Earlier this year my son gained some notoriety as the "Cereal for Lunch" kid thanks to this column. Hey, there are worse things than to end up famous for your lunch choice! His fame spread beyond our household and he ended up in our national newspaper, where friends (his and mine) identified him. So, I suppose he thinks he's got a reputation to uphold and he's stuck to his lunch menu all school year.
However, with the temperatures dropping, I've been exploring ways of sending him off to school with something warm for lunch. So, when I was approached by OtterBottle about testing out their new insulated food and drink containers, I figured it was a great time to expand his repertoire. OtterBottle's a Canadian company that produces gorgeous environmentally-friendly BPA-free stainless steel water bottles. Now they're expanding their line to include insulated lunch bags, thermoses and food containers.
The designs are cute, the products are environmentally friendly, and a portion of all proceeds goes to the David Suzuki Foundation. More importantly, they've been put to the kids' lunchbox test. They keep warm food warm, and don't leak all over. What's not to love?
My son has requested pancakes (way too messy) and I've struck out with chile con carne (he picked out and ate only the beans...sorry Mrs.Hendrickson). But one morning I had another lunchtime epiphany and sent him off with a container full of warm oatmeal. Genius. Throw in some dried fruits, a little brown sugar and cinnamon on top...whatever tickles their fancy. It's a nice alternative to cold cereal and as my grandmother used to say, "it will stick to their ribs."
So, the folks at OtterBottle have a great giveaway for one lucky UrbanMoms member. Leave a comment below with a suggestion of your favourite lunchbox treat, and you could win an OtterBottle insulated bag, a 500mL thermos, and a 350 mL container, valued at over $60!
The contest closes on December 12, 2010.
Click here for contest Rules and Regulations.
The contest closes on December 12, 2010.
Click here for contest Rules and Regulations.
UrbanMoms.ca members are eligible to win so don't forget to sign-in. Not a member yet? Click here to join!
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OH I WANT THIS!!!!
My oldest loves hot lunches so I am using a thermos on a daily basis!
Lately he likes perogies or potstickers. I keep them thawed in the fridge and sautee them really quick in the frying pan while I make breakfast.
Looking forward to getting lots of new ideas from this contest!
Do any retailers carry these products?
this would be awesome! my kid eats turkey sandwiches...all the time....every day...dumplings? soup? a blessing!!! win or not, i'll try to track these down.
wow! great contest! my favourite thing to pack in my lunch is chili, and some crackers to go with it, so this thermos would be perfect to keep the chili warm till lunchtime!
The kids love things like tortellini and mini ravioli, great for a thermos. The trick is to try it out first and see how hot it you need to get it so it is at the right temperature when lunch rolls around. Like Goldilocks says..not too hot, not too cold!! Give it a trial run first.
taking a hot lunch is very important now with the snow starting to fly. With no way to heat up a lunch this is a terrific item for the lunch bag.
Rice Krispie Squares are the fave lunch treat in our home and easy to make
Oh, I LOVE it!! Tres adorable, and great colour! I sometimes send leftover pizza, warmed, wrapped in tinfoil, and shoved inside a thermos... he doesn't seem to mind that it's all crumpled up. I send a lot of leftover pasta too, which is super-easy. Dumplings sound like a great idea too!
Macaroni and cheese is always a favorite and stays warm in the wide mouth thermos containrers
my kids were not big on sandwiches so they always had last night suppers. Their favorite snack were rice kripies for a dessert
my daughter loves apples sliced and i put a little orange juice to keep it from turniong brown
My favorite lunch box treat would have to be home made chicken noodle soup. Great prize would love to win!
My kids love tomato soup in their thermoses with crackers and cheese on the side. Homemade chocolate chip cookies and an apple finish their lunch!
My kids love tomato soup in their thermoses with crackers and cheese on the side. Homemade chocolate chip cookies and an apple finish their lunch!
my favourite lunchbox treat is tomato soup.
oatmeal is a favoriate lunchbox treat:)
A favorite lunchbox treat is a note to say I love you. My kids take their lunch for the first time this year and it has been a big change for all of us. They keep asking to come home for lunch so they can have peanut butter and jam, instead I send homemade cookies and try to have something different to surprise them. Thanks
Macaroni and cheese is the winner in our household!
Macaroni and cheese is the winner in our household!
Chili! with soft bread for dipping :)
My son used to love taking soup; tomatoe in particular; but today more and more schools have installed microwaves so our children can have hot lunches,
My son used to love taking soup; tomatoe in particular; but today more and more schools have installed microwaves so our children can have hot lunches,
Home made cookies!
spynaert@hotmail.com
Homemade soup is my favourite.
Homemade soup is my favourite.
My boys love a warm bowl of chili con carne and some crackers. The other kids drool when they have a nice hot lunch.
My favorite lunchbox treat is a big thermos of homemade soup, Ritz crackers, and St. Albert cheddar cheese.
a lunchbox treat would be homemade hot cocoa with a candy cane to stir and marshmallows on the side, on a cold, snowy, wintery day!
A wholemeal bagel, cream cheese, and some sweet Thai chili sauce to spread on top of the cream cheese.
My kids love chicken noodle soup in their thermos's with crackers on the side.
banana muffins or loaf
I definitely would love to win this. My son loves to take perogies in his thermos for lunch.
I definitely would love to win this. My son loves to take perogies in his thermos for lunch.
I love that part of proceeds are going to David Suzuki foundation (I'm so trying to go green here:))! Definitely hot chocolate would be the fav treat (never even thought about sending oatmeal, great idea!)
Apple slices with whipped peanut butter.
Chicken noodle soup in a thermos is my daughter's favourite.
I love otter bottles this is a great product.
Homemade soup is always a winner with my family
Homemade soup is always a winner with my family
Homemade soup is always a winner with my family
The kids love stew or left over spaghetti in their lunch.
I so need this having 2 teenage sons lunch is always a challange with this I could win everyday!
My daughter wants peanut butter sandwiches everyday (which is easy, so I guess I'm lucky!). I make them PB and banana to add an extra serving of fruit. Favorite treat this time of year is mini honey/mandarin oranges.
i would love this.my daughter takes soup,chilli,pasta casserole,stew and dumplings is her favorite.i could send hot chocolate with marshmallows in one and main course in another.that would be great on our cold freezing days.
My son LOVES homemade soup or spaghetti, so this thermos would be PERFECT!
Spaghetti made while I'm making breakfast
chicken noodle soup (homemade of course)
chicken noodle soup (homemade of course)
chicken noodle soup (homemade of course)
This is perfect for my Sausage chilli or my son's hotdogs for lunch.
This is perfect for my Sausage chilli or my son's hotdogs for lunch.
Perfect for my sausage Chili and my son's hotdogs
My son loves taking leftovers for lunch rather than sandwiches everyday. I've sent leftovers such as meatloaf with mac & cheese, ham with scalloped potatoes, pasta etc. As far as his favourite treat, nothing beats homemade cookies especially when you put in a couple extra so he can share with his friends. That's a big hit everytime. This thermos would go over very well around here. My husband wouldn't mind taking some homemade soup or chilli in it for his lunch either :-) Thank you for introducing this product.
My son loves taking leftovers for lunch rather than sandwiches everyday. I've sent leftovers such as meatloaf with mac & cheese, ham with scalloped potatoes, pasta etc. As far as his favourite treat, nothing beats homemade cookies especially when you put in a couple extra so he can share with his friends. That's a big hit everytime. This thermos would go over very well around here. My husband wouldn't mind taking some homemade soup or chilli in it for his lunch either :-) Thank you for introducing this product.
A hearty soup!! Especially with out brutally cold winters!!!!! :D
Leftover homemade soup and chili are favorites at my house too.
My favorite lunch box treat is peanut butter with apples. Healthy and delicious
my lunch box treat would be chicken noodle soup.
My kids love to have pasta or spaghetti for lunch, so this container would be just perfect for their lunches!
My favorite lunchbox treat is homemade banana muffins! :) Or a nice jar of homemade soup!
My lunch box treat is a small chocolate bar for a surprise.
My children's favorite lunchbox treats are pretzels and small clementine oranges.
My children's favorite lunchbox treats are pretzels and small clementine oranges.
My children's favorite lunchbox treats are pretzels and small clementine oranges.
I love all the great ideas for lunches. My son started grade 1 and has to have his lunch at school. He takes apple slices, Ritz crackers and a sandwich. It would be great to be able to send him some warm soup or noodles. He loves the instant noodles..
Oh, I think that chicken soup - homemade with a dumpling on top - would be fantastic for a thermos like this ... and very cute too! I run out of ideas quick - so having comments like these are great!
My homemade cookies are the fav around here. With a thermos, I'd love to try a small serving of sorbet or ice cream for lunch - although 'ice cream soup' would go over well :)
What a fabulous prize! Thanks for the opportunity to win!
a nice hot soup is ideal - i love potato leek anytime. leftover pasta is also perfect for lunch because it is so filling. just don't forget some bread! (and freshly cut veggies to balance it all out as well). thanks!
this would be great for yogurt, granola and fruits
this would be great with yogurt, granola, and fresh fruit
My favourite lunch box treat is fruit - plums, peaches, pears, but they tend to get beat up in the lunch box, so I protect them by putting them in containers. I love to send him away with hot apple sauce or soup though and the Otter Bottle products sound like a solution for that.
My son has been having Deli Sandwiches lately. But i know he would like pasta in his lunch or some soup with the cold days here so this would be great.
Thank you
I like treating my guy with fresh fruits - but they tend to get bounced around and bruised in the lunch bag if they aren't protected. So I put plums, grapes, pears and other soft fruit into containers and then into the lunch bag. The Otter Bottle solutions would let me add hot apple crisp to the lunch bag for winter. Mmmmm.
Sorry for the duplicate posting - I was having a hard time posting. The page wasn't updating for me.
I love adding fresh fruit, such as plum, pears and grapes to lunches - but they tend to get bruised in the lunch bag, so I pack them in containers first. The Otter Bottle solutions would let me step it up a notch with hot apple crisp, pear sauce or even hot Chinese food - now wouldn't that be a treat!
I love making Rice Krispie squares for lunches
hot chocolate with a little bag of mini marshmallows to throw in, as well as cold pizza from the night before or almost any kind of leftovers from the night before....hot gravy with meat in it is also a fav!
hot chocolate with a little bag of mini marshmallows to throw in, as well as cold pizza from the night before or almost any kind of leftovers from the night before....hot gravy with meat in it is also a fav!
One treat is home made pizza from the night before.
One treat the kids enjoy is home made pizza.
My kids like taking leftovers - stir fries, spaghetti, whatever. They sometimes attract alot of attention with their great lunches (which they make themselves, I might add; I just make sure there's good food in the house to choose from)
My son loves either loves chicken noodle soup or chicken fingers. Also crackers, sausage and cheese. Thanks for the chance to win.
Pasta is a favourite food. Throw in some meatballs and turn it into a filling meal.
Great for healthy veggie snacks!
This looks awesome! I've never seen this product before. My son likes to take a hot lunch occasionally, as a change from a sandwich, so I know he'd enjoy it. (Treat we pack is home made cookies!)
Great contest. Chili for lunch is my all time favourite
Carrot sticks are always a good treat!
Carrot sticks are always a good treat!
My duaghter is allergic to everything, so hot lunches at school are OUT! She loves pork and beans from a can about once a week. Would love the Otter Bottle for her beans.....please send an air freshner too.
A great treat is yogurt and fresh fruit.
baby Carrot sticks
Wow great ideas! I'm new to lunches for daycare and could use all these great ideas! Thanks guys
Good snacks, cheese, crackers (packed separately) and grapes
i love to make tuna past salad and send it off for lunch its a hit.
i love to make tuna past salad and send it off for lunch its a hit.
My favorite thing to put in my daughters lunch is mini-muffins (home made) and fruit. But she does like my mac & cheese- this would so help with that request.
I would say yogurt my favourite food. Can freeze & it stays cool & food safe till lunch & helps other items stay cool also.
Crackers and cheese make a nice treat.
My son is on a sausage roll kick they stay nice in a thermos if pop them in oven first!
What a great giveaway and just in time! My son begins preschool in January and I would love to send warm food with him! He loves macaroni, so that will be the first thing I'll try with the thermos :)
The treat that i like is chicken soup.
Favorite lunchbox treat is stirfry with a bed of rice underneath. Not sure why this is such a treat but I hear praise all afternoon if daughter finds it there at lunch
my eldest daughter commutes downtown to university 3 days a week and spends 2 days downtown. I LOVE the idea of this product. I usually send her home with food for lunch, dinner and a care pkg for the next day - if she can carry it all. This way I know she's eating well balanced, warm meals. linguini with shrimp is her favourite. My youngest daughter loves my meatball noodle soup...that would be awesome in this terrfic product! thanks for bringing it to all of us mom's attentions!
Warm dinner rolls put in a thermos wrapped in paper towel. With cheese on the side.
Macaroni for the meal and cookies/crackers for snack are the favorite for my son.
They love taking chicken fingers or chicken pops which are like chicken nuggets on a stick.
Macaroni for the meal and cookies/crackers for snack are the favorite for my son.
They love taking chicken fingers or chicken pops which are like chicken nuggets on a stick.
I like taking soup for lunch, with nice biscuit.
My son favorite Lunch is Steamed Veggies, grilled chicken and a mushroom soup :)
Macaroni and cheese would be good in the thermos.
Macaroni and cheese would be good in the thermos.
Turkey chili would be good in the thermos
my fave lunch time treat would definitely be mac&cheese ...my little one loves that stuff
my daughter loves grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup for lunch(even if it is everyday) this would be prefect!
This would be awesome for my grandson, he loves noodle soup and spaghetti.
This would be awesome, my grandson loves noodle soup and spaghetti.
This would be awesome, my grandson loves noodle soup and spaghetti.
On a cold day soup is always good to warm anyone up!
On a cold day soup is always good to warm anyone up!
Since I love to bake & have a sweet tooth, I like to add a homemade brownie or muffin to a packed lunch for a treat.
My favourite is pasta with hot soup and having a cup of hot chocolate after lunch!
My favourite is pasta with hot soup and having a cup of hot chocolate after lunch!
Macaroni and Cheese is the best.
lovely for homemade soup (with a date square for a sweet treat)
grandmothers sometimes take hot lunches, too!
Our lunch box treat tends to be sandwiches cut up into different designs. We also slip unexpected items into lunches for surprises, it might be a note, it might be a marble, but something out of the ordinary to find.
We will slip in sandwiches cut into different designs, or an orange cut up fancy with a cherry in the middle.
We sometimes slip unexpected items into lunches. It might be a note, it could be a marble, or it might be a ham sandwich that has a little bit of jam in the middle.
Favourite treat - this time of year - Hands Down- Homemade Christmas Cookies that the kids make the night before. All their love and efforts have gone into making these special treats and they are truly savoured.
fruit bowl and ham sandwich is their favorite-would love to send some hot oatmeal on these cold days
they love to bring fruit bowls and ham sandwiches -I would love to send them with oatmeal on these cold days
This prize would work great for warm tomato soup to go with my son's cheese sandwich. As a treat in his yogurt I put a few chocolate chips to make it more of a dessert, sometimes add sliced bananas too. :)
My favourite lunch box treat is a BLT, made with turkey bacon (which my kids love!)
The Otterbottles are beautiful, functional and fun!
I'd love to try one.
the whole family agrees that the favorite treat is 'rice krispie squares'
Everyone loves cookies, I make my child's favorite type of cookies and pack them as a surprise.
As a special treat, I will make fancy sandwiches in the shape of stars. My kids love it!
One of my favourite lunch box treats is fresh sliced fruit with caramel or chocolate dip.
This is something I've been meaning to invest in. My toddler is allergic to eggs and nuts and we're trying to figure out if he has a milk intolerance. Feeding him while out and about can be challenging and a product like this would allow him to have more choices. Love the idea, hope I win. If I don't, he may still find these products under the tree this year.
Our son has allergies and we are always looking for ways to bring along food that is safe. If we don't win, this will definitely find its way under the Christmas tree anyway.
I would love to win this. My girls' school does not have a cafeteria so we have to pack lunches for them every day. I have never found a thermos that I have been happy with. I love to use small cookie cutters and cut out shapes in ham and cheese. I pack them with crackers for my girls to stack and eat.
My sons favorite is either pizza for lunch or pasta with sausage and mozzarela cheese melted on top. This thermos looks awesome.
My sons favorite is either pizza for lunch or pasta with sausage and mozzarela cheese melted on top. This thermos looks awesome.
My sons favorite is either pizza for lunch or pasta with sausage and mozzarela cheese melted on top. This thermos looks awesome.
My sons favorite is either pizza for lunch or pasta with sausage and mozzarela cheese melted on top. This thermos looks awesome.