The new school year is officially underway and many parents are looking for new ways to keep lunch time creative and healthy for kids heading back to school. Packing school lunches can be a dread for parents of picky eaters, but having the right supplies and snacks make it a lot easier. Packing school lunches is the smart way to make sure your kids get the right balance of healthy, nutritional, and yummy foods. We’ve rounded up a group of lunch box essentials that are sure to make packing lunch easier and more enjoyable for parents and kids alike.

BE.YOU.BE.FUN

Using reusable lunch boxes is not only great for the planet, but it is a fun way to express yourself. be.YOU.be.FUN., has created a customizable carry-all box that finally lets kids have fun celebrating their ever-changing interests, over and over again! The durable, insulated and spacious be.BOX. has loop material on both sides that provide the perfect blank slate to hook YOU.patches onto, allowing kids to create their own unique masterpiece. YOU.patches can be traded, collected or rearranged as often as you want to showcase each be.BOX as a one of a kind. 

be.YOU.be.FUN. originated with the reality that everything in the adult world seemed to be customizable and allowed everyone the personalization and individuality to express themselves. However, with the constantly changing interests of kids, their most used items seemed to be just one in a sea of the same boring themed products that only changed when it was time to replace it with another. The be.BOX. is more than just a sturdy customizable lunch box. It's a toy box, craft box, travel box, doll box, adventure box, on-the-go box, and so much more! It’s the ultimate carry-all for kids that lets them express their personality, interests, or just be silly on any given day for any given reason. 

be.YOU.be.FUN. firmly believes that each kid should be able to have their own individualized, built to last, celebration of them because there's no wrong way for YOU to be.YOU.

NOSTALGIA

Perfect for creating a quick meal to pack for lunch or an after-school snack the Nostalgia MyMini Personal Electric Grill quickly creates perfectly sized on-the-go meals such as burgers, paninis, grilled cheese, and more! Its compact and lightweight size is perfect to store in a dorm, apartment, or camper. 

Fuel up for the day ahead with Nostalgia New and Improved Retro Wide 2-Slice Toaster. This toaster is designed to toast a variety of breads, bagels, English Muffins and more to perfection with its five browning level options. Easy cord storage and removable crumb tray allows for compact storage and easy clean-up. This sleek retro toaster perfect for any setting whether in a dorm, home, or apartment!

Back-to-school time is here, and Nostalgia is ready to provide you with all the essentials to make this year a success! Order yours today from Nostalgia Products using discount code BACKTOSCHOOL for 20% off your next purchase.

SIDE CHEF

Is your child getting sick of having the same lunch over and over again? Well, with help of SideChef, finding great recipes has never been easier. SideChef- the award-winning cooking app-is here to help make back-to-school meal planning for the family a breeze. 

SideChef makes making and packing lunch easy with plan-head recipes for prep-and-pack meals. Two easy lunch ideas include Cheesy Pizza Scrolls, Kid-Friendly Mock Maki and more. SideChef can filter recipes by prep and cook times to make cooking on a deadline stress-free. With choices of recipes under 15, 30, and 60 minutes, there’s almost no reason to break out the microwave meals.

To sweeten the deal, SideChef provides easy grocery ordering and delivery options through their partnership with Walmart. Users can pick a recipe, make a shopping list, purchase, and get groceries delivered from their local Walmart all through the SideChef app. Furthermore, users of the app can filter through recipes based on dietary restrictions, occasions, and even price per serving. Feeding the family has never been so affordable, easy, and time-efficient than it is with the help of SideChef.

MAMA SEZZ

For busy families looking to start off the school year right with quick and nutritious meals, MamaSezz is the answer. MamaSezz is the leading whole food plant-based meal delivery company that makes meal-time easier and healthier by delivering hearty, fresh, ready to eat whole food plant-based meals right to your door. The company makes meals that are familiar, comforting, and easy to prepare, so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time on things that matter.

From Grandma’s Granola to Lazy Lasagna to the Breakfast Protein Bowl there’s something for everyone at the table. And, the brand also has a delicious cookie--The All

Day (Not a Cookie), a whole food plant-based snack or dessert that is filling without the sugar crash. Perfect for those on-the-go or to enjoy after school. All MamaSezz meals are oil-free, gluten-free, wheat-free, egg-free, non-dairy, peanut-free and so much more.

Boxes start at $129, or about $6-$7 per serving.

You can find out more about MamaSezz on its website or social channels at @mamasezz or Facebook.com/mamasezz.

Lunch prep will be breeze now that you know of these awesome brands. Your kids will love being able to design their own lunchbox with be.YOU.be.FUN. And they will thank you for adding variety to their lunches, whether you give them a healthy pre-made meal from MamaSezz or cook a new recipe from SideChef using Nostalgia kitchen products.