Saving and Giving has moved to savingandgiving.net! I hope that you'll all join me over at Saving & Giving's new home. I'm planning some fun giveaways to kick things off. I'm still working on the site, and I'd love to hear your input. Let me know which features you want me to keep. You can email me at savingandgiving@gmail.com. If you're currently an email subscriber, you shouldn't see any change in your daily email newsletter. I switched the feed over so that you should continue to receive your daily updates.

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Giveaway: Rubbermaid TakeAlong a Fun Lunch!

I was thrilled to receive a TakeAlong a Fun Lunch pack from Rubbermaid! If you've been around this site for any length of time, you know that I'm a HUGE fan of Rubbermaid. They have THE BEST company blog site I've ever seen. (Seriously, if you're looking for organization ideas, you MUST stop by Adventures in Organization, the Rubbermaid blog site.) Rubbermaid has a knack for seeing a problem and solving it.

The TakeAlong a Fun Lunch pack included a four-pack of Rubbermaid's new and improved TakeAlong containers and a frog-shaped Blue Ice Fun Shape. (Emma LOVED the frog! She wanted to play with it, not put it in the freezer!) They also included a Sharpie marker for writing lunchtime notes.

After washing the TakeAlongs (which are dishwasher, microwave, and freezer safe), I started using them. The first thing I noticed was that they were the perfect size for a sandwich. No more squished bread! They are the perfect depth, meaning that you don't have a lot of wasted space top-to-bottom in your lunchbox. I've also used them to pack leftovers for my lunch. The lids are rigid and snap on tight. These have become my go-to storage containers for single-serve leftovers and sandwiches.


We've also tested the Blue Ice Fun Shape. I like it because it's lightweight, stays cold, and is adorable. Emma loves it because it looks like a toy. They weren't kidding when they named these "Fun Shapes." In fact, it's sitting on our living room table right now. Cute, isn't it? I have to wait until Emma is in bed to pop it back in the freezer.


Want to win a TakeAlong a Fun Lunch pack? There are five ways to enter (US & Canada only):

  • Leave a comment telling me your favorite lunch-packing tip. Be sure to leave your email address or link to your Blogger profile (if it's public) so that I can contact you if you win.

  • Become a follower of this blog. You can follow by adding this site to your Google Reading list, or you can click the Follow button on the right side of this page. Once you sign up, leave a comment alerting me that you are following. Already a follower? Just leave me a comment letting me know.

  • Subscribe to this blog's daily email update. This gets you a single daily update email at the end of each day. If there are any posts at all, you get one email with all of them. If there aren't any posts, then you don't get an email. I promise to never give your email address to ANYONE else, and I don't email my list anything but the daily updates. If you already subscribe, leave a comment letting me know. If you sign up to subscribe, leave a comment letting me know.

  • Post this giveaway on your blog. If you do a post, leave a link directly to the post in the comments section here.

  • Place my button on your blog site. The code is directly below the button on the left side of this page. If you do this, leave a comment letting me know. Include your blog site address so that I can check it out! If you already have my button on your blog, leave me a link. I'll stop by to say hello.

If you're entering more than once, please leave separate comments letting me know what you did. If you do four different things to enter but only leave one comment, you only end up with one entry. Instead, leave a comment for each method of entry that you use.

The winner will be chosen randomly on Monday, October 5 at 9:00 p.m. EST. Good luck!

57 comments:

Kristi said...

I don't pack a lot of lunches (yet) so my tips are limited. I try to use as many reusable containers as possible. I would rather wash something then try to figure out which baggie was for each lunch item.
kristidorman at gmail dot com

Kristi said...

I am a follower.
kristidorman at gmail dot com

Jonnie (JB) said...

My lunch packing tip is to freeze juice boxes to act as an ice pack. They keep the lunch cool and are ready to drink by lunchtime.
dftrew(at)gmail(dot)com

Jonnie (JB) said...

I just became a follower
dftrew(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

We pack lunches the night before. My 9-year-old packs her own lunch!
jennmagin@hotmail.com

Shannon said...

I applied for the email newsletter:)

alohashannon@lycos.com

Jenn said...

My tip is to always pack your dressing in a seperate container so your salad stays fresh!

Jenn said...

I'm a follower!

Martha said...

I love to pack drinks that can be frozen that thaw by lunch. so it can be used as an ice pack and also be cold.mavans@scottsboro.org

Ann Kelly Parkhurst said...

I try to make lunch fun, using cookie cutters to cut sandwiches, fruit, veggies etc. and ALWAYS send a fun colorful napkin with a note

Michelle said...

I always put a note in the lunch box and also freeze the grapes.
Michelle
couponfreak at ymail dotcom

Michelle said...

I am a subscriber:)
Michelle
couponfreak at ymaildot com

Michelle said...

I follow:)
Michelle
couponfreak at ymaildot com

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the contest!

My lunch time tip? Leftovers are free food.

Anonymous said...

I am a subscriber. Love your blog.

Cherise said...

I am a follower.
cstoesz22 at gmail dot com

Cherise said...

Lunch tip: REMEMBER YOUR UTENSILS! No one likes eating salad with their fingers.
cstoesz22 at gmail dot com

cksknitter said...

My husband brings his lunch to work everyday. On Friday, he stopped by the grocery store and found a 6 pound package of hamburger marked down to 99 cents a pound because it was expiring soon. He immediately made 24 quarter pounders on the grill. He then froze them on cookie sheets and after they were frozen transfered them to a freezer container. Now when he doesn't have leftovers available, he can just grab a couple hamburgers. He has 12 lunch entrees for a cost of just 50 cents apiece!
Chrissy at knittoday(at)hotmail(dot)com

cksknitter said...

I'm a follower of your blog under cksknitter!
Chrissy at knittoday(at)hotmail(dot)com

cksknitter said...

I'm happy to be an e-mail subscriber!
Chrissy at knittoday(at)hotmail(dot)com

Cherise said...

I grabbed your button!
http://livingthedream-stoesz.blogspot.com/
cstoesz22 at gmail dot com

Theresa said...

We pack the kids lunches the night before. I freeze go-gurt, so they will be defrosted by lunch time.

tfulton0513 at yahoo dot com

Theresa said...

I am a follower

tfulton0513 at yahoo dot com

Anne - Mommy Has to Work said...

I pack the night before!

mommyhastowork@aol.com

Anne - Mommy Has to Work said...

I'm a follower :)

Anne - Mommy Has to Work said...

I subscribe! :)

Anne - Mommy Has to Work said...

I'm grabbing your button as we i type!

BargainFun said...

keep your bread separate from your lunchmeat so it doesn't get soggy
bargainfun1 at yahoo

rebecca said...

I love to have a note in my lunch, so I always try to put one in my hubby's lunch, to let him know I'm thinking of him. My dad used to draw beautiful pictures with our names... :)

gitrecca at gmail dot com

rebecca said...

I follow in google friend connect

gitrecca at gmail dot com

Tuckersmomi said...

I pack the drinks on the bottom and put the sandwich on top of that so that it stays cold!
momconnection@yahoo.com

The Greedy's said...

I'm following you :)

The Greedy's said...

I freeze go gurts and or capri suns to use as ice packs in the summers. Pack at night and everyone has their own spot in the fridge so they can grab and go in the mornings.

Bombtastic Belle said...

I always use reusable containers for my hsuabnds lunch, send leftovers and put all his "wet" condiments in a seperate small container :)
eod_army_wife04(at)yahoo(dot)com

Amanda said...

My tip would be always ask the kid and hubby what they want haha. Also use reusable containers to help cut down on waste and save the earth!

disintegratingstarr@hotmail.com

Amanda said...

I subscribe!
disintegratingstarr@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

My kids take lunch to school on occassion and the main thing is to keep the milk cold. I use a reusable ice pack. This looks awesone. escobar@idworld.net

pjrj68 said...

I jsut found this site and love it! I am a follower now.

Heather said...

I'm an email subscriber.

orangefile(at)windstream(dot)net

Heather said...

My lunch packing tip isn't really a packing tip. We always make lunches the night before, it makes the morning so much easier. I give my kiddo a couple of options and let her pick from those...that way I'll she enjoy her lunch.

orangefile(at)windstream(dot)net

Anonymous said...

we make lunches the night before also, since we wake up so early every day. It is nice to not scramble to find containers and such for the lunch box b/c it's already done and ready!

jill
momofcade at hotmail dot com

Jaime said...

make it something different everyday so the kids don't get bored with it
copperllama at yahoo dot

Jaime said...

I am a follower
copperllama at yahoo dot com

Anonymous said...

I try to pack lots of small things - half a sandwich, ants on a log, pudding in a dixie cup so she is almost entertained.

Anonymous said...

I love notes in lunches!
skbjo3(at)yahoo(dot)com

Unknown said...

I'm a Canadian mom and grandma, looking for ways to make school lunches interesting, and also looking for recipes to make with the kids. (grandkids)! Found your site and love it. Subscribed to your email and also blog-following; I'm *desperately* searching here in Canada for the Blue Ice Fun Shapes - not available. We here in Canada wait about 2-3 years for things you get first in the U.S. Bummer. Thanks for all the great stuff on your site. Am enjoying all the reading.
pkraymond@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Am a follower and email subscriber, albeit new. I love enclosing little notes in lunches - they seem to add a bit of a spark to the kids' faces when they come home and say "grandma, I LOVEd the note!" ... (and right now they're too young to be embarrassed!!)

Ashley and Darrell said...

I love this website and all our ladies websites that are about helping others save. I like to pack good old fashioned sandwiches.

http://darrellandashley.blogspot.com/

kronca said...

We use reusable bags to pack sandwiches, snacks and chips. I purchased these for about $6.00 each and use them every day!


Great giveaway!

Kelly@
steveroncas@embarqmail.com

MKB said...

we pack finger food in our lunches--its so fun! Kbroderi@msn.com

Cindy said...

I am following
cmgalloway@comcast.net

Julie said...

I pack lunches night before except for sandwiches. I also make sure I have on hand the stuff that I need for making lunches :0

aunteegem@yahoo.com

Julie said...

email subscriber

aunteegem@yahoo.com

Lawanna said...

I following in Google Reader

Lawanna said...

All the kids pack their own lunches the night before. The morning is for stuffing refrigerated items, ice pack, and sandwich on fresh bread in the box. Occasionally I'll have to offer some suggestions so lunches don't get boring.

Anonymous said...

I use rubbermaid containers, as well as sandwich baggies (reusable of course).

larrapalermo@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

I am also a follower!

larrapalermo@gmail.com