One of my girls is already back in school, if you can believe it.  My younger daughter starts back to school next week.  Here in the Midwest, it's blazing hot right now.  It's been over 100 degrees every day this week.  So you can imagine how happy the kids are about going back to school right now.  As their mom, I think it's way too early to go back to school.

However, the school board and the state legislature don't really pay attention to my opinion so since they had to go back, I tried to cheer them up a bit with shopping for fun lunchboxes, backpacks and school supplies.  It's not much but it did get them a little fired up about going back to school.  Today's post reviews some of the cool lunchboxes and bags you can find.  I am sorry if the lunchbox ideas are a little on the "girl" side, as I have two girls.  My brain is skewed toward girl shopping but I tried to be "fair and balanced".  The photo lunch box was made by an online store that is no longer in business but you can get a photo lunchbox online at Ogg Studio. The lunch bags you see in the pictures are from Little Packrats.

LUNCHBOXES FOR "TWEENS" AND TEENS 
When they hit the "tween" stage of life, what is cool becomes very important.  Tweens and Teens are far too COOL for lunchboxes, so nix the super hero lunch box and get creative.  Here are a few things we've done that have been huge hits with the girls (and their friends):

• Chinese Take Out Bag - This plastic "lunchbox" looks exactly like the white chinese take-out cartons you get at every Chinese restaurant.  The bags are plastic, easy to clean and the most important thing of all --- the other kids will think it's cool.

 

• Brown Bag and Elissa Bloom Coin Purse - My older daughter is "too old" for any kind of lunch box.  But she carries a brown paper sack for her lunch and uses her cool Elissa Bloom Coin Purse for her drink money.Elissa Bloom has fabulous and fun bags and coin purses that are perfect for school.  It's a teen thing. Don't ask me to explain it but it works for us.  The coin purses are easy to clip to her backpack so she always has money for her lunch drinks.

• Air America Tote Bag - Cafepress.com has all kinds of unique, one of a kind and weird totebags that can easily double as lunch bag.  I have an example here of the hip radio network "Air America" that can be used as a lunch bag.
  

One final idea for tweens and teens:  It's hard to predict what they will like or what is "cool" at this age.  In addition to the "brown bag" solution I mentioned above, I have also used the following ideas for tween/teen lunch bags:

• Plain Lunch Box With Stickers - I have purchased a plain lunch box or a plain cold pack at Amazon.com.  Then I let them buy some fun stickers, bumper stickers and more to stick on the box.  It's a way to be unique and it's not expensive. See my old blog post with easy instructions on how to make or design your own cool metal lunch box.
• Cosmetic/Travel Bags for Lunch Bags - This is a "girl" solution but we've taken regular travel cosmetic bags (I have one in the picture) for lunch bags.  It's very fun, different and easy to clean.

LUNCHBOXES FOR YOUNGER KIDS
This stage is both easier and harder as far as lunch stuff goes.  You have more choices (you can do the TV action figure lunch box) BUT it's a way bigger deal and kids are more selective.  Here are a few of my ideas for lunchbags for younger kids:

• Little Packrats - This is one of my all time favorite stores for bags for my kids.  I LOVE the creative bags Little Packrats creates for kids.  I have purchased MANY of these bags for my kids and for gifts and it has always been a big hit.  Some of the bags are even "cool" enough for the teens.  But don't tell anyone I said that.  There are so many options that I can't even begin to do these bags justice.  Just go to the site RIGHT NOW to see their selection of alien, dino, dog, bunny bags for lunch.  You'll thank me (or curse me) when you go there because it's a lunchbox JACKPOT.  Go. Now.
• Animal Lunchbags - These are adorable!  The lunchbag is available in delightful and cute designs. Kids just love these for taking their lunch to school or snacks on long trips in the car. Made of insulated PVC, the bags clean up easily with a damp cloth. Can be carried by shoulder strap or by handle.
• TV Character, Action Figure and Branded Bags - Go to giftopolis.com for a wide selction of boys and girls lunch gear.  They have just about every kind of lunch box or bag you can think of.
  

FINAL POINTERS FOR LUNCH BAG SHOPPING
The container is important but sometimes the little extra touches you put in the lunch can really brighten their day.  Here are a few sites that can help you with ideas to perk them up at lunchtime:

• Lunch in a Box blog - This is a wonderful blog about making lunches, lunchbox gear, it's a must-read!  She has the scoop on all the good stuff to get to make a healthy lunch.
• Pirate Toast Stamp - Make them a grilled cheese and stamp it with a pirate to jazz up their school day.
• "Lunch Box Cool" - Fun article about lunchboxes and how it's actually a huge business.