Its almost that time again… Back to School. Traffic has been going nuts at my Bento Lunch Box site, it always does this time of year. More and more parents want creative ways to get their kids excited about healthy lunches and presentation is half the battle IMO. I know I like to eat on real dishes with a nice tablecloth. The meal would not be the same if I were eating out of a plastic bag and I think kids feel this way too. Actually I KNOW they do (mine anyway), because when I whipped out our stainless steal Tiffins and put their lunch inside them recently, they were so excited they could barely wait to dig in. Same old lunch… presented in a cute lunchbox. It makes a big difference.

I really like Tiffins because they are so easy to pack and they are a non-plastic lunchbox option. We do have plenty of plastic lunchboxes and I am okay with using them provided they are BPA free, but stainless steel is even better. These are so nice looking that the adults can use them too. They are also great for vacations, long car rides, and snacking away from home because they have separate trays.

Our three tray Tiffiin for example is perfect for my three kiddos. When the munchies hit on a long car drive, I can just hand each of them a tray and they can munch away. The two tray Tiffin is great for individual lunches. Both Tiffins have a small container inside for liquids or dips… aka soy sauce, hummus, guacamole.

The only issues I have with these lunchboxes is that they show all the fingerprints on them, so I am constantly wiping them down with  dry towel after handling them. The fingerprints just bother me… this is why I do not have stainless steel appliances. Also, they can get dented or dinged if tossed about. But there are nifty Tiffin covers you can buy that have a carrying handle. The cases even have a pocket for your reusable utensils. The one below is for a two tier Tiffin but they have some for three-tier Tiffins as well.

IMO these lunchboxes are appropriate for adults, teens, and older kids. My ten year old would do fine with this lunchbox but my 6 year old would struggle with the side clasps and it would likely return home in pieces.

They are a beautiful way to make lunch a special and “green” event.

On the menu: Greek Yogurt sprinkled with hemp seeds and raspberries, melon, celery, hummus (not pictured), flax crackers, broccoli, and cheese slices.

BTW the cheese slices were made using these nifty mini cookie cutters. I haven’t tried them on cookies but they are excellent for cheese, meat (if you eat it), and thin sliced veggies like cucumber. My younger kids LOVE them.

See also: Green School Supplies

Frozen Strawberries, a banana, a heaping cup of spinach, water, and 4 Tbsp Nutiva Hemp Protein Powder. YUM!! And for some reason I think I want to follow that up a with a couple Bubbie’s Pickles.

What are you having?

For the past few months we have been using the Restore Clean Water System. It is a $100 system that I happened to see on Amazon this morning at a 68% discount. Wahoo!

What I love about this system is that it goes a step beyond just filtering the water like most water purifier systems. After the water filters through the pitcher you connect it to an outlet and a UV light then purifies and removes 99.9999% of bacteria, 99.99% of viruses and 99.95% of microbial cysts. The pitcher is also BPA free, which is important to me.

We don’t do bottled water and our tap water doesn’t taste or smell all that great (plus it is really cloudy) but the stuff that comes out of this pitcher tastes like the stuff you buy. It has become a routine that a few times a day I fill the pitcher up (8 cups) and run it threw both filtration steps. The pitcher resides in the fridge until we use the water or I fill the glass carafes that came with our our Soda Stream. The kids also like to watch the UV process.. it is quite pretty. It gives people a visual indication that the water is being purified, which helps with germaphobes who are clutching their disposable water bottles like security blankets… yes we have one of those in our extended family.

Every 40 gallons or so you need to replace the filter and as of yet I see no way to return the filters for recycling which is a major bummer.  They are not expensive though, which a is a plus since the last water filter we used had some seriously expensive replacement cartridges. Overall it helps us to drink more water AND stay away from disposable bottles, which is a big win for us.

The end of summer is around the corner and my kids seem hip to this. Even though it is hot as all get out… they still want to spend every waking moment outside. My youngest boy has made a new friend and all summer long they have done everything together… play indoors and out, swim, and even sleep. His friend’s name is SandBoy and he not only loves nature.. he is part of it… for he is a stick. Yes, a stick… off of a tree. Ala Spongebob he has a stick buddy! Perhaps I should be concerned but when they argue, it is just so darn cute!

My oldest boy attended an auction with his grandmother this weekend. She wanted him to pick out some birthday gifts for his birthday at the end of the month. He came home with several fishing poles, a tackle box full of fishing gear and lures, and a tent.

The rim around the tub after my kids take a bath is testimony that this summer has been fun!