The Thermos Funtainer Food Jar and Bottle are absolutely amazing and I think they are the best insulated food jars. I got one of each for both of my children. My 7-year-old daughter has the Hello Kitty design, and my 3-year-old son has the Minions. They’re adorable and extremely practical. My daughter uses them everyday to pack her lunch, and they keep her food and beverages all day. My son takes his to daycare. I would love these even if they didn’t come with the different designs to choose from—that’s just the icing on the cake.
I used to use icepacks in my children’s lunchboxes, but I was noticing that they didn’t seem to be doing the trick by lunch. By the time my children were home from school, it was really unpleasant. Using the Thermos Funtainer Food Jars for fruits, they can even eat any leftover fruit for an after school snack. It’s also a great way to send hot soup to school on a chilly day. It’s still plenty warm enough by lunch, and it gives my children a great alternative to getting a sandwich for lunch everyday. It’s nice being able to offer my kids fresh lunches that I know will remain fresh throughout the morning. I even microwave leftovers from the night before and then put them in the Thermos Funtainer Food Jars occasionally. Pastas, especially, hold very well until lunch. I’ve learned a trick for making the heat last even longer. If I run hot water over it before I put food in it, the food stays hot even longer.
Before I started using the Thermos Funtainer Bottles, I basically had to stick with sending juice boxes. If I sent beverages in a different type of bottle or container, it often leaked and made a mess by the time lunchtime came around. Not only that, but their beverages were room temperature at best, even with an icepack. With the Thermos Funtainer Bottles, I can send any beverage I want and know it will keep through lunchtime and beyond. Even milk and chocolate milk (my son’s favorite) keep colder and remain fresh throughout the morning. I was afraid to even send them with milk before I got these. I’ve found another trick that I sometimes use for keeping drinks cold, almost always when packing milk. I put the Thermos Funtainer Bottle in the freezer the night before, and it keeps the drinks cooler even longer throughout the next day.
These Thermos Funtainers are well designed all the way to the artwork featured on them. Other children’s cups and containers chip and fade after washes, but these haven’t discolored in the slightest way. It’s top rack dishwasher safe, but I usually just hand wash them, which is easy since the mouths are wide enough to maneuver without any issues. I’ve heard that the dishwasher will actually cause wear to the seal inside the lid even though it won’t damage the jar or bottle. Having a 3-year-old and 7-year-old, it goes without saying that there will be drops and spills. These Thermos Funtainers have yet to see a scratch from either child.
Packing lunches is much more enjoyable now. My kids enjoy it more because they have better options from what they used to get in packed lunches as well as what the school lunches offer. My daughter has even remarked that some of the other kids are jealous of some of her meals! I enjoy it more because I know I’m offering my kids healthier lunches instead of resorting to a sandwich and an apple everyday. Now they have something hot on a cold day, I don’t have to worry about milk turning, and they’re durable enough to survive both of my kids. The Thermos Funtainer Food Jars and Bottles are such well-manufactured products, and the designs really make them that much more enjoyable for my kids.