Mom of 3 Tests Back-to-School Gear, Names Her Must-Haves

With three children at three different stages — an infant on purees, a toddler snacking every 45 minutes and a son about to start Pre-K — one parent set out to find back-to-school products durable and simple enough to survive her household, testing items over several months before her son's first day of school.

For lunch, she tested two lunch boxes that leaked or left food cold before settling on the OmieBox, which uses a built-in insulated thermos and separate compartments to keep hot food hot. She says her son can open and close it himself, giving him independence at the lunch table. For kids who don't need multiple compartments, she recommends a triple-layer insulated container with double-walled stainless steel, copper coating and vacuum insulation, which she says keeps a single meal warm for hours and includes a pressure-release valve for easy opening.

For snacks, she switched to stain- and odor-resistant containers that nest together, after going through plastic containers that stained or smelled after repeated use. For drinks, she highlighted an Owala tumbler her son has used independently for a month without leaks or lost parts, unlike his previous straw cup, which he often couldn't open himself. She also uses a meal-delivery subscription covering purees, finger foods and kids' lunches for all three children under one plan.

On backpacks, she said her toddler's previous bag lasted about six weeks before the zipper stuck and the strap frayed. Two months into a new bag from State, she reports the exterior water bottle pocket and wipeable material have held up, with organized compartments and a spot for a name tag. She also praised a mid-size backpack for kids who've outgrown a toddler pack but aren't ready for a full-size one, citing its padded laptop compartment and exterior pockets.