Lunchtime solutions: Online and in the shops

BIG RANGE

The Nude Food Movers range by Smash, is designed with a space for every part of the lunch to eliminate the need for portion packing and wrapping. This ever-expanding range includes a number of sandwich and snack boxes, stackable snack tubes, banana and muffin movers and colourful neoprene covers to keep lunches cool. All products are also BPA free and can be put in the dishwasher. The Rubbish Free Lunchbox, with three storage compartments, sandwich belt, removable snack pods and removable dividers, continues to be the most popular item for school lunches. Available in clear and new pink, green and blue colours, €9.99 from school supply shops and www.bumble.ie

COOL BAGS

These gorgeous insulated lunch/cool bags from Save the Planet are new in at Little Ones, Made from 90% recycled plastic bottles, they have a zip closure and carry handles for ease of use and come in a range of colourful retro prints including astronauts, cars, pirates and dolls. They cost €4.99 from www.littleones.ie

GOOD VALUE

There’s good value to be found in stationery and other school essentials, especially packs of copies and pens. Tesco for example is offering packs of Aisling copies from €1.99; lunch box and beaker sets, €4.99; Monsters University gymsack, €7; 2-pack polo shirts from €2.50 and extra Clubcard points on Back To School purchases; www.tesco.ie

MENU IDEAs

Healthy eating and food demonstrations are an integral part of this year’s Your Health Show, which takes place on Sept 14 and 15 in the RDS, Dublin. Among the speakers are Oliver McCabe and Dorcas Barry from Select Stores in Dalkey, who will give a demonstration on “Easy Healthy Lunchbox Ideas and Healthy Homemade Snacks”. He and Dorcas will share their tips on what parents can do to make sure school lunches are healthy and nutritional and enjoyable for your child at 12.45pm on Saturday, Sept 14. Entry to the show is €5, but free tickets can be picked up from independent health stores. For more information see www.yourhealthshow.ie.