Brown Bag Masquerade

Finally, all the kids are back at school. Besides the totally crappy early mornings, back to school is a real blessing: the house is quiet and the parents heave a sigh of relief. Still, there's always the pressing issue of lunch.

I must say, I rarely have the school lunch dilemma, mostly because my kid buys fancy lunch at school, which is about fifty million times better than anything I could stuff in a bag for her. But not everyone has the school lunch option, and thus, the transport conundrum. Brown paper bags are out. Old fashioned lunch boxes appear to be something to collect, not something to tote. And while I've written about fancy plastic bento box like arrangements, I've now road tested them and concluded they're way more trouble than they're worth. So how does your kid carry the lunch? How about in these colorful, cool insulated bags by Built? The bag is pretty simple, but fairly indestructible (read: easy to clean neoprene). Your child may choose from a variety of patterns. Plus, it squishes down and takes up less space in those already crammed backpacks.

You can find these permo bags ($18 for the mini size) at Built. Of course, you won't find lunch there. That, sadly, you must still create and pack yourself; brace for the onslaught of complaints.