asap!!!!
Katie Bellamy
The PB&J Burritos! My kids would love these!
Kristi Renout
The PB and J burritos would be perfect!
Mel
The Mediterranean tuna wrap
Grace D
The. Puppy sandwich idea is too cute!
Julie Goetz
The recipe I like is PB&J Burrito.
xty cruz
I would like to make “Summer Tuna Salad”
Sydney D
The deep fried buffalo chicken wrap sounds delicious.
Wanda Tracey
I love the idea of adding smuckers jam to yogurt cups for more fruit.Thanks
Wanda Tracey
I think my family will love that Mediterranian Tuna Wrap.It looks yummy!
sheri grennille
pb&j snack bars!
dameon S
I thought this tip was informative: spread peanut butter on both sides of the bread and put the jam in the middle when making a peanut butter jelly sandwich so he bread doesn’t get soggy.
Andrea Amy
i like the pb&j burrito. too bad the kids can’t take that to school though (no peanut products allowed)
Lori B
the meditteranean tuna wrap
natalie parvis
The Mediterranean tuna wrap sounds so good!
Carol
I like the Cranberry Thanksgiving Turkey Sandwich.
israel y
i like the PB&J Burrito
Jean
I like the tips on creating a fun lunch. SO cute and they ideas don’t look terribly complicated or time-consuming.
Sherry Jones
Mediterranean Tuna Wrap
Emily Morelli
I think the Cranberry Thanksgiving Turkey Sandwich looks great!
Francine Anchondo
Cranberry Thanksgiving Turkey Sandwich
Crissy D.
I like the PB and J burrito, it would be yummy
Desiree Dunbar
I’d love to make the Fiesta Chocolate Pretzels.
Amber L.
I love #12 tip of making fruit kabobs. I would use sunbutter instead of PB but the idea is great.
Jodi J
I like the tip for non-soggy PB&J sandwiches – spread the peanut butter on both pieces of bread.
Maria Malaveci
Mediterranean Tuna Wrap sounds delicious!
j gentry
Love the PB and J Burittos..what a cute idea this is!
Theresa J
I would love to try the summer tuna salad
Lori Bazan
I love the recipe’s and will try the summer tuna salad and classic tuna salad sandwich!
Pam O
The Buffalo Chicken Wrap sounds really good.
Debbie Petch
The fish sandwich reciope!
Jessica H.
The JIF Peanut Butter and Chocolate Hazelnut cookies look super yummy! Thank you so much for the wonderful giveaway!
Terra Heck
I like tip #4: Add a fruitful twist to your yogurt by stirring in Smucker’s® Strawberry Preserves. Thanks.
partymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com
heather
the fish sandwich is super cute
Brittney House
The cranberry thanksgiving chicken sandwich sounds good.
Jessyca
Oh my daughter would love the fish shaped sandwich. Thanks for the chance.
Ben G
Thanksgiving Cranberry Wrap
Deb S
I would like to make the PB&J Burrito for my son.
Kelly H.
I like the kids love dips tip!
David Carlson
Summer Tuna Salad.
Celia Nickel
Gonna try the PB and J Snack Bars
Deborah Mireles
I would make the classic tuna sandwich
Ruby Yoshi
I like the turkey veggie sandwich
Erica C.
I like the tip to break down big portions into small portions and store in containers.
Mihaela Day
I like the Cranberry Thanksgiving Turkey Sandwich
Mary I
I would love to make the Mediterranean tuna wrap
Vikki Billings
My favorite recipe is the Chocolate peanut butter munch.
susan smoaks
i like the classic tuna salad
laurie
I like the turkey veggie sandwich
Kitty Iecvan
I like the Chocolate peanut butter munch recipe!
Breanne
Summer Tuna Salad
trixx
I like the PB&J snack bars recipe
rene chartier
This would be a great lunchbox for my children.
Donna K
Mediterranean tuna wrap