First Planetbox Lunch and Review

Right from the start when I was researching healthy lunches and how to present food that my son would attempt to actually eat, I discovered Bento and all of the amazing lunchboxes that I had never seen or heard of before. 

The main ones I loved were the planetbox, yumbox and boon cargo. Now back when I had first discovered these I instantly loved the Planetbox but could not justify the price. I went with a yumbox, then subsequent other lunchboxes as time went on still not finding one I completely loved mainly due to their size and quality.

 My son has Autism and Major sensory issues so I always thought he would hate a stainless steel box but boy was I wrong! We went to Brisbane on the weekend and the only store that stock the planetbox in Australia is Biome Eco Stores.

They just happen to have a few stores in Brisbane so I thought I’ll take him in and let him see and touch it to see if he would like it. Well I’m here to tell you he was an instant fan! 

He loves the stainless steel and everything about it. Then we got to choosing the magnets and of course when he found the Train set he was so stoked, trains are his favorite thing in the world. The magnets completely transform the box and we can make it whatever theme we want which means with a quick swap of magnets it’s a whole new lunchbox.

  
The price may seem a lot at first but when you consider it comes with a 5 year guarantee, yep you read that right 5 years! Plus 1 year on the bag it’s got to be excellent quality and will last your child nearly all of their primary school years and beyond. It also comes with the lunchbag which is really awesome plus mini dipper and big round stainless steel container too it’s actually pretty good value. The bag is really good quality too and very well made. I can see it lasting a long time.

  
The big round container is designed to go inside the square cavity in the lunchbox or in the front pocket which is what I did: 

  
This is the lunch I made in the Planetbox, I can see this is going to be so good to work with already

  
He has yoghurt and strawberries in the mini dipper, boiled egg, apricot halves, grapes, yoghurt covered sultanas, apricot and coconut energy ball, Edam cheese slices, ham sandwich, sugar snap peas and carrot sticks plus lavosh and French onion dip. I made this last night and put in the fridge ready to go this morning. Here it is 12 hours on ready to go to school:

  
Now there’s really only one downside to the planetbox and that is not being leakproof, but that’s what the dippers are for because when the box is closed it seals the lids down so they won’t spill. 

Once I got the planetbox I went on to this awesome site and purchased some personalised magnets, we got the Star Wars set and the Lego heroes to begin with they are from Max and Otis – Printable Planetbox Rover Magnets. I love that the planetbox can be customised with magnets it’s an awesome feature that will keep it current for my child and fun. 

I’m so excited to use this Lunchbox and once I finally justified the price I think it will be a really good investment given that it will last many years, and they guarantee that which is great piece of mind. I purchased this Lunchbox set after much consideration and that it will fit my sons needs well, it may not be in everyone’s price range but I truly think it’s worth it. 

– Mel

Lunchbox Series – Fuel Bento

  
The third instalment of the lunchbox series will be focusing on the Fuel Bento. 

This lunchbox was actually purchased to use for me! I think I got to use it twice before my son claimed it, Well I kind of went along with it because sometimes I struggle to pack his lunch in the yumbox or others because they just aren’t big enough for what I was wanting.

 

Fuel Bento, Bentgo Kids and Yumbox Original

 
As you can see there is much bigger space to work with in the Fuel, it is also a bit deeper as well so packing taller things like corn on the cob is no trouble. 

It has two separate containers inside and they can be taken out and microwaved if you so desire. I haven’t used this function for it myself though. I wouldn’t call it leakproof at all but it does seal well. I like the compartments inside, they help with being able to pack sweet and savoury and not having to worry about things touching. The larger half is great for packing a salad or sandwiches because it’s a big space. 

When packing for my son I often use silicone cups to divide it up to fit in even more food. It’s a very versatile lunchbox. 

  
Durability is probably the only downfall apart from not being leakproof. I have seen a lot of peoples kids drop theirs and it has broken quite easily. (Falling on cement) We havnt had any trouble with ours but my son isn’t very rough either and it’s always packed in an insulated lunch bag. I don’t think it’s a very cute looking lunchbox but it’s functionality makes up for that. 

I’d say this would be excellent for a teen or adult, you can pack an array of things and only need the one box. Plus the durability wouldn’t be an issue then because most of us know well enough by then how to take care of our things!

I use the Fuel Bento on average once a week. There isn’t really any other lunchbox (that we have or like) that is the same size or has compartments like this. We will keep using it until I find something similar sized that is leakproof and more durable, but it is a great sometimes lunchbox and the price point is good too.

Here are some lunches I’ve prepared in it, it is very versatile and even though the outside may not look like a kids box what I put inside certainly does. 

  
  
  
The Fuel Definitely has a place in my Kitchen and I’ve been able to make lunches in this that wouldn’t be possible in other boxes. If you are wanting a cheaper alternative with some extra space and the person you’re packing lunch for is responsible enough not to drop it this would be a great option.

– Mel

Bentgo Kids Lunchbox Review

With the new school term underway I thought I’d do a lunchbox review of the awesome Bentgo Kids Lunchbox.

Bentgo kids is a durable, leakproof, bento style lunchbox. This lunchbox is designed for kids aged 3-7 but I think it would suit toddlers as well as small appetite kids. It is BPA and PVC free.

The lunchbox has 5 compartments which are each individually sealed and completely leakproof to prevent any food leakages or mixing of foods. You can pack yoghurt in one, carrots in another as well as a sandwich, raisins and watermelon (or anything your heart desires) all the while everything is separate; all in one box! No separate containers or bags, the kids open it up and everything is there ready to go. This frees up their precious eating time and also means only one container to keep track of, no lids to lose and less for us to have to wash!

The lunchbox is compiled of an outer and a tray. Once inserted the tray sort of clicks in because it’s on a slant on one edge. It will not get stuck to the lid which happens often in the yumbox. A lot of people compare it to the yumbox original but I can say from experience in using both the bentgo and yumbox it is much easier to pack things like sandwiches and wraps and in the bentgo.
Product Specifications:
Container Dimensions: 21.6cm x 16.6cm x 4.6cm
Tray Dimensions: 20.6cm x 15.1cm x 4cm
Capacity: 3 cups (to the top including the dipper)

Bentgo Kids compared to yumbox original, both hold the same amount of food but the larger cavity on the Bentgo is much more user friendly, I like the style better and also the rubber edging for durability and non slip.

The bentgo kids has 2 clasps which are easy enough for young ones to open and keep lunch nice and secure.

Another great feature on the bentgo kids is the rubber edging. It makes it durable to deal with kids dropping it and it also makes the lunchbox non slip. This is especially helpful when it’s on the kids laps as it prevents their lunch falling on the ground or slipping off the table.

It has really cool hinges as well which I find makes it easier to close.

So how does it fare packing lunch? Here is a few of the many lunches we’ve packed in the bentgo kids, it’s extremely versatile, fun and durable. A big thumbs up from us!



These are my personal opinions and experiences from using the bentgo kids Lunchbox.

Ours are from Trendy Lil Treats. Bentgo Kids is available in blue, green and purple. http://www.trendyliltreats.com.au/bentgo-kids-lunch-box-blue/
Have you used a Bentgo Kids Lunchbox? I’d love to hear your opinions and experiences too!
– Mel

Yonanas – Healthy all Fruit Soft-Serve

We have gone YONANAS!!

I saw these awesome machines last year but they were a bit pricey. I recently saw them on sale so thought why not it seems really great but I didn’t know if it would work as easy as the box says, I’m here to tell you it does!

The kids were begging me to make some Ice creams because the weather is warming up and I don’t like to give them Store-Bought Icy poles. We usually make our own frozen yoghurts but this morning I thought we would try out our new contraption.

I had peeled and frozen ripe bananas a few days before ready and grabbed some frozen raspberries and strawberries for a nice colour and yummy taste. We were ready to rumble.

I placed the fruit in alternated because I wanted it mixed nice and even, It’s very loud but I was instantly impressed with the “soft-serve” that was coming out!

The texture of this was really good and it mixes the fruit perfectly with no lumps.

The kids were so excited and saying yummy straight away they couldn’t wait to try it. We put some in these cute ice pop makers and rationed the rest between them and it was gobbled up instantly.

It is perfectly mixed and smooth, much better than any food processor or blender fruit I’ve tried before. A great healthy summer treat for the kids and so easy to make, I can see us using this a lot in the next few months, it will also be great for making smoothie bowls for myself.

Very impressed with the final result, YUM!

• Mel

Little Mashies – Making our own yoghurt

Making your own yoghurt is not only cost-effective but you can monitor what is actually going into it. It’s an easy job the kids love to help with and once the yoghurt is ready the kids can help filling up the reusable pouches.

Using reusable pouches is an excellent way to help cutting down on your carbon footprint (opposed to buying the disposable supermarket pouches) and they look much nicer than store-bought anyway! My kids love the Little Mashies colours and characters. I also find when the kids are involved in the process they are much more likely to eat it.

First I started with 2 of the DIY Hassels Kids yoghurt packs in the chocolate flavour which we got on sale for $1.50 each. We made as per the instructions (only need to add water) and put it in our easiyo yoghurt maker. After 8 hours our 1kg of yoghurt was ready to be divided into the pouches.

I transferred the yoghurt into my trusty Pyrex measuring jug for easy pouring and filled each pouch to just over half so that I could close them without over filling.

Our Yoghurt filled 8 Little Mashies so if you work out $3 divided by 8 it works out to just .37c each. For a yoghurt pouch you can’t even get them on clearance that cheap!

Once filled I store in a long tub in the fridge (mummy’s coconut yoghurt behind) for easy access and to keep them all standing up nicely. As I type this the kids are already tucking into one each, Maybe that easy access thing wasn’t such a great idea!

We love reusable pouches and the Little Mashies are a great size for my Mr.3 and Mr.6. My kids love helping in the kitchen and this is a job that’s relatively easy and stress free so why not make up some yoghurt and save yourself money while saving the environment too.

• Mel

Bento Mail

Each set of School Holidays I usually place a bigger Bento order from my favorite online bento shop: Trendy Lil Treats. This time it was getting all the items that have been on our want list for almost a year and some new goodies that had just come in.

First up is the Little Mashies and Choomee Sip’n tops. Mr. 6 requested these and because he’s been off yoghurt for the last few months I was happy to oblige. He said we can start making yoghurt again because he’ll eat it if it’s in the Lil Mashies. We previously got some last year but with our move across the country at christmas they’ve been misplaced. Here’s hoping he follows through on that! I’ll be trying smoothies in them in the summer too.

We have been eagerly awaiting new stock of these Thomas and Percy egg moulds. Mr.6 has a boiled egg most days and Thomas has been his favorite character for as long as I can remember so when we can track down Thomas lunch items I jump on them. We also got these cute little transport picks which have trains, boats, helicopters, cars and rockets which will go with heaps of our Bento items.

These Reusable Skip Hop snack bags have been on my want list for over a year! I finally gave in and bought them because we have the matching Insulated food jar and lunchbox and I am a sucker for matching items. We really needed snack bags though because coming into warmer weather it will be great to pack things like dried fruits, popcorn & crackers and can easily be added into his lunchbag without taking up too much room.

New picks! To tell you the truth I don’t buy picks much anymore because we have most of the ones available that we like already, so when Trendy Lil Treats got in these new ones I couldn’t wait to add them to our collection. The veggies have been some ive wanted for a while but kept putting off. I recently saw a cute lunch with a garden theme using these picks and they looked super cute in use…on the list they went!

Baran: This is probably one of the most underrated bento products. Yes it just goes behind the food and doesn’t have any use except for looking cute but adding baran makes lunches come alive in my mind, it fills up the empty spaces and adds great pops of colour.

Mini Cutters!! I can’t tell you how much I love mini cutters, they are so useful and make plain food look awesome. I use mini cutters on ham, cheese, fruits, vegetables, sandwiches, anything really! These gorgeous animal ones we’ve been waiting to be back into stock and finally they are ours.

Last but not least this Puppy in kennel Sandwich cutter from LunchPunch. Now that I have this I can finally make up the Paw Patrol Lunch I have had in my head for months! I’m going to pair it with the puppy picks we have and its going to be so cute!

What have you added to your collection lately, Do you like to save up and buy a big lot all at once like me and have a list a mile long? Maybe its just me!

If you like any of these products you can find them on Trendy Lil Treats website here: http://www.trendyliltreats.com.au/ I find they have an excellent selection of bento and children’s lunch boxes and food items and now ship worldwide too. I’m not affiliated these views are completely my own.

Happy Bento making

– Mel