After incessant bugging from my girls, I broke down and bought two--actually, they are currently running a Buy One, Get One free sale on PackIt, so I spent $19.95 plus shipping and handling (for both) and got two lunch bags. The bags are currently offered in three colors: aqua, orange polka dot, and grey plaid. I place them in the freezer at night and then remove them the next morning to pack their lunches.
In the two weeks that I've used the PackIt bags for my girls' lunches, they've lived up to their claim. I send the girls off to school in the morning and the bags are still cold when they return home seven hours later--even though both girls have recess before lunch and the bags sit out in the heat for 15 minutes before they take the bags back inside to eat. If they have leftovers, I feel confident in returning them to the fridge and packing them for the next day's lunch. I'm sure I'll be bringing PackIt with me next year when we visit the Outer Banks again. It should be great on the beach.
I don't feel they are the best for small children, because the bags are bulky and heavy due to the material built into the sides of the bag that freezes and keeps the food cold. My oldest daughter can't fit the PackIt into her book bag with all the folders and notebooks she carries back and forth each day, so she has to carry it separately. She's complained about it a few times, but luckily once the bag is empty it folds up and is secured by a strong Velcro® fastener, which does allow her to toss it in her bag on the bus ride home.
The one major downside to the product is that you can't pack lunches the night before, which is what I used to do. I don't know how your mornings are, but with two adults getting ready for work and bugging two kids to eat and get dressed so they don't miss the bus, having to wait until the morning to pack their lunches is a big obstacle. What I've taken to doing is making the lunches the night before and leaving them in the fridge, so all I have to do is take the PackIt lunch bags out of the freezer and fill them; but it seems even that throws a kink into the routine that was the same for years. The inside of the bag gets a little wet as it warms up too, so it's a good idea to wipe it down before folding it back up and placing it in the freezer again.
Overall, PackIt was a good purchase. These bags allow me to pack foods and drinks that I wouldn't have packed in the past. Salads stay crisp. Milk stays fresh. Cold cuts don't get warm and slimy. Considering you can spend almost $10 on a regular lunch bag, PackIt is definitely a wiser choice. Right now, when you purchase your PackIt, they include an eBook with 30 days of recipes. With names like "Go Texas" and "Lunchbox Luau," these recipes will be as much fun to make as they are to eat.
I purchased my PackIt from their official website. I received no monetary compensation of any kind to provide this review.
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