reusable spillproof plastic bottle for lunches - anyone???

[MichelleB]

I pack my kids' lunches frequently and am looking for a small bottle (8-10 oz.) that I can use to place drinks in (ie. kool-aid, juice, etc.) instead of always having to buy juice pouches. I want it to be inexpensive. Anyone know of a plastic brand that doesn't leak, is easy to open/close, and inexpensive for this purpose????

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I finally found ones that don't leak. Rubbermaid makes one that has a pop up hard straw. They sell them in the food stores. I think they are about $4 each. They wash well and the kids love them.

 

[princessmom29]

I have found with these you typically get what you pay for. The cheap ones leak and even the expensive ones do overtime as the seals break down. I just buy the juie boxes. I figure it is cheaper in te long run than ruining a lunch box.

 

[MomtoGKC]

We have great Thermos brand stainless steel water bottles for our kids. The top opens and a straw pops out. Even our youngest (4) can get his open. The bonus is that they stay cold longer then plastic. They're not super cheap, usually about $12-15 at Wal Mart/ Target, but they last SO long because of the stainless steel- we're going on school year number two with ours. I figured $12 was only a few packs of juice boxes - and now I've saved all that waste I had been making with the throw away boxes!

Actually, I bought another set for my older girls this year- stainless steel ones with the screw off top. They're a little harder for the younger kids because of the screw top (if not on right the can spill) and then you have a wide mouth bottle to drink from. I saw the Sigg brand at Target for $24, I got a different brand (but still stainless, not aluminum) at Home Goods (saw them at Marshalls as well) for $6.99!! And they're so pretty - we have one with pink & green flowers and one with a black and white design and my daughters initial.

Here are the Thermos ones. We have a Spiderman one for our boy (here is a link to a Tinkerbell one...)

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10994452


We have this plain one for our older girls because they didn't want characters.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10669918

 

[ChrisinNJ]

I second the thermos brand that the PP mentioned. I looked at them last year & didn't buy them because of the price, but I bought them last week & they really are great.

We filled them the other day with ice water, drove 3 hours to my BILs house, left them in the car for 6 hours, and their water was still cold on the ride home!

I am sorry I didn't buy them last year!

 

[jacksmomma]

We have great Thermos brand stainless steel water bottles for our kids. The top opens and a straw pops out. Even our youngest (4) can get his open. The bonus is that they stay cold longer then plastic. They're not super cheap, usually about $12-15 at Wal Mart/ Target, but they last SO long because of the stainless steel- we're going on school year number two with ours. I figured $12 was only a few packs of juice boxes - and now I've saved all that waste I had been making with the throw away boxes!

Actually, I bought another set for my older girls this year- stainless steel ones with the screw off top. They're a little harder for the younger kids because of the screw top (if not on right the can spill) and then you have a wide mouth bottle to drink from. I saw the Sigg brand at Target for $24, I got a different brand (but still stainless, not aluminum) at Home Goods (saw them at Marshalls as well) for $6.99!! And they're so pretty - we have one with pink & green flowers and one with a black and white design and my daughters initial.

Here are the Thermos ones. We have a Spiderman one for our boy (here is a link to a Tinkerbell one...)

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10994452


We have this plain one for our older girls because they didn't want characters.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10669918

Those cups are great! They do not leak at all. Watch the back to school section, Target clearances them at the end of the season.

 

[squirrlygirl]

I second (third? fourth?) the Thermos brand. DD's plastic cracked on the bottom from dropping it but the interior is still intact. They have a lifetime warranty, too, so if it does start leaking I can get it replaced.

I bought DS's on clearance around October-time for $5. I paid full-price for DD's.

 

[NotUrsula]

The only ones I know of that are really leakproof are sold as sippy-cups. Gerber and Nuby sell them, they are 8-10 oz. However, if you send one of these with a school-aged child for lunch use, you are running a big risk that they will be teased badly.

Personally, I go with disposable bottles for my kids; the ones with the twist-spouts. I know, they are not good for the environment, but I tried sending good bottles only to have to replace them every week -- my kids lose the things constantly. We compromise and re-use them for as long as they last. (And yes, I've heard the arguments against that, too, but I don't think the threat is all that credible when the refilled water only stays in them for less than 14 hours.) I freeze them overnight with the spout open, then shut it when I put it in the lunch bag; if you don't do this you end up blowing out the bottom of the bottle when the water expands as it freezes.

 

[pampam]

Please make sure the plastics are safe. There should be a triangle on the bottom. This has a number inside the triangle that is used for recycling. #2,#4, and #5 are the safest. Also, I'm sure you don't want one containing BPA, which might lead to cancer. http://healthlongevity.blogspot.com/2007/08/what-plastic-is-safe-for-bottles-these.html

 

[MichelleB]

Thank you to everyone for your input. I think I'll get 2 thermos bottles that the kids can share (I have an 8, 11, and 13 yo). If for some reason they all pack on the same day, then one will have to take a juice pouch! Thanks again!

 

[princessmom29]

Please make sure the plastics are safe. There should be a triangle on the bottom. This has a number inside the triangle that is used for recycling. #2,#4, and #5 are the safest. Also, I'm sure you don't want one containing BPA, which might lead to cancer. http://healthlongevity.blogspot.com/2007/08/what-plastic-is-safe-for-bottles-these.html

Might possibly lead to cancer. The jury is still out on that one.

 

[littlele]

Those thermos bottles are the best!!!

DD has used hers for at least 4 years and it is finally time to replace them-not because of function, but starting middle school with the grade school designs won't cut it

So now I'm on the hunt for that same size w/out characters on it......so we can have these for a few more years.

 

[sevans89]

My DS was notorious for spilling his water at school, so we got him the Contigo AUTOSEAL Kids Mug. The water only comes out when you press the button. We love them. Oh, and they don't leak unless you don't tighten them all the way.

 

[kellydizfan]

We use empty used water bottles that we recycle. THey last quite a while before we need to replace them.

 

[Chereya]

Another vote for the Thermos Funtainers

 

[monorailsilver]

Add me to the Thermos pop up straw cups.

My dd would come home from school with some water still in it & it was still cold.

Yes the cost made me cringe but they are great!

I saw they make them bigger now & I might have to invest in some more.

 

[MichelleB]

Would they be ok for a 13 year old at school? I think so as long as I get the plain without a character but those of you that have them.....what do you think?

 

[DisneyAndRedSox]

I also love the Thermos Funtainers. After a year I needed to order new straw valves, but they were pretty cheap from thermos.

Target sells them in 2 areas this time of year, back to school supplies area and the normal area with lunch bags and thermos containers (near sporting goods). When they start putting school supplies on clearance, a few of the funtainer patterns will go on clearance. Last year I found Hello Kitty and Princess ones not in the back to school area, but in the other area, so they were missing a clearance tag. I scanned them and they were 75% off!

 

[bmr12]

Nalgene sells several different size 8 oz (or so) bottles which come in nice rectangular sizes which are very handy for lunch boxes, etc. They also have nice wide lids and mouths, which make it much easier to get clean in the dishwasher. They used to have free shipping on their web site, but I haven't been in a while.

 

[squirrlygirl]

Would they be ok for a 13 year old at school? I think so as long as I get the plain without a character but those of you that have them.....what do you think?

My 13-year old wouldn't use one. He thinks they're for little kids. BUT, he has two younger siblings that use them, which is probably where he got the impression from.