The Yumbox

I am lucky that my daughter goes to a school within walking distance and that my dad is able to pick up my kindergartener for lunch, feed her and take her back. My daughter is one picky little girl and she doesn’t eat unless fed or constantly told to eat, which is why I decided on picking her up for lunch. But now that my daughter has many friends, who all stay for lunch, she has started asking me if she could stay for lunch as well. After contempleting the pros and cons, I have hesitantly decided that I would let her stay a couple times a week, especially now that the weather is getting better and I don’t have to worry about her asthma as much.

This week I have been on the hunt for the perfect lunchbox. My requirement for the perfect lunchbox is that it has to be durable, made from food-safe materials, and have several compartments in which I can pack a variety of things. By offering choices, I hope my daughter at least eats a little bit of everything, giving her the energy she needs to get through the rest of the school day.

Today I found the perfect lunchbox. The Yumbox. Here is why I love the Yumbox:

• child-friendly (the latch can be easily opened and closed by a toddler)
• leak-proof (you can pack dips, applesauce, and yogurt in the compartments)
• BPA-free
• made from food-safe material
• many different colours to choose from
• insert tray has beautifully-illustrated designs
• insert tray comes apart for easy cleaning
• choice between 4 and 6 compartment insert tray
• durable
• fits inside a standard size lunch tote
• encourages healthy eating (has compartments for fruits, veggies, dairy, grains, and protein)

Although only residents of the United States can order from the Yumbox website, there are Canadian retailers that carry this lunchbox, for example Cute Kid Stuff. The best part about Cute Kid Stuff is that if you live within the GTA or neighbouring cities, you can avoid the $10 shipping charge and pick it up in a North York or Vaughn location, which will be disclosed via email once you make a purchase. The lunchbox itself is $32.50 plus taxes, which I find is quite reasonable for the quality. The owner of Cute Kid Stuff, Dalit Sorokin is very helpful, replies to inquiries right away, and is very flexible with pick-up times. I was quite impressed when I went to pick up my order. Dalit had my order, a free gift, and a beautifully written card, neatly packed in a paper gift bag. I look forward to ordering from Cute Kid Stuff again in the near future!

Now with the Yumbox in hand, I will have to find creative, wholesome, nutritious, and nut-free lunch ideas which incorportate all the four food groups. My sister gave me the brilliant idea to post what I will be packing my picky-eater to make sure she eats a nutritious meal as it may be helpful to other mothers who have picky eaters like mine.  Check back soon for lunchbox ideas! In the meantime check out cutekidstuff.com to order your Yumbox, and look at all the other wonderful items that are available for purchase.

All images: yumboxlunch.com