Smelly Lunchboxes

Last spring while I was learning how to pack school lunches, Olivia was practicing how to spill food into the lunchbox. Her lunchbox was a soft bag that looked something like this.


After just a week or so of using it, I noticed it was smelly.

I'd been wiping or shaking it out every night, but I hadn't realized how smelly and gunked up the crevice that goes around the interior seams can be. I won't even tell you how gross it can get.

Despite my best efforts to keep the bag clean, there was no way I could keep up with the child that insisted on bringing home a half-eaten yogurt with no lid, loose in her lunch box.

Luckily, Liv was only in school for 5 weeks, and the smelly lunchbox went into the trash soon after.

This year I'm looking for something insulated, easy to clean, and preferably with a shoulder strap. Anyone have any suggestions?