Back To School Lunch Essentials 2021

Parents, the time has come again. Time to put away the at-home craft kits, colouring books, and sports equipment that's been spread out over your backyard.

Why? Start of school term is right around the corner!

And your little ones are packing their books, grabbing their backpacks and running out the door before you know it. While it might be hard to say goodbye to them (sometimes), what's even harder is figuring out what they need to fully prepare them every day.

So from lunch boxes to drink bottles, we've put together a checklist of the must-have items your child needs to start school off on the right foot. 

__________________________________________________________________

1. Yumbox Lunch Boxes

Trust us, you don't want to settle with just any lunch box. It's good to give your kids the best quality lunch box so that it won't leak or break.

Which is why a Yumbox might be your best option! Perfect for tapas style school lunches, toddler's meals, and other snacks, Yumbox is the brand behind child-friendly lunch boxes inspired by traditional Japanese style bento boxes. 

You might've heard of them before — and there's a reason they're that popular! These bento boxes are designed with multiple compartments that are separately silicone sealed inside the lid, making these lunch boxes perfectly leak-proof. 

The seal means that you can pack dips, yoghurt, salad dressings and many other wet ingredients inside it without having to worry about any accidental leaks or spills. They range from 3- to 6-compartment boxes to fit any nutritionally balanced snack or meal you'd like. Not only will your child love the fun and colourful illustrations, but we can (almost) bet that they'll eat everything you pack! 

Features of Yumbox lunch boxes: 

• Food safe lunch box (BPA Free)
• Leak-proof for wet foods (not water) 
• Child-friendly latch 
• Interchangeable trays with themed illustrations 
• Dishwasher safe (top rack)
• Hand wash recommended for lid

Shop the Yumbox range at Matchbox

2. Avanti YumYum Lunch Bags

It's worth giving your little one a lunch bag separate from their backpack — even if they have an entirely leak-proof lunch box, there's no telling if hands get dirty in the snacking process!

So to avoid smelly backpacks or food stains left on the kids' notebooks and pencil case, look to the Avanti YumYum Lunch Bags to save the day. It's a perfect lunch bag for school!

With a wide selection of patterns, not only does Avanti stock everything you could possibly need in the kitchen, their child-friendly items also come in excellent quality for any back-to-school needs.

From unicorns to sharks to dinosaurs to lego sets, each reusable lunch bag comes in a compact size, making it easy for your kids to carry. They also feature ultra-strong handles and fully insulated interiors, so that the kids' lunch stay fresher for longer. 

Features of YumYum Lunch Bags 

• Food safe and BPA Free
• Leak-proof lining 
• Insulated to keep food fresh 
• Double zip opening 
• Name and address label 
• Includes bottle and ice brick holder 
• Dimensions: 20cm x 27cm x 11cm 

Shop the Avanti YumYum range of lunch bags at Matchbox

3. Kids Drink Bottles

Speaking of must-have items to take to school by Avanti, our range of drink bottles can also keep your little ones hydrated throughout their day.

And how to get a child to drink more water? Make them excited about bringing it! The massive range we have in our Avanti, Oasis, Contigo, and Thermos kids drink bottles will do just that, as they feature all your child's favourite colours and patterns.

These are the perfect solution to keep drinks cold or warm for as long as the kids need. They're made of 18/8 stainless steel (ideal for that temperature retention), which means these insulated drink bottles are completely BPA free and non-toxic. 

Using reusable bottles for school will last you the whole school term and onward, guaranteed to make for some happy kids and at least one happy parent!

Features of Avanti Drink Bottles 

• Made from 18/8 stainless steel
• BPA free and non-toxic 
• Condensation free 
• Keeps drinks warm and cold 
• Capacity: 500ml 

Shop Avanti's range of drink bottles at Matchbox 

4. Appetito Snack & Sandwich Bags

Let's face it – it's time to say goodbye to cling wrap.

If you're tired of deflated sandwiches and want to start eliminating single use plastic from the home (you can only have so many Ziplocs!), then reusable sandwich & snack bags are so worth the investment.

There's a lot to love about the Appetito range of kitchen tools and gadgets for your home — they have a wide range of items designed to make your life easier in the kitchen with useful, well-priced, high-quality items.

As if that wasn't enough, this brand also specialises in some handy sandwich & snack bags! These reusable bags will fit perfectly into the kids' lunch boxes, and they also come in three different sizes, giving you plenty of choice depending on whichever portions you'd like.

Features of Appetito Snack Bags 

• Gusset base (which means more room!)
• Zip-lock seal 
• Waterproof and leak-proof 
• Freezable
• Made of FDA grade material (BPA and lead free)

Shop Appetito's range of sandwich bags at Matchbox

5. Sachi Lunch Pockets

Another option for packing lunches is with these cute, reusable lunch pockets by Sachi! Dedicated to providing you with easy to use, everyday functional items, Sachi specialises in stylish, insulated lunch bags and other back to school items that are a must-have for the children.

Whether your child prefers camo green, building blocks or unicorns, there's a Sachi school essential for everyone — and using the Lunch Pockets, as we said before, you're also one step closer to eliminating single use plastic from your home! They're the best alternative to single-use, disposable plastic packaging and are made to be used everyday.

Features of Sachi Lunch Pockets 

• Made out of food-safe and BPA free materials 
• Reusable 
• Strong, velcro close 
• Keeps food fresher for longer 
• Dishwasher safe 

Shop Sachi's range of lunch pockets at Matchbox

___________________________________

What are you missing from your back-to-school checklist?

No need for a scavenger hunt! Head over to any of our stores or online to find all you need in one place.

If you don't know where to start on preparing healthy lunchboxes for the kids, we have a guide for that too: Healthy Lunchbox Ideas for Back-to-School

We're here for you and your little ones.

Have an exciting school term!

Love,

The Matchbox Team