Back to School

Our son has an insulated lunch box although he doesn't take it to school as all children in Scotland get free school lunches so he eats in the canteen. But we use it when we go out. It's a polar gear one. I don't think there is a best brand.

Yumboxes are brilliant.

As someone who works in schools, please name it and name the snack pots and spoons. Also put spoons for yoghurt in. Do not have the oh well school can provide you with attitude. No we can't we don't have millions nor can we just leave wherever the kids eat to go looking for a sodding spoon, as it can be 1 person with a whole year group especially if tge other member of staff is looking for a spoon, lost lunchboxes, retrieving a kid from the playground, toilets. Also give your kid a water bottle every single day. As long as its not fizzy drinks I don't care what's in it. Squash or water just put a drinks bottle in the lunchbox and name it. It really winds me up that parents think schools should provide their kids with the basics.

When I say name it all I mean the spoons, any pots waterbottles lunch bag and tupperware other wise you get staff like me that do tip out Fridays and no I don't care if parents don't like it but when you've asked hundreds of kids and no one admits to the stuff being theirs I'm not leaving it fester so I throw it. Named stuff is easier and for all around.

If kids are in primary name everything even shoes. I've had to deal with kids fighting over lost shoes before now and use the stick on labkes so they can be peeled when getting rid of

I usually buy from Asda a few days before school as they go to half price or less . I do buy full price 2 weeks before if there is a certain one they want so they don’t sell out but if they still have them in the sale I return the full price one . I put their name on everything as it’s easy for them to see what is theirs as a few people can have the same set watch can make it difficult to identify what belongs to who. I do buy some spare lunch boxes in the sales in case they do lose it or when they want to change the one they have.