Brand new bag: The next generation of lunch boxes goes back to school
By Alison Brownrigg
NWsource shopping columnist
Steven Dewall
Printer friendly
E-mail a friend
Digg it
RSS for Daily FindI carried a "Dukes of Hazzard" lunch box when I was a kid because I thought it was cool. Kids these days carry reusable lunch totes that are more than just cool. Thoughtful parents pack lunches in the newest-generation lunch boxes from companies that use eco-friendly materials, reduce waste and promote food nutrition. In time for back-to-school, here's a roundup of three options, two of which are designed in Seattle.
Goodbyn lunch box
Designed in Seattle and manufactured in Michigan, with printing done in Washington state, Goodbyn lunch boxes feature a clever, easy-to-use design with built-in compartments, an 8.5-ounce bottle and whimsical stickers so kids can customize their lunch-box look.
Goodbyns look easy to clean, are recyclable and made from food-safe plastics. They are free of lead, BPA (Bisphenol A) and phthalates (organic compounds used to make plastics harder and that have been linked to cancer in humans).
They retail for $34.95 and are available at Tottini or online at www.goodbyn.com.
Dabbawalla bags
A dabbawalla is a person in India who carries lunch boxes to office workers. It's also the brand name of adorable neoprene lunch bags and backpacks appropriately sized for the elementary-school set.
Designed by Seattle-based sisters Susan Givens and Carol Mack, Dabbawalla bags retail for between $30 and $42 and come in a variety of designs from a monkey to a cow to a stoplight. The water-resistant and naturally insulating bags feature reinforced seams, wide zipper openings and an inside pocket. They're also washable.
Dabbawalla bags are available at Bootyland and online at http://dabbawallabags.com/.
Laptop Lunches
These innovative lunch totes come in the form of a mini bento box inside an insulated bento carrier. The system consists of a hard outer container into which five smaller food containers fit, a set of stainless steel utensils, drink bottle and The Laptop Lunch User's Guide, which features menu suggestions and lunchtime tips.
Laptop Lunches are also made with food-safe plastics such as polypropylene and polyethylene and are completely recyclable. They are available at Bootyland and online at www.laptoplunches.com/ and retail for between $15 and $45.50. The company's Web site has a wealth of inspiration for parents struggling to provide a healthy lunch for their kids.
If you have a shop, sale, event or great product tip you'd like to share, e-mail seattleshopping@nwsource.com.
Copyright © The Seattle Times Company
Comments
Post a commentBoy I love lunchboxes that is why I have lunchbox laboratory. Nothing was more fun every year than to go to school..see all the new great lunchboxes for the season and then ride our bikes away and play hookey at the old station mart and eat candy.
$40 for a lunch box? Seriously? Aside from getting your butt kicked for bringing such a wussy lunch box to school, that much money would buy a hell of a lot of paper bags.
More groovy green products for the rich...
It seems these new generation of lunch boxes are for those who can afford it. As always, this article infers that those who cannot afford a $30.00 lunch box are doing the environment a disservice. If these companies really wanted to put their products out there and make a difference, they would make them affordable for all. I had a Dukes of Hazard lunch box, too, when I was a kid. Guess what? I still have it! It still works and can hold a salad, apple, sandwich and juice. And it didn't cost my mother the equivalent of a utility payment.
Could you make the photos any smaller?
are u kidding? 40 bucks for a lunch box/bag ... looks like the recession hit the senile pretty bad.
I've seen BMW's & high priced Mercedes drive into walmart to shop these days .. so good luck with $40 lunch boxes (lunch not included!)
post a reply