With school right around the corner, or even started for some, lunch seems to be on everyone’s mind. So much so that my cohost Lynnae and I did an entire episode of Frugal Coast2Coast this week on “Packing a Lunch” (available as a podcast now).
So there are two things going on here-a microsite with a lunchbox builder where you can enter the giveaway for the Lunchbox Pack & print coupons, and then the Lunchbox Pack giveaway here on Frugal Upstate.
The Builder
The “Lunchbox Builder” is a nifty little site where you can create your own virtual lunchbox design and then upload it to the lunchbox gallery to be viewed and voted on. The highest rated lunchboxes will receive a Back to School Lunchbox Pack just like the one I am giving away here. I decided to try the builder out, and Princess came in while I was working on it. “oooh!” she says, “Can I try that too?” Kids love making things, even virtually! Here is the lunchbox I came up with:
Cute eh?
There are also some good coupons to print out on the lunchbox builder site-but those will eventually run out, so the the sooner you print, the better!
The Giveaway
As part of the Motts, Smuckers, and Pepperidge Farms Lunchbox campaign, they sent me a lunchbox care package to try, and then I get to give one away to a reader. Woohoo!
This lunchbox pack can help you prepare for more than just lunch-it’s more of a “school” prep pack. At a value of approximately $150 it’s worth an entry! The prize pack includes:
- An iPod Shuffle (2nd Generation)
- An insulated lunchbox
- Sharpie pens in multiple colors
- Colored Pencils
- A Smuckers Uncrustables Container
- An Optical Mouse
- A Smuckers Belt Pack
- A Motts Reusable Shopping Bag
- A Smuckers Strawberry
- Pencils
- Coupons
- A Walmart Gift Card
- A Combination Lock
- A Pedometer
In addition, the winner will be receiving 5 Labels for Education, worth 10,000 points each, which can be used by your child’s school!
How to Enter
This giveaway runs from today, 8/19 to Monday 8/24 at midnight EST and is only open to US residents.
Leave a comment below telling me your favorite things to pack in your kids (or own!) lunchbox.
Want some additional entries? Here you go! Just make a separate entry for each.
1. Subscribe to Frugal Upstate (that’s in the upper right hand corner) then comment.
2. Subscribe to the Frugal Coast2Coast feed & newsletter, then comment.
3. Tweet about the contest directing followers to this post, then comment.
4. Write a blog post about the contest directing readers to this post, then comment.
Good Luck! I can’t wait to see (and borrow) all your fantastic lunch box ideas.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
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My favorite thing to include in my husband’s lunch is a little love note, reminding him I’m thinking of him 🙂
I’m a Frugal Upstate subscriber!
This will be my first year to pack lunches for my preschoolers so I’m in learning mode. I think I’ll be packing finger foods – cut veggies, cheese cubes, crackers, etc.
I’m a Frugal Upstate subscriber.
Hmmmm my favorite thing to pack is a little bite of good cheese and a small piece of chocolate. Those two things make whatever is in between them seem so much better and they make me feel like I have treated myself (even with my homemade lunch)!
I’m a Frugal Upstate subscriber.
String cheese! Individually packaged. Needs no refrigeration. And it is fun to pull it apart in little strings. (When my kids were little, we called these ‘cheese sticks.’)
Favorite thing to pack in my kids’ lunchbox is small applesauce.
I subscribe to Frugal Upstate!
I’m happy knowing that I pack a healthy lunch for my girls everytday. Sandwiches, whole wheat crackers, veggies, fruit, etc.
I am an RSS subscriber.
I twittered about the contest!
I homeschool my kids, but two of my grown children pack lunches for work. They much prefer taking leftovers that can be heated up in the office microwave, and one of their favorites is homemade macaroni and cheese, with canned diced tomatoes with green chiles spooned on top.
I subscribe to the Frugal Upstate blog feed.
Bananas seem to work better than most fruits – less messiness/stickiness. Celery sticks with peanut butter are an old favorite veggie-protein combo that travels well.
With the H1N1 flu-avoidance advice we’ve been getting, I’m going to start including a hand wipe moistened with an alcohol-based sanitizer.
I subscribe via “MyYahoo” and my Google Reader.
My favorite lunchbox item is string cheese and turkey sandwiches. Filling and tasty.
I subscribe via RSS feed (google reader)
My son goes to a “peanut free” school, so his list of favorites is is limited. He absolutely loves cheese sticks and sliced raw peppers
julieadp at gmail
I am a subscriber.
julieadp at gmail
I like to pack a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
I’m a subscriber. (google reader)
The kiddo and I are home during the day, so we eat here, but I do pack Hubby’s lunch everyday. We save money by using leftovers from the night before. Before we even sit down to eat dinner, I put his lunch portion aside and pack it in his lunch box. This insures that there will be a lunch for him the next day and he doesn’t have to waste money at his building’s cafeteria. I also include an easy mac cup, a few granola bars and, if applicable, some of the dessert we had the night before.
I’m a subscriber! 🙂
What an amazing giveaway bundle!
One of my favorite things to do when packing lunches is to include a little surprise, whether it’s a handprinted note or a little sweet I picked up on sale or clearance…I’m always keeping an eye out for discounted treats for our lunches.
Another tip that I “borrowed” from someone recently (and I wish I could remember who so I could give credit!) was to freeze slices of meat and cheese in sandwich portions between wax paper so you can pop them between bread and they will thaw out and still be nice and cold at lunch time.
and of course I’m a google reader subscriber 😉
Favorite things in a lunchbox: Cookies, homemade goodies of any type, freeze some yogurt so it is cold (and maybe a bit icy still) at lunch, roll ups or wraps and anything that isn’t a PB and J sandwhich…can’t stand those!
Heather
With 6 Kids you can bet your last penny I make a wide array of typical and unusual lunches. I take the orders the night before and lay what I can out for the morning assembly line. I never forget the one thing that makes each kids lunch special. I always include a hersheys kiss and a note of encoragement if they have are having a test, a quick line of what makes them special to me if there having a difficult time “fittin in” or perhaps a coupon for a free pass of the daily chores if they have had a really terrific week at school!
I am a frugal upstate subscriber (email)
My youngest like cold cuts rolled up. She also like yogurt and then pepperidge farm goldfish to mix in! I like to do wraps to change things up a bit instead of the same old bread sandwiches.
I am a subscriber to Frugal Upstate and here is my comment. What a great giveaway! Also, a few weeks ago I took a weekend trip to my hometown in western NY and went by signs for the Speidie Festival that you mentioned a few posts ago. Looked like fun!
Ok, subscribed to frugal coast2coast also!! Always can use more frugal inspiration!
I like to pack apple slices with peanut butter (in mine and the kids lunch box!)
I subscribe to Frugal Upstate 😉
I’m a subscriber to frugal coast2coast.
I like to put in a hershey’s kiss. I know it’s not healthy, but just one is a nice treat, and my daughter gets a “kiss” from me at lunch time. 😉
I also tweeted (excuse me). (tiffiny4)
And now I’m subscribing!!! Whew! 😉
I posted a link on my blog Small Town Librarian at http://smalltownlibrarian.wordpress.com/2009/08/19/tuesday-tidbits-5/ There’s also some information on really fun make-it- yourself reusable containers from family fun magazine to add to the lunchbox fun!
I like to pack hummus, crackers, carrot and celery sticks.
My faves to pack are frozen yogurts, cheese sticks, fast and easy. The kids prefer homemade chicken salad, crackers/cheese/meat combos, homemade cookies. I will pack leftover pizza when we have it also, they love that 🙂
I like to pack fruit or dole fruit bowls in the winter time. I’ll either pack a sandwich or maybe a can of soup in the winter time. I also like to bring veggies and maybe some string cheese or cheese cubes. Frozen grapes are a favorite in the summertime.
My favorite lunch to pack my youngest daughter is a pb&J (or fluff)cut into shapes with a mini cookie cutter (flowers and hearts are cute.
I subscribe.
My kids are now grown up but I used to pack sandwiches, and chips of some sort along with milk money in their lunch boxes.
Some of the fave things are trail mix that I put together myself.
Fig Newtons – the kids love them!
Oh and dried fruit.
I’m trying to teach my kids to make healthier food choices.
RSS subscriber.
Tweet! Fantastic giveaway!
http://twitter.com/JalapenoMama/status/3418993652
I blogged about this great giveaway.
My favorite things to pack are sandwiches (peanut butter, lunch meat, egg salad), a yogurt, and a piece of fruit. I stick with pretty standard fare!