The Laptop Lunchbox - My almost end of the year review

There are only three weeks of school left. WOW! Really?? Where did this year go? It seems like such a short time ago I was preparing the big chic's first lunch for her first day. Now our schedule is full of all of the "end of_____" events - graduations, recitals, parties, etc... And while it seems to me that the time has gone so quickly, many of our school items are starting to show that they have indeed seen the inside of a school for the past 9 months. Chic's burgandy and navy uniforms are fading, white uniforms are stained beyond hope, the backpack is scuffed and dirty, and our Laptop Lunchbox carrier is on it's last legs. When I discovered the tear on the carrier, I remembered that when we bought the lunchbox, the hubs and I both wondered how durable it would be. I decided that I'd write a little "year in review" for anyone that is considering the purchase and wonders the same thing.

When we first bought the Laptop Lunchbox, our main concern was that the chic would lose it. I mean, let's be honest...they are not the cheapest lunchbox option out there. And the hubs is notoriously "thrifty" and was, therefore, very hesitant about spending that much money. But I stood firm that the chic would take care of it and that we would be saving money in the long run because we wouldn't be buying all those plastic baggies. I can be very convincing (or annoying depending on whose version of the story you hear) so we bought it.

Looking back over the year, I have been very pleased with our purchase. The containers have been dishwashered, microwaved, and refrigerated and the lids are still leak proof. The water bottle, which I had reservations about, has never leaked, and the container keeps everything amazingly cold even hours later.

There are a few unadvertised benefits of the Laptop Lunchbox as well. It really stands out. Big chic was the only one with that lunchbox in Kindergarten and the teachers were interested in it so naturally everyone is looking out for it and recognizes it as the chic's. And because it was so unique, she was really proud of it and took great care of it. She never lost it or forgot it in the dining hall and our only "incident" was a day when she forgot to put it in her backpack and left it in her locker. THAT I can live with. Now before you think my chic must be some unusually responsible kindergartner, let me assure you that she is just as forgetful as the rest. We've lost a uniform sweater and a fleece jacket this year as well as other assorted hair bows and headbands. But the Laptop Lunchbox? Never forgets it!

So this brings me to the only somewhat disappointing aspect of the lunchbox - the carrier. I have loved the carrier for it's thermal properties. With a thin ice pack in the pocket, the food stays very cool. The lunchbox is still cold when I open it up to clean it out after school. And it seemed very durable. I really expected to be replacing containers before the carrier, but when she came home last week, I discovered a tear in the seam of the bag.

Granted, she's carried the thing to school all year, but it's in her backpack until lunch. Then she carries it to the dining hall, eats lunch, and carries it back to her backpack. The thing is only out of her backpack or locker to actually eat lunch. I don't know...I just expected it to be a bit more durable. I mean, her $10 backpack has been thrown in the car, on the pavement, in her room, in a locker, in the gym, in a dance studio, and dragged on the ground while she complained that it was too heavy and other than a few scuffs and stains, it's still perfectly fine. A replacement carrier is $19 or so and we'll end up having to buy another before next year, but then I gotta justify the fact that we are again spending more than we normally would on a lunchbox. I'm hoping that our next carrier will last longer, that maybe this was just a fluke. We'll see. If not, I may end up having to find another way to carry her container. I'm just not sure how many years I can convince the hubs that we need to spend more money.

So, would I buy the Laptop Lunchbox again? Yes. Overall we have loved the Laptop Lunchbox. We've had an unending variety of food to send to lunch and she has really enjoyed her lunches this year. We'll be taking out lunches in the Laptop Lunchbox again next year. And her sister, who will be starting Pre-K has already requested one.

Here's her lunch from yesterday:

Tomatoes (to put on her wrap), Baby cucumber, BLT wrap, Strawberries, Fruit Leather

I didn't take a pic of today's lunch. She was supposed to have a field trip, but it was canceled, but she went ahead and took the field trip friendly lunch. Didn't take pics of it though cause it was just too boring!

Elvis Roll-Up

Tomorrow's lunch is a popular item with our family...okay, everyone except the hubs who insists that peanut butter and bacon is gross. But he is so SO wrong! They compliment each other perfectly! I think it's an even better combination that peanut butter and chocolate. Seriously! When I was pregnant I went through a grilled peanut butter, bacon, and honey sandwich phase. (No wonder I gained 53 pounds!) But I still love the sandwich post-pregnancy and this is a much lighter way to enjoy the sandwich.

Elvis roll-up, banana (to add to the rollup at lunch so it doesn't brown), carrot slices, Cottage cheese with strawberry.

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Elvis Roll-up

1 tortilla

2 Tbsp natural peanut butter

1 banana, sliced lengthwise

1 slice thick cut bacon, cooked till crisp

1 Tbsp honey

Spread peanut butter on the tortilla. Lay bacon and banana on one end of tortilla. Drizzle with honey and roll up. (If you're feeling adventurous, try it on buttered bread and grill it as you would a grilled cheese. You can thank me later ;) )

Bacon and Eggs

Tomorrow the chic is getting one of her favorite meals for lunch...bacon and eggs.

Whole wheat English muffin with jam, Bacon, Boiled egg with nori butterflies, Grapefruit segments.

About five minutes after I finished this lunch, I remembered that I have those cool egg molds. I shoulda used the egg mold...dang it!

btw...the apple on her sandwich was okay this morning. Not as white as the Pink Ladies, but still fine. Something about those Pink Lady apples keeps them from browning as quickly (if at all) which is why they're my favorite for lunches!

A new week...

Before school began, my daughter and I discussed the cafeteria and the possibility that some of her friends would be buying lunch on a regular basis. I thought the appeal of going through a line and getting food might be more exciting, in the eyes of a Kindergartner, than taking her lunch, even though I knew she would not like the food as much. So, I decided to attack the problem before it became one! We discussed cafeteria food and how she feels when she eats healthy as opposed to eating "junk". And in the end, we agreed that she could buy lunch once a week, as long as she took her lunch the rest of the time. We sit down the weekend before and look at the lunch menu and she gets to decide which day sounds the best to her. That's her hot lunch day.

Last Friday, it was pizza. And although my foodie kid can claim tuna roll sushi and sesame crusted tofu among her favorite foods, no five year old can resist the draw of hot fresh pizza. I'm a 37 year old woman and I can't resist the draw of hot fresh pizza! So, last Friday she bought lunch and I had an extra day to think about things I might want to make. And I have to say that the ideas have really been flowing. I've got a lot of things in mind and can't wait to try out some of my ideas. So everyone keep posted cause who knows what I might think of next. Today's lunch was something I thought up while trying to decide what I could do with cherry tomatoes...and what kid doesn't love food on a stick??

Brown Cow vanilla yogurt with frozen blueberries, chocolate chip and pecan cookie, whole wheat mini bagel, fat-free ranch dressing, BLTK's

BLTK's (BLT Kabobs)

6 Cherry Tomatoes (or grape tomatoes)

2 slices Low Sodium Bacon, cooked

2 Romaine Lettuce leaves

3 toothpicks

Cut the very tip of the cherry tomato off and then cut an X in the top. Cut the bacon strips into 6 pieces total (three pieces per slice). Roll a piece of the bacon or break it, depending on how crisp it is, and stuff it into the x on the tomato. Repeat until all tomatoes are filled. For the lettuce, remove the center vein and tear the leafy portion into strips. Wrap around the tomatoes and secure with toothpick.

*For obvious reasons, the toothpicks would be a bad idea for the little ones, but my daughter is well versed in toothpick safety. She'll eat anything skewered or kabob-ed!

Everyone have a great week!