Why don’t they make lunchboxes like I remember?

[VintageScarfLady]

In the 90s everyone had a rectangular lunchbox with matching flask with cartoons/toys/film characters on. Where did these go? DS is 4 and the fabricy one he has comes back from school absolutely minging every day. I want one I can easily wash out. Sistema ones are fine but they don’t have handles. He’d love one of the old-school ones with Octonauts on if they still made them!

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Pink Victoria Plum. My brother had a grey A Team one.

I have put ds’s fabric lunchbox in the washing machine and it usually comes out unharmed

This one!

I had a pink Minnie Mouse one which I would use as a little footstool under my desk during lessons.

My sister had a glittery Aladdin one.

The flasks were always shit though- so leaky!

I give you the Aladdin lunch box and flask

I had this one. I bloody loved it. These new fangled fabric ones are pants.

^Yay, the pink my little pony one!!!

Can we back up a minute, did someone say Ed the Duck (best sidekick ever by the way) was an Olympic mascot? Mind. Blown!

I had a red Snoopy one too!

I've just had a vivid recollection of opening my flask to find that instead of the usual orange squash, my mum had put lemon barley water in instead.

I told my friends it was dirty dishwater and they believed me 😂

Don't forget the scooby-doo Pringle boxes!

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@VintageScarfLady I had the FF one too!! It was really nice 😊😊😊

DD has something very similar to what you are describing from B&M, they had a choice of Paw Patrol or Disney Princesses in our local store? Online they also have My Little Pony, Avengers, Spider-Man and Trolls. It was only £3.99 and she LOVES it.

www.bmstores.co.uk/products/marvel-avengers-boys-combo-lunch-box-3224251

I had the peach forever friends one!

This one! I used to put my stickers from the dentist on the back

I don't know if they still make new ones of them...but if you google retro lunch box with flask, they do have some of the ones you mean on ebay

I had a forever friends one too! I loved it and was so sad when I had to stop using it in year 4 because my friends thought I was a baby for liking it.

They have these on amazon. Could just add stickers to it?

I had the same My Little Pony one as up thread. Not sure why though as I was never really into it.

Yes, I used to put DD's fabric lunchbox in the wash otherwise they smell and the outside gets filthy.

In the last couple of years she had these lovely neoprene types from amazon. Wet suit type material. Washed and dried super easily and stayed looking brand new. Loads of different designs from different suppliers, this is just an example.

Neoprene Lunch Tote Insulated Reusable Picnic Lunch Bags Lunch Container Box Bag Cooler Handbag with Strap for Unisex Adults Kids Waterproof Owl www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XQJW44X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fRN4BbP41HAHA?tag=mumsnetforum-21

Ds1 has one of these www.kidzpod.co.uk lasted a few years he was going to secondary and wanted something a bit more grown up.
He liked that he could change the picture whenever his mind changed.

Are lunch boxes still as much of a thing as they used to be, though? When we've been looking round first schools they keep telling us that 95%plus of children have the subsidised hot meal and that is what they want us to do unless there is a medical reason why that would be awkward.

BestZebbie the free meals are for Reception, Yr 1 & Yr 2. After that I guess there are likely to be more kids with packed lunches.

My ds won’t try a hot dinner (don’t blame him), he’s in year 2 so entitled to fsm but he takes a packed lunch.
This thread has brought back so many memories of those lunchboxes! I have a bit of an issue with lunchboxes, mainly with the smell of sweaty food mixed with sweet fruit peel/skin mixed with sticky yoghurt. Turns my stomach
Ds has a systema contraption with different compartments (the same as his best friend) that he specifically asked for for his birthday! He had chosen a marvel avengers one in September, one of those fabric ones that gets bunged in the wash on a Friday with no ill effects. Then he asked for this new one so he could match his friend.
Dp laughed with me later and said his mate is probably sat there wishing he could have a marvel lunchbox like ds 😂

DS was on hot lunches, but being only just 4 when he started in Reception I think he felt a bit overwhelmed by the choices, and didn’t know what to say if there was something he didn’t want. There was 3 days in a row where he seemed only to have eaten some beans, and was coming back grumpy and hungry, so I sent in a packed lunch after that. School seemed fine with it and at least I know he’s eating something, but I might try him on hot lunches again later in the year

I never had one as for some reason my primary school insisted everyone had school dinners i did have a small blue metal flask for high school.that i sometimes had soup in lunch boxes were not considered cool.at high school.