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During school saving time for mom at dinnertime is essential. El’s Kitchen is a All Natural/Gluten-Free dry rub brand that makes cooking delicious, healthy and quick. It’s great to send with college kids to school with because it is so easy to use and versatile. You simply sprinkle it on the meat you want to cook, rub it in and cook. http://www.elskitchen.com/

Just in time for back to school season, Gorton’s (http://www.gortons.com/) is providing moms with kid-friendly, easy solutions for after-school snacks. Gorton’s new Shrimp Poppers are made with high quality whole shrimp and are sold as a value pack, providing an affordable, tasty snack – or meal - option for the entire family.

This is a really unique lunch bag created by a Waldorf mom looking for a homemade solution. The foundation is a bucket-shaped waterproof lining that provides stability and protection for the food inside. It is covered on the outside with decorative fabric, and topped with a matching cinch-close top. It has a handle to carry it more like a traditional lunch bag, or you can throw it over your shoulder with the cord, which attaches to the bottom of the bag. They also have a SUPER cute Computer Care Screen Wiper This one is great for kids who have a computer at their desk, or use a laptop. These come in several different animal styles. The belly of the beanbag animal is made from a delicate chamois which can be used to safely clean any computer screen. Flop your little pal over the top of the computer monitor, on your desk, or in your laptop bag. http://www.thesatinbutton.com/

Litter Free Lunch cloth napkins are made of 100% cotton twill fabric. They are 12” by 12” and are bordered with colorful thread. We are submitting the “bright” pack to 24/7 moms for your back-to-school review. The “bright” pack includes 5 white napkins with borders trimmed in the following colors: yellow, magenta, purple, turquoise and lime green. Our napkins are soft to the touch yet durable for years of use. They are sized just right for a lunchbox or for a napkin caddy in your home. Our napkins are not only made in the USA, they are made in the city of Chicago. The “bright” packs retail on line for $19.99 at http://www.litterfreelunch.com/. At Litter Free Lunch LLC we believe that we can all make a difference when it comes to the environment by making simple changes to our every day lives. We believe that teaching children about the impact they can make will encourage them to become lifelong eco-conscious citizens.

Capture a child's imagination and raise great kids with PenPal Educational Lunch Notes—an interactive storytelling technique that simultaneously entertains and teaches. PenPal Notes were created by parents looking for fun, educational notes for their children's lunch. This search led to the introduction of Tej- a young panda with an inquisitive mind and a magic carpet that can take him anywhere, anytime. Pack these note cards into your child's lunch box, write a personal message on the back, and join Tej and your child on a new learning adventure every day! Taking in a single compact fact a day--a fact then contextualized by parents--helps children with information retention. Our goal is to make education fun and interactive, and PenPal Notes provide the perfect opportunity to connect on a daily basis! Each learning series contains 20-40 illustrated lunch notes and a set of fun stamp stickers. http://www.penpalnotes.com/

The Kidzsack is an eco friendly, creative backsack for kids ages 4 and up. The fabric is made from 100% recycled cotton and soda bottles, the front is screenprinted with my original artwork, and there are 8 washable markers included in the packaging. Kids color, mom/dad washes, and kids recolor. It’s a great reusable activity that is perfect for preschool, beach, sports, and vacation. I would love the opportunity to be in 24/7 Moms. Kidzsack is a mom invented “green” product that is made in the USA. http://www.kidzsack.com/

Go GaGa makes these versatile bags that are perfect to carry your laptop/books in. Students have a lot on their plate and with a heavy workload, textbooks, and possibly having to carry your laptop around, it’s essential to have a comfortable bag that won’t break your back. The patented ergonomic strap on these bags evenly distributes the weight across your back to reduce tension on the neck and shoulders. The strap can hold up to 400 lb. so a student can rest-assured that the bag will survive all 4 years of schooling and more. Two exterior insulated pockets will keep the student hydrated while not allowing any spills to ruin the project they’ve been working on. Multiple exterior and interior pockets and dividers will help him/her stay organized. Manufactured in Vietnam by a fair trade certified company. The bags come in six great colors including black, copper (orange), cayenne (red), and olive. NEW! The bags are now available in two new colors, Sea Blue and Eggplant, made of recycled fabric. http://www.gogagalife.com/

With only the help of the local village council, six Filipino women set up the Co-Op which has grown to include over 500 members today. 20% of the members work full time at the Co-Op which organizes schools and groups of adult collectors to gather over 50,000 used juice containers per day. They are washed, sanitized and recycled into a wide variety of fashionable and durable bags, accessories, home furnishings and even footwear that are exported and sold in over 15 countries around the world. By transforming "basura", the Filipino word for garbage, into a unique collection of eco-chic bags and other accessories, Bazura Bags keep millions of juice containers out of crowded landfills and conserve resources that would be used to make products from virgin materials. The company is committed to giving garbage a new life as fashionable new bags and accessories that support the environment and fair trade. Bazura Bags are featured in over 80 styles in bright colors thanks to the colorful juice containers they are made from. The eye-catching labels from the recycled juice containers feature exotic fruit and names like "Sun Glo". The recycled juice containers also give the bags and accessories a hint of the fresh fruit scent. Bazura Bags enable shoppers with a conscience a guilt-free way to purchase accessories. http://www.bazurashop.com/