While there are all kinds of kids lunch bags and boxes that I find are really durable and effective, I've long been a fan of the lunch bags from Built NY -- in no small part because the size and styling means I can borrow them from my ki…
If you've done any back-to-school shopping lately, you may have noticed, like we have, that llamas are taking over the world. Quietly. And with deceptive cuteness because let me tell you, llamas mean business. The takeover may be inevita…
You've probably heard of Lululemon , but did you know that they have a special line for girls? Yep, the company ( formerly ivivia, now under the Lululemon brand name ) offers cool activewear for girls , including a new Lululemon backpack…
We're all for making those crazy school mornings as un-crazy as possible, which is why we're big fans of having our kids pack their own lunches the night before. Yes, even our little ones! It can be done, promise. Not only does having ki…
While we admit we don't always love packing lunches every morning, we do love picking out cool new lunch boxes for our kids each year in time for back to school. And so, our Cool Mom Picks 2016 Back to School Guide continues with tons of…
I'm not even ready to think about back-to-school season yet, but it's coming -- and sooner than later for parents like me in the south! While I've never been the type of parent who attempts to learn Bento arts or making a panda bear rice…
With lots of kids heading back to school in early August, and September really not that far behind, it's not too soon to start thinking about back to school. Especially when they're some of the most adorable backpacks and lunch boxes you…
Our longtime readers may know that we always get excited for the back to school season, mainly because of back to school shopping. Okay, also because we have an excuse to get the kids to bed a little earlier. But mainly it's the shopping…
Do you know how much the average parent spends on back to school shopping? Let's just say, a lot. We love supporting smaller indie brands, and finding the cool school supplies out there that helps make this time of year a little more fun…
When I saw the brand new Skip Hop Forget Me Not backpack and lunch bag sets earlier this year at Toy Fair, it was like an instant, I HAVE TO TELL PEOPLE ABOUT THIS. And now, at long last, they're available for purchase from their site, o…
When PlanetBox , the makers of those uber popular stainless-steel lunch boxes, asked if I'd like to check out their new Bottlerocket water bottle , I didn't even blink before saying yes. I recently ditched juice boxes from my kids' lunch…
Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss! Over the years, we have celebrated the many magical Dr. Seuss books you've given us and our children with delicious and easy treats to eat , great Seuss-related gifts , and even ways to carry around a little Seu…
Along with so many other parents, we're longtime fans of the cult favorite, eco-friendly, stainless steel water bottles from Klean Kanteen . They give us confidence in the "not killing our kids" department, and do a great job of making o…
I always envisioned being That Mom who sends my kids off to school with cute little lunch box notes each day scribbled with heartfelt words of encouragement and love. Ha! Alas, I am the mom who is usually scrambling just to remember to p…
My kids tend to like a lunch made up of several snack-sized options, which can be such a pain to pack. And certainly no fun when they get home with a bunch of little containers for me to clean out. And while their bigger-kid appetites mi…
My kids' backpacks are filled to bursting every morning as they leave for school, with books, lunch, snacks, and whatever else they can find to cram in there, it seems. Adding something else to that haul might seem ludicrous, but I love …
Even though we've entered an age of eco-friendly everything , especially when it comes to lunch bags and school supplies , I still have this nostalgic fondness for the brown paper bags of yore. So I am utterly charmed by the reusable bro…
Packing lunches is one of my least favorite parts of the back-to-school grind, but I think these quirky reusable lunch bags from Etsy shop Oh Little Rabbit would make it a little more fun. The unexpected designs on these handmade, screen…
When I asked my friend at the park about her water bottle and she told me it was, and I quote, the best water bottle in the world, obviously I had to know more. She introduced me to S'well , a line of insulated water bottles that keep dr…
While yes, you can--and I have--let the kids go to town on that plain canvas pencil case with Sharpies, I've been on the lookout for cool back to school crafts that might be more fun and interesting. And I do mean cool ones; I spent ages…
In the next installment of our Back to School Guide, we've rounded up some of the coolest lunch box accessories--always one of our favorite categories. We're not miracle workers or anything, but here's hoping they'll make you look forwar…
The sting of summer ending can be hard to bear, but I know that accessories always make me feel better. I mean uh, my kids. So take a look at this adorable line of personalized lunch boxes by Itzy Ritzy for, of all places, Shutterfly. Ma…
Next up in our back to school shopping guide : The coolest lunch boxes and bags. And wow, there are so many, whether it's your first year sending your preschooler off to school with lunch, or (lucky you) your kids are finally packing the…
We thought hedgehogs , foxes , even narwhals would hit it big as the hot animal for kids his year. And yes, they have. But of all things, we're also noticing a ton of adorable panda school supplies and we can't say we're complaining. If …