Have A Hunch You Should Pack Your Lunch?

The benefits of bringing lunch from home are as far-reaching as your options when you opt to bring your lunch from home! Not only does packing lunch save you money on the repeated expense of getting food on the go, but it allows you to fine-tune your cuisine to meet your dietary desires. Some fast food places are happy to make it your way, but that level of personalization doesn’t compare to the excitement of selecting the unique and exciting proteins, carbs, and healthy fats of your choice. In honor of National Pack Your Lunch Day today, we want to present to you some products that may help facilitate the packing of lunch at home and the ease of bringing it with you wherever your day takes you!

1. Snapware Containers

These versatile containers are excellent for packing lunch for kids, since they form an airtight, spill-proof seal, and they hold different quantities. These lids form a secure seal without being too difficult for little hands to open. These Snapware containers even feature a Write+Erase space where you can leave a little note to the person who is taking lunch.

 

2. Snapware On the Go Turquoise Ice Packs

When it comes to keeping your lunch cool, these Snapware On the Go ice packs are an excellent companion to Snapware containers. They are compact enough to fit into an insulated lunch bag to keep your cuisine at a chilly and appealing temperature.

3. Pyrex 14-piece Glass Container Set

For those who like to pack their lunch in glass, the Pyrex 14-piece container and lid set is the perfect choice. This container set includes 7 glass bowls and 7 plastic lids. The set contains one 7-cup bowl, two 4-cup bowls, two 2-cup bowls, and two 1-cup bowls, all with color coordinated lids. The color coordination on the lids allows users keep track of what type of food is stored in which container, helping them make more balanced nutritional choices. Another benefit of this great set is that the containers and lids are freezer, refrigerator, and microwave safe, so you can leave the lid on loosely to prevent splatters during reheating.

4. Pyrex Seasonal Ghost and Reindeer Bowls
   

   

Even though it’s the “off-season” for things like spooky ghosts and prancing reindeer, we still think these seasonal bowls make reliable, reusable lunch-packing containers all year ‘round. Who knows? These playful Pyrex bowls might keep that guy from accounting from stealing your lunch if he thinks it has been there since October!

5. Pyrex Carrying Case with Hot/Cold Pack

Not all packed lunches are meant to be single-serve. If you’re headed to a work lunch potluck or bringing in a treat for a birthday, you can’t go without the Pyrex carrying case with a large hot/cold pack. Available in either a black and red color scheme or a blue and green style, this tote features large pockets on the inside for holding utensils, as well as sturdy handles that Velcro in the middle, giving you a secure hold on your hot or cold dish. The wrap-around zipper makes opening this carrying case easy to insert or remove the dish you’ve prepared. The large hot/cold pack fits snugly into the carrier, and it can be frozen or microwaved to produce the long-lasting temperature-controlling effects that you want.

3 Tips for Keeping Up a Cut Tree

There are few Christmas traditions more exciting than going out and selecting the ideal tree for your home. Christmas cheer can be found in everything from the scent of pine in the air to the contagious excitement of fellow tree-shoppers. While it is sometimes a challenge to get the tree wrapped and strapped to the car, there’s no feeling like watching the boughs unfurl in the hopes of being adorned with lights and baubles. Because it is such an iconic element of the holiday season, it’s important to keep your freshly-cut tree looking as good all month as it did when you spotted it in the tree stand. We’ve compiled the 3 best tips for keeping up with your cut tree this year.

1. Water, water, water. The National Christmas Tree Association advises tree stands that provide 1 quart of water for every inch of the tree’s trunk diameter. If you have a 4” tree, your stand should be able to hold a gallon of water at a time. Most importantly, you should maintain that water level the best you can. This is the single best way to keep your tree hydrated.

Some of the worst things you can do to your freshly-cut tree are to drill a hole in the base of the tree or chip away at the bark before putting the tree in the stand. Both practices are detrimental to your tree and neither will improve its water uptake. Instead, cut a level, 1/2″ disc off the base of the trunk before inserting the tree in the stand. Exposing the fresh wood in this fashion is the only measure that will improve water uptake.

2. Avoid heat. While the temperature of water you use to fill your tree stand does not matter, the temperature of the room does! Warmer rooms will speed the drying process and result in you having to fill the tree stand more frequently. While we’re not recommending you cut the heat altogether, room temperature is something to be mindful of. Make sure your tree isn’t positioned too near major sources of heat, like a fireplace, heater vents, or direct sunlight. When selecting lights for your tree, be sure to choose low heat options, such as miniature lights. These small, low-heat lights will be less drying than larger, hotter options.

3. Be safe. As inviting as it is to head to bed while the tree keeps glowing in the front window, avoid leaving the lights on when you go to bed or leave the house. Not only will this practice save on electrical costs, it also reduces the risk of drying your tree with lights no one is awake or around to appreciate. Make sure you don’t overload electrical outlets near the tree, and be sure the lights you use are in excellent condition. Also, monitor the tree for freshness throughout the season; if it ever appears dry or if the needles begin dropping, consider replacing the tree or removing it altogether. Inconvenient though it may be to remove and replace all the trappings, having a dry tree in the home is a major fire hazard.

In addition to being beautiful and smelling great, freshly-cut trees are biodegradable and can be used for a variety of other purposes once they’ve left your living room. For these reasons, make sure you recycle (rather than burn) your tree when you’re finished enjoying it.

If you need somewhere safe to keep your ornaments after you’ve removed them from the tree, consider one of our convenient and high-quality ornament keepers.