Drinks in lunchboxes?

[kellia]

What do you guys give your kids to drink in their lunchboxes and what do you put it in? My twins are starting kindergarten at a charter school, so buying lunch or milk there is not an option. Juice boxes seem so expensive and wasteful, but I had bad experiences with leaking bottles for dd. Any good water bottles or thermos out there that will fit in a small lunchbox without leaking all over? They had the metal ones at the store, but they were $15 each!

 

[luvmyfam444]

You could do waterbottles & add Kool-aid or Propel single oacks to them...

We buy the Caprisins that are waters or the jucicy Juice waters - but that's not what you're wanting..

The other option is in the sippy cups section are cups that have valves in them that don't have a traditional spout like a sippy cup - think Gerber makes them...the don't leak & you could do milk or whatever you have at home....

 

[marcyinPA]

Well, probably not economical, or even good for them, but I buy the Kool Aid jammers in the pouches for my kids' lunches. I buy them at BJ's in bulk. Sometimes my DS's want water, so I also buy the little pint-sized water bottles.

I also have a Rubbermaid juice box...it's a clear plastic container with a flip up straw. I don't know if they still make those, but that's a good thing for a lunch box too. You can fill it with whatever you want, and they don't leak.

 

[TupperMom7]

I have used the Rubbermaid blue bottles, I think they hold 16 ounces or maybe twelve? but I only fill them about 8 ounces. They have a twist on cap with a pull up center for drinking. As long as the kids don't leave them open in the lunchbox, they don't leak.

 

[SarahKate]

I normally would do the Juicy Juice boxes but she ended up having two a day during summer camp - one at lunch and another at snack time. Even though it's JUICE, still high in sugars and we need to watch that (high family history of diabetes). So I bought some of those smaller bottles of water w/ the spout - I think they're just 8 ounces or so. If it gets tossed accidentally, no loss, otherwise we can reuse them. There are so many juice boxes, pouches, etc. but they really can end up being a lot of sugar for them especially if you throw in other goodies! What I'm starting to do from now on is have a juice box in the lunch bag and water in the snack bag or vice versa.

You could just have a pitcher ready made w/ lemonade, kool-aid, etc. and then just fill up the water bottles or "sippy cups" (for big kids, of course!).

Any of these options would be so much cheaper than buying the ready made juice boxes/pouches!

 

[feedindy]

The metal Thermos brand drink containers (FunTainers or something like that) are expensive, but so worth it! My DD has been taking water or milk in one for a couple years now. We've definitely gotten our money's worth out of it.

 

[ceecee]

The metal Thermos brand drink containers (FunTainers or something like that) are expensive, but so worth it! My DD has been taking water or milk in one for a couple years now. We've definitely gotten our money's worth out of it.

We have one of those as well, the lid pops up and it has a pop up straw, it never leaks and the kids don't take the lid on and off just pop it open. We've had it for years. It's by Thermos and they can in cute designs. We also have the container for hot foods, but when DD was young the lid didn't get screwed on right sometimes and the lunchbox would come home a mess!

 

[dawnball]

Tetra-packs of shelf-stable milk purchased by the case of 24 at Costco. They're slightly more expensive than sending milk in a thermos or re-sealable bottle - but I don't have to do anything in the morning except drop it in the bag and I don't have to wash another container at night, either.

 

[brenalexacamp]

I think- 100% juice OR water bottle- no sugar- kids teeth take a beating.....

but a funny- my cousin used to pack her so's lunch in the am....she blindly reache in the fridge and put a beer in his lunch---

 

[Trixiezzz]

I have used the Rubbermaid blue bottles, I think they hold 16 ounces or maybe twelve? but I only fill them about 8 ounces. They have a twist on cap with a pull up center for drinking. As long as the kids don't leave them open in the lunchbox, they don't leak.

This is the exact same Rubbermaid short bottle I use in my kids lunches.
I fill it with milk and put the bottle in the lunch box with a small icepack and it stays ice cold for lunch ~ and even by the end of school (It's still cold when I empty it at home).

Milk is so important for growing girls who need calcium, I think. Luckily, my DDs both love it.

 

[ceecee]

Ibut a funny- my cousin used to pack her so's lunch in the am....she blindly reache in the fridge and put a beer in his lunch---

 

[bnf2]

I also have a Rubbermaid juice box...it's a clear plastic container with a flip up straw. I don't know if they still make those, but that's a good thing for a lunch box too. You can fill it with whatever you want, and they don't leak.

Yep... that's what we use (http://www.rubbermaid.com/rubbermaid/product/product.jhtml?prodId=HPProd210003) We generally fill them with milk or apple juice. I've had the same 2 for 4 or 5 year now and they are still going strong- no leaks. You can order replacement straws for them too (10 for $3.00), which I thought was a great idea.

 

[yanceygb]

i know you're trying to avoid the juice box things...but we use Capri Suns...we freeze them and then they serve dual purpose...keeps everything cold and by lunch time they are slushies.

 

[mum4jenn]

Koolaid Jammers makes a 10 calorie version of its pouch.

 

[HillPete]

Horizon Organics also makes a shlf-stable milk 'juice box'. It is available in regular, chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. Again, it's more expensive than filling a reusable bottle, but you don't have to worry about spills, spoilage or excessive sugars or artificial sweeteners. My kids like the regular (might also be non-fat, can't remember just now) and the chocolate so we get them periodically.

 

[patsal]

Capri sun roarin waters, minute maid makes a similiar product, but I forget what it is called. 10 calories and they are about 19 cents to 26 cents each depending on coupons, sales etc. I have never had success with reusable containers and I hate cleaning the mess. Now DD is in MS and DS in HS so everythign needs to be able to go to the trash or recycle bin becasue if it were reusable it would be piled high in the locker and completely unusable after that!

 

[dawnball]

I think- 100% juice OR water bottle- no sugar- kids teeth take a beating.....

100% juice isn't better for their teeth than a sugar-sweetened drink. Fruit juice (particularly the grape and apple that make up the bulk of 100% juice drinks) are just natural sugar-water, and have about as much acid as a fruit-drink. Either way they should be at least rinsing their mouth with plain water afterwards, to rinse away the sugars and acids.

 

[dvcnewgirl]

Has anyone used these? I was thinking of getting these because I would have 1 for soup and 1 for drink. Anyone have any ifo? BTW, I plan on snding Kool-aid made with splenda, milk, and roarin waters.

http://www.landsend.com/pp/UniformI...62082_185349_-1.html?CM_MERCH=PGGT_0000039176

OK I forgot the link the first time I posted..

 

[kldmom2000]

I bought both DD's the Sigg water bottle with the sport cap I use it mainly for water and never had a problem w/ it leaking. I also buy the Organic Horizon chocolate milk boxes to switch it up a bit

I occasionally do the regular juice boxes w/ no high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweetners (sucralose, aspartame, splenda, etc)...

 

[Nette]

Horizon Organics also makes a shlf-stable milk 'juice box'. It is available in regular, chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. Again, it's more expensive than filling a reusable bottle, but you don't have to worry about spills, spoilage or excessive sugars or artificial sweeteners. My kids like the regular (might also be non-fat, can't remember just now) and the chocolate so we get them periodically.

Yep, that's what we usually sent in school lunches. We've been sending juice to camp, though (they're outside ALL day and it's HOT), and of course they have water bottles. And now I see that Costco has a Kirkland knock off of them. Woo Hoo...

I love the idea of using the Rubbermaid container. We actually have a couple of them, need to order replacement straws! We've been trying to reduce the lunch trash.

but a funny- my cousin used to pack her so's lunch in the am....she blindly reache in the fridge and put a beer in his lunch---

hee hee... I just teased my DD this morning about putting a beer in her lunch when she kept me standing in the garage staring at the drink fridge because she couldn't decide what to have for a drink. Maybe I should stop asking...