Get ready for the new school year with these back-to-school lunch essentials from Walmart. They include great lunch boxes, prep tools, and more.
Back to school season is here! I’m already thinking about all the lunches I’ll be making for my son Ollie this fall.
Over the past few years, I’ve found a few essential items that make packing his lunch a LOT easier. Some of them are also useful for packing mine!
Below, I’ve rounded up my favorite back-to-school lunch essentials that you can get at Walmart. If you’re adopting a new lunch routine this season, check them out! From bento boxes to vegetable cutters and cute water bottles, they all make lunchtime easier. Plus, they’re pretty affordable.
I hope these picks make your life a little easier as we head into the school year!
Back to School Lunch Essentials Reviews at Walmart
I love packing my son’s lunch in a bento lunch box, which has individual compartments to hold snacks and sandwiches. It makes lunch more fun! I think this Bentgo lunch box is the best for toddlers. It has five compartments of different sizes, including a small center compartment for dips, hummus, or even a candy bar. My son loves the compartments, and I love that I can pack a variety of foods for him. This bento lunch box is durable, dishwasher safe, and leak-proof. If Ollie drops it, the food stays put.
For older kids, this three-compartment option can fit larger sandwiches and snacks. It’s microwave and dishwasher safe, so it can also be used to reheat leftovers. I love that it’s BPA-free and made from wheat material, so it’s very lightweight.
Buy Bentgo Leakproof Kids Lunch Box:
Buy Kiddopark bento box for kids:
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This insulated bag is perfect for older kids (and adults!) who like to pack their own lunches. It’s roomy enough to hold fruit, sandwiches, and snacks, and the thick insulation keeps meals cool along with an ice pack. I love its minimalist design, side water bottle holder, and front slip pocket, which provides easy access to snacks.
These sandwich cutters are a fun way to make any sandwich, from a Caprese sandwich to a classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich, more fun. The set comes with four different shapes (a dinosaur, butterfly, bear, and unicorn) that work as cookie cutters to remove the crust from sandwiches and seal them. It also includes six smaller cutters that can be used for snacks and decorations. They’re a fun way to get kids involved in making their own lunches.
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I’ve found that the best way to get my son interested in different foods is to let him participate in the cooking process, which is why I think kid-friendly knives are a great lunch staple. This set comes with seven different plastic tools that have a blunt edge for safety, but are sturdy enough to cut sandwich bread and some vegetables. My son loves them, and the variety of sizes in the set makes it a good choice for different ages.
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A fun water bottle can encourage kids to stay hydrated throughout the day, and these dinosaur-themed bottles from Zak Designs are adorable. They hold 15 ounces of liquid and have a convenient silicone straw for drinking. The top is also leak-proof, so you won’t have to worry if it falls off. I like that it’s BPA-free and dishwasher safe, and the lid can be removed for easy cleaning.
Another great option is this stainless steel bottle from Ozark Trail. I think the dragon design is really cute and it’s made from food-grade stainless steel, which is rust-resistant and has no metallic taste. It holds 12 ounces and the double-wall vacuum insulation ensures it will stay cold for hours.
Shop Zak Designs Kelso Kids Mugs:
Shop the Ozark Trail Stainless Steel Kids Bottle:
6. Best Reusable Sandwich Bags: Stasher Bags
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I’m obsessed with Stasher bags – I have them in all sizes and shapes! Each bag is made from food-safe silicone that’s safe for the freezer, microwave, dishwasher, and boiling water. They’re one of my favorite kitchen tools and are great for packing sandwiches and snacks into the kids’ lunch boxes.
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I’ve tried to include small dip cups in Ollie’s lunch before, but the small containers always seem to get lost. I love using this two-part snack cup from Bentgo. The reusable container is made of BPA-free plastic, and the top can be used as a smaller container for dips or dressings. It’s great for pairing veggie sticks with hummus or yogurt with granola.
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These ice packs are great for keeping food cool in bento boxes or lunch boxes. They’re super thin, so they don’t take up much space in a lunch box, and they stay cold for up to four hours. Plus, they’re BPA-, lead-, and phthalate-free, making them safe for food contact.
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These mini containers are perfect for packing dressings and sauces. Each one holds about four ounces of sauce and has a leak-proof seal. They’re made of glass, but are protected by colorful silicone grips in case they get dropped or knocked over in a lunch box. They’re also dishwasher safe and can be put in the microwave as long as the lid is off.
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This thermal food container is perfect for sending kids off to school with comforting soups and macaroni and cheese. It has a 350ml capacity, ideal for younger children, and the double-walled stainless steel interior keeps food warm for several hours. You can also use it to keep foods like yogurt and sweets fresh.
Credit: Love and Lemons/Walmart
These Rubbermaid Brilliance containers are my favorite glass containers for meal prep and food storage. I’ve been using them for years! This set comes with two 2-cup and two 3.2-cup containers, providing plenty of room to store leftovers or my own prepped lunches. The locking lids are leak-proof and the containers are microwave and dishwasher safe, and can be placed in the oven without issue.
I also love Anchor Hocking’s glass food storage containers. I often use them to store washed and chopped fruits and vegetables, which helps me quickly prepare Ollie’s lunches during the week. The containers have silicone lids and hold 2 cups each. And they’re under $10 for a set of 3, making them super affordable!
Get the Rubbermaid Brilliance 4-Piece Glass Food Storage Container Set:
Get the Anchor Hocking 3-Piece Glass Food Storage Container Set:
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I have plenty of recipes that can be carried over into my own cookbooks, but I still love getting ideas from other people for my kids’ lunches. I’ve pre-ordered Megan and Judy’s new book (out August 27th!) to get some inspiration for my kids’ lunches, and I’m a huge fan of their first cookbook. Feeding the little ones and beyondAlso! Either one would be great to help you mix things up this school year!
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Chopping and slicing can be the most time-consuming part of lunch prep, which is why I love this handy mini set from OXO. It comes with four shredding and slicing blades, including a spiralizer. You can use them directly over bowls or place them on top of the 3-cup storage container. This set makes meal prep so much faster and doesn’t take up too much space.
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An organized pantry is essential for keeping track of storable snacks and non-perishables. I like this 5-piece system from The Home Edit that has two large bins, two large insert bins, and a 3-tier riser that makes it easy to see cans and snacks. The material is clear, so everything is in plain sight—a must for finding things in the pantry!
Prices were accurate at time of publication.
