A Buying Guide for Busy People

You want what’s best for your child, starting with healthy food, in sufficient quantity, as well as a varied and colourful menu. But when it comes to lunch, the choice of lunch bag or box is also an important factor in how much pleasure your child will have eating it. Is the hot meal still hot? Is the pear still appetizing?

Here are 10 easy tips for busy people that will help you select the lunch box that is best suited for your family’s need.

The ideal lunch box…

1. is a good size: big enough to hold two plastic containers, a fruit and a dessert, a thermos bottle and an ice pack.

2. is light: think of the child who will have to carry it to school every day.

3. is rigid enough: there are now lunch boxes that are rigid enough to prevent muffins from crumbling and fruit from turning into mush without having to resort to the metal boxes used by construction workers!

4. is easy to carry: a lunch box with a strap is much easier to carry around.

5. is lined with thermal insulation: the silver lining keeps food at the right temperature much longer.

6. has a compartment to hold an ice pack: because heat rises and cold sinks, the ice pack will be more efficient if placed at the top of the lunch box. Certain foods can also serve as ice packs: a juice box, a plastic water bottle, a single-serving milk carton, a single-serving container or tube of yogurt, as well as a muffin are good examples.

7. is easy to close: zippers are better than Velcro closings which tend to open.

8. is attractive and fun: lunch and snacks always taste better when served in a lunch box bearing the picture of a favourite action-hero or cartoon character!

9. is easy to clean: a plastic lining is easy to keep clean. To prevent odours, wash the lunch box inside and out with warm soapy water after each use. Add a little sodium bicarbonate if need be. Rinse, dry and air out overnight.

10. has an ID tag with your child’s name on it: considering all the effort you’ve put into selecting the most practical lunch box, you want to be sure it makes it back home at the end of the day!


And remember that eating a meal with silverware is always tastier not to mention more eco-friendly than plastic! Maybe you have some odd pieces of silverware at the bottom of your drawer…If not, dollar stores have a variety to choose from at prices low enough that your budget won’t be compromised if the children inadvertently lose them.

Metro wishes you an excellent return to school!

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