This is a joint giveaway with Hobo Mama and Natural Parents Network. I am cross-posting it also at Hobo Mama Reviews. You may enter at one site only. Please find the section marked "Win it!" for the mandatory main entry and optional bonus entries.

EasyLunchboxes is offering our readers a giveaway of a Bento Lunch Box System: a container set and one cooler lunch bag (winner chooses color), a value of $21.90.

This system is a sustainable and eco-friendly way to carry meals and snacks on the go! EasyLunchboxes are the perfect solution for packing lunches and snacks for school, preschool, daycare, work, playdates, family outings, or any time you need to bring your own healthy meal — without a lot of waste.

Get a jump on your New Year's resolution to stop brown bagging it or paying too much for lunch out, and enter to win one of these fun and environmentally conscious bento lunch box sets!



We actually won a set of EasyLunchboxes in a giveaway (so I'm here to tell you it can be done!), and Mikko was excited to immediately put them to use for picnics and snacks out. Since Mikko was three at the time and in only a half-day preschool twice a week, and since Sam and I worked exclusively from home, we didn't need them for traditional purposes perhaps, but they still came in handy, and do even more so now.

Sam now works part of the time from an outside office and has to bring his own sustenance since there's no other possibility within walking distance. We also take turns bringing our (now) two boys out for excursions, and it works well to bring along healthy and kid-approved food to eat.

I can see EasyLunchboxes being ideal for whenever you or someone in your family would otherwise pack a meal or eat out:

• School lunches
• Preschool or daycare snacks and meals
• Allergy-friendly foods
• Playdates
• Running errands
• Working in an office

The containers are so much better quality than those disposable brands (read bento bloggers' unsolicited opinions here!) – a very sturdy polypropylene. Each is subdivided into three compartments, so you can get your bento on.



We don't get all that fancy — here are some crackers, hummus to dip, and some yummy cheese slices.

But other people have gotten way creative, as seen from fan bento lunch pics on the EasyLunchboxes site:



I like that the compartments separate the meal or snack components, giving you options for making fun combinations (and forgoing gross ones!).

No matter what you put in them, you'll know you're giving your family the benefit of your healthy, homemade meals — and saving money to boot! You're also creating less waste by opting for a reusable lunch container over plastic baggies, and portioning out your own family-size foods and leftovers over store-bought single-serve items.

While the containers are not watertight (to allow for ease of opening by little hands), we've had no problems storing things like hummus, salsa, and other (not-too-runny) dips inside, as long as we carry the containers in the cooler bag. This means that, unlike with reusable fabric baggies, EasyLunchbox containers can hold wet food items (dip, fruit, yogurt, etc.) without a problem — and cleanup is a snap in the dishwasher! There aren't any funky crevices for food detritus to hide.

I also like how fragile food items are kept safe by the hard-sided container. Chips and crackers stay whole. Sandwiches and breads don't get squished.

The site warns that eventually the hard containers will crack and need replacing. Ours haven't worn out yet, in the year we've been using them, but it's worth mentioning that they're not intended to last forever, so have an extra set on hand if you use them frequently.



The cooler bag keeps items — well, cool! It also helps protect from spills, and you can machine wash it on the gentle cycle if food goes astray. Again, unlike with fabric baggies I've also tried, the EasyLunchbox system has the advantage of keeping foods fresher: Fruit and veggies stay crisp longer; chips, cookies, breads, and crackers don't get stale as quickly. This means you can pack lunches further in advance, which is a big plus.



The cooler bag can fit up to three containers at once, but it's unlikely that a single person would need to eat three containers in an outing! In that case, you can put one or two in, and fill the rest of the space with a drink, napkin, ice pack, cup of yogurt, utensils, and love note. (Yes, that's mandatory.)



Here's one little boy who's happy about being able to have a good snack on the go!

More About EasyLunchboxes

You can find out a lot of information about the EasyLunchbox system at the FAQ page. Here are some essential highlights:

EasyLunchbox containers are made from BPA-free, FDA-approved, food-safe polypropylene (#5). Our containers are much sturdier and last quite a bit longer than flimsy reusable/disposable containers. Click HERE for a comparison. At $13.95 for four, this comes to only $3.48 a container. Used every day, this is a great value for many months of use. As with all hard plastics, cracking may eventually occur. Our soft-sided cooler bags will protect the containers and help prevent breakage.

The containers don't "snap" closed or seal tightly, to make it possible for children to use them easily. The cooler bag keeps them upright, or you can put an elastic around the container to keep it shut in a backpack.

If you want to put something runny like yogurt in one of the compartments, first cover it with a square of waxed paper before closing up the lid. For truly liquid items like soup or dipping sauce, use a tightly sealing cup inside the container, or a separate leak-proof container placed in the cooler bag.

The containers are dishwasher- and microwave-safe and non-leaching, and the cooler bag can be machine washed on delicate.

The materials are FDA approved and safe for food and kids. EasyLunchbox products contain NO lead, vinyl, PVC, phthalates, or bisphenol A (BPA).

I also love that the company is mama-run, by the very personable Kelly Lester. It's a treat getting to know her on Facebook and Twitter and through her blog! (Connect with her in the Bonus Entries below.)

BUY IT!

You can purchase EasyLunchboxes containers and coolers online at EasyLunchboxes.com.

The four-container set costs $13.95. The containers measure approximately 9x6x2 inches. The lids are not tight-fitting so that young children can open them easily on their own. This means the containers are not leakproof, so buy the upright cooler bag to go along!

A zippered cooler bag costs $7.95 and comes in a variety of colors. Up to three containers fit in a cooler, or you can put in one or two containers and leave room for an ice pack, drink, fruit, and extra snack. The cooler is machine washable on the gentle cycle in cold water.

EasyLunchboxes ships internationally.

You can also buy EasyLunchboxes on Amazon, where they qualify for Free Super-Saver Shipping. EasyLunchboxes are the #1 best seller in the category "lunch boxes" on Amazon.com!

WIN IT!

For your own chance to win an EasyLunchboxes container and cooler set, enter by leaving a comment and using our Rafflecopter system below.

Contest is open to United States & Canadian addresses only.

MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit EasyLunchboxes.com and tell us something you like about the products! You must enter your name and email address in the Rafflecopter entry system for your entry to count, after leaving a comment on the blog post.

Leave a valid email address so we can contact you if you win. Email addresses in Rafflecopter are not made publicly visible. Please leave the same valid email address in your mandatory comment so we can verify entries. If on Blogger, you can enter it like this to foil spambots: mail {at} naturalparentsnetwork {dot} com

This is a joint giveaway with Hobo Mama and Natural Parents Network. You may enter at one site only, and we'll be recording IP addresses to ensure that there are no duplicate entries. That said, please do visit and enjoy both sites!

BONUS ENTRIES:
See the Rafflecopter entry system for bonus entries to increase your chance of winning after completing the mandatory entry. All bonus entries are entered directly into Rafflecopter. Just click "Click for instructions" for guidance and then "I did this" — any comments or extra information such as URLs can be entered into the "Extra Info" box. Give it a try or visit the Rafflecopter tutorial, and email or leave a comment if you have any questions!