PlanetBox Shuttle Review

The PlanetBox Shuttle is the newest product in the PlanetBox line.  Planetbox desires to make all-in-one lunch containers that are durable, non-toxic, and dishwasher safe.  It sells for $39.95 on Planetbox.com.  To read more about the company and their mission scroll down to check out my review of their PlanetBox Rover.

The Shuttle is the smallest box in their line and I was skeptical at first.  It measures 7.75”x5.2”x2” and is made completely out of stainless steel with one hinge.  There are only two compartments, but a leak proof dipper container is included, as well as a magnet set to decorate the top.  Click here to see the 4th of July Simple Summer meal I made in the PlanetBox Shuttle!

When I first inspected the box, I could see it was as durable as the larger Rover, and would probably clean up as easily in the dishwasher (after testing it does).  The lunch box and dippers are dishwasher safe, but the case must be spot cleaned.  I just couldn’t figure out how I would pack more than a large snack in there! I set to work and found out that the Shuttle is actually a beautifully simple alternative to larger, more complicated lunch boxes.  I found it very easy to pack a smaller meal in this box.  The larger compartment can fit something as big as a sandwich and a small side dish, such as sliced fruit, will fit well in the other compartment.  My six-year-old daughter ate almost her whole lunch and didn’t go hungry.

The Shuttle can also be bought with a carrying case for $5 more.  The case is made to be able to match the design of the magnet set.  It has a small carry handle on the top.  There are two drawbacks with this case, however.  The first one is that it is very hard to put a normal size ice pack inside it.  This makes it almost a necessity to buy the optional PlanetBox ice pack, which does fit inside.  It also does not include a shoulder strap for those who prefer to carry bags in this manner.

The Shuttle is best suited for younger children, or those with smaller appetites.  It could also work well for snack time during a play date, day trip, or after swim lessons.  If you choose the Shuttle I recommend purchasing the case and also the ice pack.  When you factor in these two options, the total price might raise some eyebrows.  However, because of its durable build, the Shuttle should last for a very long time.  It can be purchased with case from www.planetbox.com for $39.95.

Disclosure: PlanetBox sent me this product to review.  I have received no other compensation for this post and the opinions I’m expressing here are solely my own.

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Week 37: Jake and the Neverland Pirates

Week 37: Jake and the Neverland Pirates.  Yo Ho!  Let’s Go!  If you have never seen the Jake and the Neverland Pirates cartoon, it’s pretty good.  My kids are really into pirates right now and they love this show.  It is on the Disney channel.  The show is loosely based on Peter Pan and also stars Captain Hook and Smee.  This is one lunch my daughter has been begging for.  Since this is one of the last lunch opportunities of the school year (I have one more coming next week!) I decided to finally tackle this one.  This was made in an Easy Lunch Boxes container.  If your kids like Jake, then try out this lunch, but only use your pixie dust in an emergency!

Ingredients:

--2 slices whole wheat bread

--2 slices red apple

--1 serving peanut butter and honey (or whatever your child likes in a sandwich)

--1 handful of raisins

--1 serving fat-free cream cheese

--1 handful of blueberries (or another fruit or veggie your kids like)

--2-3 strawberries

--1 slice of white cheese

--1 small handful Pirate’s Booty puffs

--Black and green food coloring

Directions:

1.  Cut a slice of bread in the shape of Jake’s face as shown.  Don’t worry about his hair yet, just cut up to the bandanna.  Repeat with a second slice.  Put whatever you want in between to make a sandwich.  Place sandwich in your container.

2. Cut spiky hair out of the large scraps of bread.  Spread cream cheese on the hair and cover with raisins.  Put his hair on top of his head.  Slice a piece of apple in the shape of the bandanna.  Slice a second piece that is shaped like the tails of the bandanna on the side of his head.  Place on head as shown.

3. Put two small blobs of cream cheese on for his eyes and a tiny amount for his mouth.  Draw on facial features using black food coloring (equal parts red, yellow, and green) and a toothpick.  Finish by making Jake’s eyes green.

4. Spread your child’s favorite fruit or veggies around the face as a background.  I used blueberries.

5.  In one side dish arrange sliced strawberries.  Cut out the words “Yo Ho” out of white cheese using a sharp knife.  Place cheese letters on top of strawberries.  Put Pirate’s Booty puffs as another side dish.

Have a great last week of school and stay tuned for a new summer project happening on lunchboxdad.com to make your family day trip meals super easy and fun!  “Lunchbox Dad’s Simple Summer” is coming soon.   Please spread the word and remember to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and any other social media link I have on the right of this page.

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Week 36: A Lego Lunch

Week 36:  A Lego Lunch.  For this lunch I didn't want my daughter just to play with her food, I wanted her to build with her food!  This was such a fun lunch to make and I have been planning on doing it for awhile.  Make sure and check out all the pics in this post to see everything.  We love legos in our house so this is a special one.  The Lego shaped lunch box, utensils, and dipper containers all came from Bento USA.  You will definitely want to check them out as they have so many great tools to make lots of different types of meals.

Ingredients

--Non-fat yogurt, tinted different colors.  You could also use different foods with that consistency that your child enjoys such as applesauce, smoothies, pudding, etc.

--1 slice of cheddar cheese, 1 slice of American cheese

--1 slice of lunch meat, cut into flower shapes

--1 slice of whole wheat bread

--1 piece of chocolate bar to melt, if desired

--Broccoli

--Black food coloring

Directions

1.  Get Lego silicone molds.  You can find them with a simple search online.  Many sites sell them, including Amazon.  Freeze your child's favorite yogurt or sauce type food in the lego brick mold.  I made the the blue and green bricks from yogurt.  The purple bricks are made from all fruit smoothies that may wife makes.  They are very healthy and include things like frozen fruit, spinach (Yes you read that right!), non-fat yogurt, and ice.  Make sure and pack the lunch with lots of ice to keep the bricks frozen until they eat.  Arrange the frozen bricks in a fun design as shown in the picture.

2.  Melt each slice of cheese and place in the Lego figure mold.  Put in the refrigerator to cool.  Use a toothpick and and black food coloring to make the facial and body details.  It only takes 2-3 minutes, but it really makes the figures pop!

3.  Place bread in the background of container.  Arrange cheese Lego figures in the scene.  Decorate with flower-shaped pieces of meat (I placed these in the dipper containers).  All of these ingredients can go together to make half of a meat and cheese sandwich!  Fill in with pieces of broccoli to look like Lego trees.

4.  If desired you could also melt a little chocolate to make a dessert Lego guy.  You can see that in the pictures.  I didn't include it in my daughter's lunch for school, but she will eat it when she gets home.  

Another great thing about this lunch is that the molds gave me enough food for lunch for my son as well.  Have a great week finishing up school with your kids.  Stay tuned for some really fun stuff coming this summer and follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and YouTube!

#lbdbento

Week 35: Monsters U, Sully and Mike

Week 35: Monsters U.  I love Monsters Inc. so I'm super excited to take my kids to see Monsters U at the end of the month.  There are only a few weeks left of school so I wanted to make this before my daughter is done.  The Sully sandwich actually took more time than I thought, but most of it was figuring out the tint for the cream cheese.  After trial and error, the trick is using a little bit of green mixed with blue.  Mike Wazowski was actually really easy and if you are going to try one thing from this lunch, try him.  I made this in an Easy Lunch Boxes container. Have fun with this lunch and lets hope the movie lives up to the hype!

Ingredients

2 slices whole wheat bead

1 serving peanut butter

1 serving fat-free cream cheese, tinted blue

1 serving fat-free cream cheese, plain white

1 kiwi

1 serving fat-free all natural yogurt

1 handful of blueberries

2 slices of cheddar cheese

blue and black food coloring

Directions

Cut two slices of bread into the shape of Sully's head.  It is sort of pear shaped with horns on the side.  Spread peanut butter, or similar spread that your child enjoys, on one slice.  Press the other slice on top to make a sandwich.  Cover most of his face with the blue tinted cream cheese, leaving his horns brown.

Use two balls of cream cheese for his eyes and two small pieces for his teeth.  Draw facial features with black food coloring (mix equal parts yellow, blue, and red).  Use a toothpick to draw lines to make it look like fur.  Finish with a blueberry for his nose.  Place cheddar cheese for the background in your container and put the Sully sandwich in the middle.  Drop a few blueberries around as accents.

Skin a kiwi and cut it in half.  Trim it slightly to be egg shaped like Mike's head.  Use cream cheese for his eye and blue and black food coloring for the facial features.  Place it in a side dish.  Cut two small triangles from your scraps and place behind his head for ears.

In a second side dish, fill with yogurt, apple sauce, or any other healthy food of that consistency that your child will eat.  Cut the initials "MU" (for Monster's University) out of kiwi scraps.  Place these on top of the yogurt.

Thanks for checking out the blog and make sure and follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube!

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