Back to School Essentials
Back to school is just around the corner! Schools, especially in the south, start to go back as soon as early August, so I am sharing my favorite products to prepare you for what essentials you may need before the first day!
One other reminder that I have learned over the years is teachers always recommend not to personalize a child's backpack with their first name for safety of a stranger not being able to call out their name. Instead, if you want a monogram choose their initials. Lunchboxes are ok to monogram with their name! If you have a little one starting daycare or preschool, I curated all the essentials they actually need, here.

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These Cat & Jack 17" backpacks are so adorable and a great option if you are looking for something more affordable.
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This Bentgo Chill Lunchbox is awesome because the bottom tray is an ice pack you can take out and throw right in the freezer to keep your lunch cool!
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These snack cups are a great stainless steel and leak proof option if you need to send a snack with your kids to school each day! They come in a set of 3, each 1 cup in size.
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I bought these for my son for school because he needs a snack everyday and these little stainless steel containers are perfect. The lids are easy for him to take on and off and they come in different sizes and a 3 pack.
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State backpacks are on the higher end of backpacks, but their designs and quality are unmatched. They have the cutest prints and themes, as your little one gets older and outgrows the youthful character phase they have such a fun elevated assortment and the backpack will last them years. They come in 4 sizes, starting at bags for age 2 and up. Heads up, the popular styles they release each year do sell out!
Use code MEGGIE15 for 15% off your purchase!
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This Ello Stainless Steel water bottle is a great option for kids to bring to school. It is 100% leak proof when the top is closed (I have tested it!), it has a soft spout straw to drink out of and comes in a handful of colors. The 22oz size makes it perfect for elementary age kids or older who may drink more water during the day vs so many of the kid sizes.
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This Reduce Water Bottle for kids is one of the best leak proof options out there. It is ACTUALLY leak proof when the straw is closed and there is an extra locking mechanism to ensure it stays closed and doesn’t leak all over the bottom of a bag. It comes in 2 fun colors for younger kids and is the perfect size for them at 14 oz.
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These lunch box ice packs are slim and reusable, the perfect size to slip in your child’s lunch and keep cold for 4 hours. They come in several cute shapes.
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This insulated food thermos comes in over a dozen kid friendly colors and patterns, and keeps your food cold for 7 hours or hot for 5 hours. 10 oz capacity.
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These lunch bags are awesome, you literally throw the whole bag into the freezer at night and the gel lining will keep your lunch cool so your perishables don't spoil.
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This is a great size lunchbox as kids go off to school. Its rigid walls keep the food protected or you can fit a Bentgo box inside it. You can also customize it with cute prints and their name!
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This is the perfect first lunch box for little kids ages 3-7. You can perfectly portion out their meal, the tray is microwave and dishwasher safe and it is drop proof! These fit into the Pottery Barn "cold pack" size lunch boxes perfectly too.
The Bentgo version with a built in ice pack is also awesome and available here.
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L.L. Bean backpacks are my top choice once your kid is in 4k and up. They are durable, last many school years, and come in junior (age 4-7) or original (age 8-12) sizes. We started with the original size knowing my kids would grow into them.
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This set of customized name labels are dishwasher and laundry safe to label anything from a water bottle to a lunchbox to clothing. We have them for all 3 kids, they come in fun themes!
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If you need a good solution for saving your child’s memories from school, make a file box for each kid and save a folder of the most important artwork or memories worth keeping. These boxes fit letter or legal hanging files. We also use these to store holiday books!
Shop the letters, hanging files and totes in the link above.
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LilGadgets wired kid headphones come in 7 colors with a share port so you can connect multiple headphones to one device. They have volume limitations to protect those little ears and fold compactly for easy storage when traveling.
Paid links and prices subject to change.
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I searched high and low for a good stainless steel lunchbox for kids. So many I got were way too big, tricky for kids to be able to open or close on their own or weren't leak proof. But this one checks all the right boxes!