It's less than a week til school starts and I have done little to no back to school shopping yet- so when Smash sent us a giant box of their amazing Nude containers, lunch boxes, drink bottles, pencil cases and more we were thrilled! Nude containers are a favourite because they come in so many sizes and are perfect for big and little kid lunches.
The thing I'm most excited about this year is their Wrap n Roll container (pictured above), which fits wraps and torpedo rolls in it perfectly!!! It will make such a change from squashed wraps and soggy rolls.
For the little kids I'm loving the Smash Lunch Boxes and the Lunch Buddy sets- which are just small and fit perfectly inside the lunch boxes. I know that when I go anywhere Tully freaks out if I don't have enough food to feed a family of five so these are rapidly becoming my new best friends!
The great thing about the Smash range is their is something for everyone! I know that Lynsey uses her ones for her husband's lunch and her pre school lunches, while mine are used for high school lunches, snacks and lunch on the go.
We are loving Smash so much that we have three packs worth $50 each to give away!
The Pack includes:
1 x novelty lunch bag
1x Nude Food Movers Rubbish Free Lunchbox
1x Nude Food Movers Triple Snack Tube
1x Nude Food Movers Wrap n Roll
1x Stealth 750ml Drink Bottle- Limited Edition
To win tell us below what your top lunch box tips are!
(T&Cs- Australian residents only -over 18- entries close 11pm 28th Jan 2015)
Lisa
I love to do a variety of lunch boxes with fresh fruit and tasting bento type lunches however sometimes things come unhinged and we have a crazy morning, week or even month. So I always plan ahead and stock up on health snacks with a long shelf life such as purée apples, organic dried fruit, popcorn have muffins, pre made sandwiches, sausage rolls, meatballs that can be heated then Cooled in fridge, soups to pop in a thermos and popped in the lunch box energy balls and frozen yoghurt or other homemade treats in the freezer this way it bs easy to put together a lunch box with the simple addition of a water.
Amber Fuller
My tip would be to involve your kids in making and choosing their lunch, that way they are more likely to eat it, and they will be able to make their own lunch at a younger age once they are used to it 🙂 To make it easier on you, have a list of foods to choose from to avoid upset. You could even have categories and they choose one from each e.g sandwich, fruit, dairy, snack. Oh, and always have an ice pack or frozen popper in there to keep lunch cool as lots of school bags get left in the sun all day.
Leigh Isabeth
My tips are use a chilly bump ice pack (for bumps n bruises) to help keep sandwiches cold, also I butter the bread but put salad pieces in separate containers do it's always fresh, and add different combos that can either go in the sandwich orbs eaten as a snack.. That way they have fun making their own lunch and variety!
Sara Stace
My tip would be to get your little one (of old enough) to draw a picture of the kinds of foods they want in their lunch box. Let them know they must be healthy, but this way they get to feel involved.
Becky
My top tip is to have a lot of variety and change it up every day. Small portions work well for my kids.
Yvonne Bentley
Make lunches colourful, by choosing a healthy variety of food, if it looks good the kids are more likely to eat it. variety is the spice of life..Get the kids involved, by baking some nutritional snacks..do a bulk baking and freeze. Pack fruit, vegetables, snacks, dairy, baking, and a sandwich/roll, sushi, wrap, or rice cakes. Make a list of food groups and place in the pantry to pack, it makes it easier to make lunches. picking one of each of the groups. Buy in season fruit, freeze..mangoes, freeze grapes good for afternoon snack, and bananas taste like ice cream. peel and freeze on a stick eat straight away. Keep them all chilled with a freezer brick in nude food containers. I love the snack tubes and don't forget the water. Happy lunching....yum yum yum
Christina Byrne
My lunch tip is freeze a smash 330ml water bottle & put in their lunch bag. That way the lunch is extra cool at lunch time & the kids still have cool water to drink!
helen kidd
S elect fruits,dairy sandwich, treat, drink together,
M ake variety in the everyday,
A dd a funny note or drawing,
S tock up in the freezer for easy days,
H ome with an empty lunchbox!
Anita
My tip is to freeze their drink the night before and use that to keep the food cold (this could be a popper or their water bottle). I also use little ice bricks in their lunchboxes. I make thick jelly with fresh pears and peaches inside. I try to mix things up a bit by not giving them sandwiches every day. They have little salad wraps, or sometimes I make little quiches with lots of healthy yummy ingredients. I think the trick is to mix it up all the time so they don't get bored with the same old same old. I always make sure they have fresh fruit, either a sandwich or salad wrap or quiche, some nuts or a homemade muesli bar and a little treat.
Kelly Sellick
My tips would be to make an activity that generally people find a chore into something for you and your children to enjoy together. Find recipes for healthy muffins, fresh juices, snacks etc. and make a day of cooking up a storm, to last the entire week. Then not only do you not have to prepare foods at the last minute, but kids enjoy cooking & will be more likely to eat or at least try something they have made themselves! It also gives you the opportunity to teach healthy eating habits in an interesting & engaging way.
Also, to keep drinks cold for the day at school, fill half of the bottle & freeze over night, then top up in the morning with liquid. This keeps the drink cool all day, aswell as being drinkable in the morning.
Jackie
My top lunch box tips -
1 - have a system! Ours is main (usually a sandwich here); yoghurt; snack; fruit; drink
2 - buy in bulk and repackage down - e.g. 1Kg yoghurt into smaller (kid-able-to-open) containers
3 - remember utensils!
4 - Eat a rainbow
5- pack at a time that suit you - for me, it's the night before
6 - pack a little love into the box. It could be as simple as their favourite food, a little note, or fun shapes. Or you can pack a kiss in there too ;-x
Lea Black
Have abit of variety, as children can get bored with the same things to eat. Have a piece of fresh fruit available each day as they are needed for energy! Avoid biscuits and chocolates, sweets and even health bars are sugar filled. Keep it fresh!
hamir
1...Fruit or vegetable kebabs are super fun,
pump a variety of vitamins & minerals in my son.
Great to make even the night before school,
add shapes with cutters too if you want to be cool...
2...Use a divided lunchbox & fill it with healthy homemade tasty treats & fruits - the more colourful the better - A fun way of serving Rainbow lunch.
Michelle Miles
My tip is to make sure you tell them what is in their lunch box, otherwise it comes home with a "Oh I didn't know that was in there" - yes she has a "Daddy" look when it comes to her lunch box.
sapshu
#My tip is to pack 100% coconut water in tetrapacks or chocolate milk (zero additive & artificial flavour variety) in place of sugar filled juices.
#Rotate the variety and colour of fruit and snack to keep it more appealing everysingle day.
Ingrid Robertson
don't get disheartened when your carefully prepared lunch comes home mostly uneaten - their tastebuds change all the time - just keep offering up different alternatives. [at least this is the advice I am clinging to at the moment]
Natalie Murnane
I found out after weeks of school my son could only eat his lunch after someone else opened his lunch container. I took him to the shop and had him go through various boxes till we found one he could use himself. Tip... make sure they can use all the new items before school starts.
Yvonne Bentley
Make lunches colourful, by choosing a healthy variety of food, if it looks good the kids are more likely to eat it. variety is the spice of life..Get the kids involved, by baking some nutritional snacks..do a bulk baking and freeze. Pack fruit, vegetables, snacks, dairy, baking, and a sandwich/roll, sushi, wrap, or rice cakes. Make a list of food groups and place in the pantry to pack, it makes it easier to make lunches. picking one of each of the groups. Buy in season fruit, freeze..mangoes, freeze grapes good for afternoon snack, and bananas taste like ice cream. peel and freeze on a stick eat straight away. Keep them all chilled with a freezer brick in nude food containers. I love the snack tubes and don’t forget the water. Happy lunching….yum yum yum
Sarah
My tip is make lunch fun! Tell them what's in their lunch box but pop in an unexpected capsicum smiley face on top of sandwich or a sword shaped plastic toothpick for capturing those swashbuckling blueberries. Make it an adventure and they won't be able to resist taking part everyday 🙂
Kara N
My top tips include:
Using reusable containers and food pouches such as SMASH or Sinchies.
Giving your child healthy food that is familiar to them and that they like to eat.
Put at least one vegetable and one fruit in their lunchbox.
Change up their lunch every now and then by including Veggie Sushi, Salad Wraps, Cold leftovers such as Veg Lasagna, or a pasta dish.
NOTE: If you want your child to try something new- Make sure you let them try it at home first!
Make sure you put a bottle of water in as well as a frozen bottle, so that they can have cool water instead of frozen or very icy water.
Georgia Skans
Always a treat - always a fruit and always love from mum (or dad). I have just discovered the long insulated Smash bags and knowy kids will always have FRESH food items!
Sarah Phillips
When making school lunches for my littlies,
The key is definitely variety.
A little organisation goes a long way,
Plan a different menu for each weekday.
A healthy lunch with a tiny treat,
Is a combo you cannot beat!
Karen DeThomas
Freeze a wet face washer in a ziplock bag then pop in the top of the lunchbox, helps keep lunch cold and also gives children something to wipe their hands and faces with after eating.
jess dennis
Make sure the kids test out their lunchboxes and drink bottles at home. They are not going to eat if they cant open their containers 😀