Next up in our back to school shopping guide: The coolest lunch boxes and bags. And wow, there are so many, whether it’s your first year sending your preschooler off to school with lunch, or (lucky you) your kids are finally packing their own.
And what would our guide be without a killer giveaway? This year it’s a $1000 back to school giveaway that we like to think of as a little something for you, a little something for the kids. Scroll down for all the details; entering is as easy as leaving a comment.
This all comes to you thanks to our amazing (amazing!) sponsor, HP, who has recently launched the HP Instant Ink replacement service which can save families as much as 50% on the cost of Original HP ink. Plus your printer actually alerts HP when it’s time for more ink so it can be auto-shipped to you for as little as $2.99 a month. We like saving time and money so, yay HP!
All our picks have been editorially selected by our staff. There has been no compensation in exchange for picks. Cool Mom Picks is an rstyle and Amazon affiliate and some picks may include affiliate links which you can click to help support what we do.
Soft lunch boxes from SoYoung ($31.99, SoYoung Modern Family)
We love this company’s fun and durable backpacks, and they also have wonderful soft-side lunch boxes to mix or match them with. The coated linen keeps them very clean, and the detachable strap is great if your kid would rather wear it than tuck it into a backpack.
SoYoung also makes small and large cooler bags ($29.99-36.99) which give you the same durability and coolness factor in a different shape.
Personalized hedgehog (or other woodland creature!) lunch box ($25, Sarah + Abraham)
You can find so many cute personalized items for kids from Sarah + Abraham, but this time of year, we have our eyes on their too cute personalized lunch boxes. It’s hard to pick a favorite–but we bet your kids can.
Space monkey lunchbox ($34, Beatrix NY)
Beatrix scores again with their always awesome soft lunch boxes featuring tons of fun animals. But the new space monkey? Total win. [15% off with COOLMOM15 through 8/31]
Bat lunch bag ($26, Apple Park)
Your younger kids will definitely be the coolest in the cafeteria with this bat lunch bag from Apple Park, all made of recyclable materials.
Monster geek lunch bag ($30, Dabbawalla)
This brand new style from one of our favorite little indie companies is absolutely awesome. Monsters + Geeks? Is there any better combination? Okay, maybe a geeky unicorn. Dabbawalla: Maybe next year?
Unicorn lunch bag ($22.50, PBK)
Speaking of unicorns, your unicorn-crazy kid will probably love this lunch pack from Pottery Barn Kids. It’s got all sorts of matching backpacks and other supplies to go with it if you can’t get enough.
Hedgehog lunchbox ($14, Skip*Hop)
We knew the second we saw the new hedgehogs from Skip*Hop that they’d be on many a back to school shopping list this fall. The design is irresistibly cute as one of their Lunchie Zoo Packs, and perfect for preschoolers still nibbling on half-sandwiches for lunch.
Rocket lunch bag ($22.50, PBK)
Also from PBK, this personalized rocket bag has an awesome retro vibe straight out of the mid-century B movies. Our daughters and sons both call it “neat.”
Vintage Mickey metal lunchbox ($12.95, Lunchboxes.com)
Another retro option: We’re totally digging the old fashioned, metal lunch boxes that remind us of our own days of peanut butter sandwiches with the crusts cut off. Well, this or The Partridge Family.
Panda lunch sack ($16.99, Built NY)
Built NY really does make durable, smart lunch accessories built to take something of a beating; don’t let the cute exterior fool you. And if you love the panda thing, check out our post on panda back to school supplies. There are so many!
Hadaki insulated lunch pod ($28, All + Modern)
The pixel design and bright colors of this insulated soft lunch bag is so fun for kids of any age, from preschoolers to teens. And even their mothers. Says us.
Milkdot Stoh lunch bag ($25, Amazon)
We continue to be fans of Milkdot, with soft lunch boxes that are structured and keep their shape, even when you squish them down flat to fit empty in a backpack. There are lots of fun designs and patterns, but the solids are smart for older kids.
Jujube Fuel Cell Lunch Bag ($30, Nordstrom)
Love the sophisticated styling of this lunch bag collection, and the subtle star embroidery keeps it fun for kids. Not that we wouldn’t borrow it too.
Chewbacca lunch bag ($14.99 Think Geek)
Okay. Game over.
EXTRA COOL: WIN IT!
We’re so excited to give away one massive Back to School prize pack valued at more than $1000, filled with back-to-school essentials for both kids…and moms! Because let’s be honest, we’re going to be working hard too, this school year. We deserve a designer handbag, right?
PRIZE INCLUDES:
1 Mad Pax Warp Speed Bubble backpack | 2. Superga sneakers for kids | 3. Big white box of Back to School essentials from Yoobi | 4. Late July snack pack | 5. Griffin Kazoo MyPhones kids’ headphones | 6. HP ENVY 5530 e-All-in-One Printer + 6 months ink subscription from our sponsor HP | 7. Fanny Wang 1000 series on ear headphones for women | 8. Target gift card for the kids and a Sephora gift card for you | 9. momAgenda personal organizer | 10. Superga sneakers for moms | 11. Rebecca Minkoff ‘MAB’ Leather Tote. Because we love you.
Thanks to all that entered and congrats to the winner! THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED
Thank you so so much to our wonderful sponsor HP, the makers of the HP ENVY 5530 e-All-in-One which is perfect for students and families. It features the innovative HP Instant Ink replacement service that makes printing easier and more affordable than ever, starting as low as $2.99/month.
Other 2014 Back to School Guide posts to check out:
The coolest preschool backpacks
The coolest backpacks and bags for big kids
The coolest lunch box accessories
The coolest back to school printables
The coolest school supplies
The Skip Hop Hedgehog is just the cutest.
Dude, Chewbacca rocks!! I think we will probably go with the so young-larger size for family outings and such but if my boys needed lunch bags at school, I would push for Chewbacca! :)-
I love the Hadaki insulated lunch tote. I want one for myself.
tweet – https://twitter.com/dmarie824/status/499982893771288576
The bat lunch bag
https://twitter.com/ukalum99/status/499993231237853186
The Chewbacca one is definitely the best!
Chewbacca. How could it be anything else?
The Bat lunch bag is adorable.
Bat lunch bag!!
The bat one si the best!
The Milkdot Lunch bag wins, hands down :))
Chewy. Has to be Chewy.
Oh my gosh! The Chewbacca one actually made me laugh out loud. That rocks.
Milkdot wins
Hadaki insulated lunch pod – perfect for my daughter going into 6th grade!
Chewbaca. Hands down.
https://twitter.com/ajrivers/status/500005038190653441
unicorn lunchbag
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follow on twitter @gjprasad
LOVE the SoYoung cooler bag!! I love the simplicity and the shoulder strap!
The personalized Fox lunch box is my pick for little one. That was his nursery theme, cute forest animals. He also loves the song “What does the Fox Say”. Lol!
I love the Milkdot Stoh lunch bag.
I like the bags from SoYoung.
Hadaki insulated lunch pod but for my kids I love the Chewbaca one…so cute
space monkey!
Monster geek bag is so cute..
Love the Space Monkey lunch bag
the Hadaki insulated lunch tote
Rocket
Chewbacca. Hands down.
Yeah, for me it’s the Chewbacca bag too. And it’s so affordable -that may be the best part of it 😉
I like So Young.
I like the monochrome star lunch bags myself, but the chewbacca one is pretty awesome.
Chewbacca, are you kidding?! It’s amazing!
Love the rocket lunch box!
I l-o-v-e the So Young elephant one!
The SoYoung cooler bag is what I’m in need of, but the Chewbacca lunch bag wins for coolest, hands down!
I love the hedgehogs!!
My favorite is the Unicorn Lunch Bag!
Chewbacca is coolest
So many to choose from, but the boys would love Chewy!
Chewbacca FTW.
I love the bat for my boy and the personalized owl for my girl
I <3 the jujube fuel cell!
Panda sack by Built
The Chewie one would be the biggest hit in our house!
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/bekkiz/status/500102678522126336
I like the personalized boxes! Too cute.
https://twitter.com/klochelkluckle/status/499560594815463427 shared on twitter!
Camera lunch bag – Might have to get it for myself.
Chewy for sure. It’s totally worth the inevitable peanut butter that will get stuck in his “fur”
The Chewbacca lunchbox is by far the coolest.
Camera cooler bag 🙂
I love the SkipHop hedgehog, but my five-year-old loves the unicorns.
I like the Hedgehog lunchbag – SkipHop stuff is all just so cute to me!
Love the Jujube Fuel Cell Lunch Bag
I love the Milkdot Stoh lunch bag.
Hedgehog is so adorable!!!
I like the Built NY lunch sack!
Love the Hadaki lunch pod.
Chewbacca, hands down!!!
Shared on my Facebook page: https://shar.es/1njg24
I really love the Jujube Fuel Cell Lunch Bag
My son would have a hard time choosing between the space monkey and Chewy. A very hard time!
The hedgehog one is so cute! The bat one is a close second!
Have to go with the Panda lunch sack, given the kids’ current obsession (and fighting over) a stuff panda.
You guys found some great ones! I am a longtime fan of Sarah + Abraham, but the Chewbacca one wins my heart because for some reason Chewie is my husband’s nickname. I think it had something to do with his friends teasing him for his manly hairiness in college…
I tweeted it! https://twitter.com/FreshieandZero/status/500287688210014209
I think the SoYoung soft boxes are the coolest!
I love the Bat lunch bag!
That bat!
Fan on facebook and shared https://www.facebook.com/betty.baez.7/posts/960904027258245
follow on twitter @angelgeniusjail and tweeted https://twitter.com/angelgeniusjail/status/500296271702130689
That Chewbacca lunchbag is definitely coolest!
We love the Milkdot!
the Chewbacca lunch bag! OMG!
love the hedgehog!
Geeky Monster bag!
I love the soyoung cooler bags!
My favorite is the hedgehog, but each kid picked a different one… the personalized, the rockets, and the unicorn.
I like the soft lunchbox from SoYoung with the blue scooter.
https://twitter.com/Von411/status/500435627565789184
https://twitter.com/Von411/status/500436916228329472
https://www.facebook.com/Von411/posts/10202563403949563
We went to buy the Rocket bag at PBK…no longer available, boooo! Luckily, my son also liked the Monster Geek!
The seahorse and camera designs by SoYoung Modern Family are great!
I like the one with the camera because I love photography.
I love the Unicorn bag – it’s the coolest!
Shared on FB: https://www.facebook.com/amanda.alvarado17/posts/753611944697943
Shared on twitter: https://twitter.com/Dolphin4176/status/500494248878149632
I like the PBK’s unicorn lunch box. With three girls in our family, this would definitely be their pick!
Love the SoYoung line of lunch boxes!
The panda bag is adorable, but I really like that Hadaki insulated lunch bag!
Pbk unicorn bag – my 3 year loves unicorns
I like the SoYoung bags – I want the camera one for me!
My son thinks the Rocket lunch bag is the coolest.
liked and shared on FB
https://www.facebook.com/mell.morgan.5/posts/10204478810354409
The coolest is the Chewbacca lunchbox
https://twitter.com/tweetyscute/status/500673328521416707
https://www.facebook.com/theresa.janke/posts/617440391705199
The SoYoung lunch bags a
Love the colors of the Hadaki Lunch box!
Love the SoYoung bags!
Ummm….HECK YEAH! On the Space Monkey lunch box. So cute!
Lovin’ the bat lunch box. You all are great, thanks!
My favorite is the photography one but my son would take the Chewbacca one and my daughter would totally have the Unicorn one:)
What great choices!!! The design aesthetic of So Young and Beatrix have been perennial , favorites, but, Wow, how do you walk past that Chewbacca box? Then again, from the antics I’ve witnessed during school lunch periods, I wouldn’t want to have to clean it after a few trips to the cafeteria. Euchk! Not gonna show that one to my son…or husband!
The SoYoung lunchboxes are great!
Personal favorite: The bat. Runner up: The hedgehog. The one my son would actually be stoked to take to school: Chewbacca. 🙂
Chewbacca lunch bag is the coolest, for sure!
Following and tweeted: https://twitter.com/MrsMChappell/status/501131055710347265
There are so many cool choices! I like the Beatrix NY Dieter (space monkey) lunch box.
The bat, no contest!
I have a SoYoung large cooler bag, and it’s great — lots of room and looks classy enough for an adult to carry!
As a Star Wars lover I like the Chewbacca lunch bag
I love the hedgehog lunch bag the most!!
My daughter loves the Jujube Fuel Cell bags.
Hands down the hadaki … So cool ( even for me:)
That bat lunch bag is AMAZING!!!
https://twitter.com/rmgm/status/501692249013366785 Tweeted!
https://www.facebook.com/mel.maringer/posts/689663674449807 Shared on FB
The SoYoung lunch bags are so cool!
No contest- Chewbacca!
https://twitter.com/sarcoupon/status/502443727768780800
I love the SoYoung lunchboxes and cooler bags. They are the coolest! I want one for myself!
Love the jujube star lunchbox…for myself!
hedgehogs just make me want to hug something!
The lunch boxes from SoYoung are not only retro cute, but very cool with its various ways to carry.
The Chewbacca lunch box.
The lunch boxes from SoYoung. I do like them so!
Love the hedgehog lunchbox!
The So Young cooler bag.
the hedgehog luchbox is the cutest!
The Chewbacca lunch box! My son would love that one!
Thanks so much for this awesome giveaway!
The bat lunch bag from apple park.
I love the Vintage Mickey metal lunchbox
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Here’s the link to the share https://www.facebook.com/miranda.labarge.3/posts/350540871780507
followed on twitter and tweeted
I like the Chewbacca one
Hands down, the Chewbacca lunchbox is the coolest!
My older daughter would dig the Hadaki, my youngest the PB Kids with drink attached drink holder is awesome- as long as the water bottle doesn’t leak!!
I love the Milkdot Stoh lunch bag!
The Built Panda lunch bag is the cutest. Thanks for the chance to win.
love Chewbacca
tweeted https://twitter.com/garyshorr/status/506284316369096704
The Chewbacca lunch bag is too cool!!!!!
The bat box is ridiculously cute!
I tweeted!
https://twitter.com/Molomatic/status/506583633910837249
The Chewy lunch bag is my favorite!
This list of lunch boxes is awesome!!! Thank you!
I think my fav is the first ones…
https://www.facebook.com/jesiholmesvanleeuwen
my almost 11 year says the jujube! fancy pants!
The rocket lunch bag would be perfect for my son!
The Space Monkey Lunch Box would be so cute for my toddler grandson to take to daycare.
I Like you on Facebook and Shared
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Twitter follower @hofken and tweeted
https://twitter.com/hofken/status/507595903713017856
I think the Chewbacca lunch bag is just way too cool!
https://www.facebook.com/richard.hicks22/posts/651197508311634
https://twitter.com/ardy22/status/507677343650185216
I think the coolest one is the Personalized hedgehog (or other woodland creature!) lunch box.
Thanks for the contest.
Thanks for the giveaway… our daughter thinks the Unicorn lunch bag is very cool
Twitter follow you: slehan
https://twitter.com/slehan/status/508121048974626816
Shared on FB: https://www.facebook.com/bryan.eason.77/posts/10204062424108586
FB like you: Slehan
https://www.facebook.com/hale.slehan/posts/875827002434948
I adore the Space monkey lunchbox.