Lunch Box Accessories for a Waste Free School Lunch

Kelly R:  This Thermos food jar will keep its contents hot for up to 5 hours, or cold for up to 7. So your little mac and cheese lover won't have to go without.

Kelly R:  LunchBots containers are made of durable and safe high-quality stainless steel and can get tossed right into the dishwasher for cleaning. I like to use this smaller size to pack school snacks, but it would also work well for lunch sides. LunchBots' full range of stainless steel lunch box accessories has sizes ranging from small condiment holders to large multi-sectioned containers.

Jennie Utsinger:  My kids find lunch - or any meal - much more appealing when accompanied by cute food picks! Use them on "sushi" sandwich rolls, chopped fruit or vegetables, or as an accent on a sandwich.

Nancy L.:  Bumkins snack and sandwich bags are made of a waterproof fabric that's machine washable and dishwasher safe. They are available in a variety of characters and designs appealing to both boys and girls.

Kelly R:  Check Upparent's list of parent-recommended lunch boxes and bento containers to find the best ones for your family!

Kelly R:  Your child's water bottle needs will depend on their age, the size of their lunchbox, and their activities, so use Upparent's roundup of the best leakproof water bottles for kids to find the best fit for your family!

Kelly R:  This nontoxic ice pack keeps lunches cold without getting everything soggy as it thaws. The sweat free machine washable cover is made from recycled plastic bottles. We have been using ours for years and they seem practically new. Plus, they are BPA, lead, and phthalate free.

Katie Chiavarone:  We love using these sandwich cutters. It’s a really simple way to make my kids’ lunches fun and exciting, and only takes a few seconds more! I actually have a full blog post on my favorite products, like these, that help us create waste-free lunches, feel free to check it out here.

Stacie Farina:  

Less than 15$ and comes in many colors and sizes

Katie G.:  If your kids have a lunch box that may not have many separate compartments, then these silicone cups are the perfect solution. Not only used for muffins, these cups can be filled with crackers, fruit, cookies and more to complement your child's lunch. These cups are dishwasher safe.

Kelly R:  Reusable cloth napkins avoid the need to throw out that daily disposable napkin that always comes home looking suspiciously clean. My family's favorites may be called dish cloths, but they work beautifully as cloth napkins for my kids - both at the dinner table and in their lunchboxes. They are softer and more absorbent than traditional cloth napkins, have a nice weave that is good for gentle scrubbing, and wash up really well. Ours have been going strong for years!

Kelly R:  These are the best reusable food bags for versatility, because they can be used in endless ways both for school and at home. Self-sealing Stasher food bags are made entirely of food-safe silicone, so they're safe in the microwave, in boiling water, and for food storage in the fridge and freezer. Different sizes are good for sandwiches, snacks and sides, and they can be washed in the dishwasher.

Gina I.:  This set of snack containers is fantastic! Set includes 6 containers, with lids (large & medium size containers have removable ice packs), making them perfect for a variety of snacks. Measurement markers on the sides make portion control simple, and lids snap on and off easily.

BPA & PVC free, as well as dishwasher, microwave and freezer safe.

Kelly R:  We searched high and low for reusable utensils that were small enough to fit inside our kids' stainless steel lunch containers so they wouldn't get the inside of the lunch box all messy. These are perfect! I love that the spoon and fork are on opposite ends of the same utensil so there's less to store, but these work so much better individually for their jobs than the all-in-one spork.

Erynn:  This a fun and trendy way to get kids interested in their lunches (and their veggies!). Cut vegetables or fruit into cute shapes, or use the cutters for cheeses or lunch meats. Everything tastes better when it's bite-sized anyway, and the cute shapes make them even more appealing.