From Our Desk to Yours...

Thanks for your wonderful support and patience during this very busy back to school season! We hope you're having a very smooth transition into the new school year. If you haven't had a chance to purchase your lunch items yet, be sure to check out our brand new Laptop Lunches 2.0 line at www.laptoplunches.com. Enjoy the first few weeks of school!

LAPTOP LUNCHES 2.0 AVAILABLE IN THE UK: We're pleased to announce that our new 2.0 line is now available at http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_w_h_?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=laptop+lunches+lunchbox. Be sure to stop by!

CREATIVE LUNCH IDEAS: If you're concerned about falling into a lunch rut this year but haven't had a chance to sign up for our weekly lunch feed (pun intended), it's not too late. Check out the delicious menus (with photos!) at www.laptoplunches.com.

INSULATED CARRYING CASES: Our new insulated carrying cases made of 100% recycled polypropylene fabric are now available in four designs. For more information, visit www.laptoplunches.com.

LARGE CARRYING CASES: Want to include a stainless drink bottle, a piece of whole fruit or perhaps a lunch jar along side your bento set? Check out our new, large "Power Lunch" carrying cases, also made of 100% post-consumer recycled polypropylene fabric. They're ideal for those of us who pack multiple meals before we head off to work or school. Details available at www.laptoplunches.com.

BENTO SLEEVES ON SALE: We're running a special on our original insulated bento sleeves this month. They're normally $14.99, but they're on sale for only $11.99 through September. Pack your Laptop Lunches bento set inside this sleeve for use inside your backpack, brief case, or book bag. Comes with an Ice pack too!

Got a favorite photo to share?

Email it to us at newsletter@obentec.com, and we'll publish it here!

Cold soba noodles with scallions Soba dipping sauce Daikon radish and carrot salad Lychee fruit Edamame with sea salt

Grab and Go Lunches

These lunches are perfect for those mornings when you're in a rush and don't have much in the kitchen. It takes less than 5 minutes to add a handful of each of these items as you're running for the door.

Grapes Green Beans Whole Grain Crackers Cheese

Cherries Whole Grain Crackers Baby Carrots Ranch Dressing Mixed Unsalted Nuts

Green Opportunities

Some earth-friendly tidbits that have landed in our office in recent weeks...

FROM PASTURE TO PLATE – This graphic story shows how some of the most popular foodstuffs in the U.S. are made, with an emphasis on how fossil fuels enter into the production chain. The amount of fossil-fuel energy used to make a steak, potato, soda and an organic salad may surprise you. http://news21.jomc.unc.edu/index.php/stories/diet/from-pasture-to-plate.html, BACK TO SCHOOL TIPS – Looking for some help this back to school season? Check out ww.nasponline.org/resources/home_school/b2shandout.aspx for some great tips on making the transition as smooth as possible. GREEN FOOTSTEPS – To learn more about what you can do to green your life without breaking the bank, check out http://www.greenfootsteps.com.

Laptop Lunches in the News

September 2009

5 Ways to Pack a Healthier Lunch

Give your child's lunch an extreme — and deliciously nutritious — makeover.

USE A BENTO BOX: Japanese-style bento boxes and their nesting compartments are perfect for kid-size nibbles. Best of all, when your child pops the lid, the entire spread is at her fingertips, which puts the carrots on par with the PB&J and grapes for super-easy grazing. (Find the box shown above at laptoplunches.com.)

By Monica Eng, August 19, 2009

Tips for packing school lunchboxes

The night before my son started first grade, his foodie mother stayed up to lovingly prepare a sandwich of free-range turkey on homemade organic bread with a crisp organic apple, a homemade granola bar and a cold box of organic milk.

When I asked how he enjoyed his special lunch, the little monster confessed he had traded it for a bag of chips.

Now I know: Packed lunches, perhaps more than any other meal, need to involve the cooperation and consensus of your child.

Cooperation may mean planning menus together, cooking together or just shopping together for mutually appealing foods.

"Let your child choose one or two new foods for the family to try," said school principal and author Yvonne Sanders-Butler in her book "Healthy Kids, Smart Kids." [Read the rest of the story at http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/food/chi-tc-food-lunchbox-0814-0819aug19,0,5119895.story.]

Aug/Oct 2009

Lighter Lunches

There's no such thing as a (waste) free lunch; the average school-age child generates 67 pounds of lunch waste (from packaging to peels) per year. Attempting to stem the tide, some schools are implementing waste-free lunch programs with tools from the nonprofit organization WasteFreeLunches.org. Founder Amy Hemmert tells us, 'These programs reduce waste, teach children about the importance of caring for our planet, and help school districts reduce their waste-hauling costs. Also, kids who pack waste-free lunches from home tend to eat more nutritionally balanced meals.'

"With one of these kits and a place to compost banana peels, taking out the garbage just got a whole lot easier."

New Retailers

Making Lunch Count Providing your child with a nutritious mid-day meal is essential for overall good health and academic success. Embrace it as an opportunity to share valuable life-skills information with your child and to have fun together. Putting effort into creating balanced, nutritious lunches will have benefits beyond the school lunchroom.

Pack or Purchase?

The first decision you’ll need to make is whether to prepare a homemade lunch or have your child purchase lunch at school. Purchasing may sound like the easiest option, but before you send your student off to school with lunch money in hand, be sure to educate yourself about what’s on the menu. And remember, the school lunch you have pictured in your head may not accurately reflect what it looks like on the plate…or in the wrapper…or on the cardboard tray. Before you fork over your hard-earned dough, visit the school cafeteria to see first-hand what’s being served. Don’t like what you see? Then preparing wholesome homemade lunches for your child is the way to go. Start by preparing a nutritious, eye-catching lunch for your student, and then find out what you can do to effect change at your school so the entire student body will benefit. (Visit www.lunchlessons.org for information on out how to get started.)

Why Pack a Home-made Lunch?

• Children who eat nutritious lunches tend to concentrate better in school. Children who fill up on sugary snacks or skip lunch altogether tend to become restless or lose focus. Teachers report that students who maintain a steady blood sugar level throughout the day tend to do better in school.

• Children who eat healthfully at lunchtime and throughout the day tend to have better overall health. They tend to be sick less often and when they are sick they recover more quickly. Taking the time to pack a wholesome lunch may take a few extra moments in the morning (or the night before), but it might mean less time spent visiting the doctor’s office.

• Children need nutritious food to grow. Lunch may be just one meal of the day, but your child may be consuming 1/3 of the day’s calories at this time. Packing a nutritious lunch will also ensure that they’re also receiving 1/3 of the day’s nutrients. Pack “growing foods” like fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and plant-based sources of protein.

• Children who eat a nutritious lunch are less likely to become obese. Obese children are at higher risk of  chronic health issues like diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

• Children who eat well tend to maintain a healthy body weight and body image. Children who have a healthy relationship with nourishing food are less likely to  use food as a coping or control mechanism, resulting in a lower risk of landing an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia.

"I just wanted to thank you for the many benefits we have received by using the Laptop Lunch system. I feel great that I can send in a healthy VARIETY of foods. The colorful containers are fun to use, and they make healthy foods seem more appealing because foods are compartmentalized and attractive to the eye. I can't tell you how much positive feedback I have received about the quality of my daughter's lunches from other parents (lunch helpers) and most importantly from my daughter. I know that she realizes that her lunches are prepared with love each day. I keep it simple and use fresh fruits and veggies whenever possible. She loves smoked salmon and your insulated carrying case helps me know that her food will stay cold and fresh until lunchtime. I used to dred the days my daughter wasn't "buying" lunch and now I am packing her lunch 100% of the time and we are both loving it! And we feel good knowing that we are not creating excess waste with plastic wrap, baggies or foil. Thank you from a grateful mom."

        -- Lisa M. Gray, Richmond, VA

"I have four Laptop Lunchboxes. I have only one child left at home, but I have lunches to make for adults who take them to work as well.

"I use them every day, and both my daughter and my husband love getting their bento box for lunch. It's a great way for me to use up leftovers. The carrying case also has that great zipper pocket that works super well for the snack for first recess so that the lunch box doesn't need to be opened until lunch time.

"My daughter likes to help decide and prepare her lunch for the next day, which is pretty amazing for a 7th grader. It turns out quite a number of kids in her school also carry Laptop Lunchboxes. I keep seeing more and more of the carrying cases around campus. Thanks for a great product."

        -- Kaye Luck, San Jose, CA

"I just wanted to send a note and two pics of my kids enjoying your product. We bought our son two laptop lunch kits for kindergarten. He has trouble opening packages on his own and I knew he would barely eat if he had to wait for help all of the time. He loves his laptop lunch and in my group of friends he's the only child who can finish his whole meal at school because it's ready to go right away when he sits down! My daughter also loves to have Laptop Lunches and often asks for picnics made in a Laptop Lunchbox. I'm sure she'll go to kindergarten with a Laptop Lunch as well! Thanks for a great product!"

        -- Karen Hallowell, Texas

Do you have a success story or photo to share? Email it to us at newsletter@obentec.com.

Featured Web Site:http://www.101cookbooks.com

Heidi Swanson, a San Francisco based photographer and cookbook author, started 101 Cookbooks one afternoon in early 2003 when she looked up at her huge cookbook collection and realized that instead of making use of the books in her collection, she was cooking the same recipes over and over. She says, "I seemed to buy a new cookbook every time I stepped out the front door - always with good intentions. I would regularly go through my collection of books and magazines and carefully tag each recipe that piqued my interest. I ended up with shelves full of books brimming with Post-it notes and drawers full of recipes clipped from my favorite magazines - neatly organized by course, flavor, region, or ingredient." Heidi's writing and photographs have been featured in The Washington Post, Vegetarian Times, Whole Foods Markets, and on NPR. Projects (past and present) have been highlighted in numerous national and local publications, including the Wall Street Journal, LIFE, Shape Magazine, Vegetarian Times, USA Today, Fast Company, Entertainment Weekly, Glamour, and the San Francisco Chronicle. To check out her wide selection of recipes, visit http://www.101cookbooks.com. On this site: Delicious recipes Impressive photographs Tips for building a natural foods pantry Strategies for healthy eating while traveling Food photography tips Links to interesting Internet places

October Highlights

Recipes from Mariel's Kitchen, Green Opportunities, and an Obentec Interview

Comments, questions, concerns? Please email us at newsletter@obentec.com. Want to subscribe to this newsletter? First Name:        Last Name: Email: HTML Text Don't know          This monthly newsletter is archived at www.laptoplunches.com/newsletters.html.

© September 2009 Obentec, Inc.

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