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Lunch Bag Diaries With The CALPAK Team
CALPAK Team collage of lunchtime favorites.
CALPAK Team collage of lunchtime favorites.
Our latest Insulated Lunch Bag launch has us reminiscing... We started thinking about the last time we were this giddy over a new lunch box or lunch bag, and it brought up a lot of really great memories. From home-made recipes to Pizza Fridays, our favorite lunch bag diaries are so good we had to share them with all of you. And hey, maybe it'll inspire you to think upon your own lunchtime memories, (and maybe call your mom or dad to say thank you for all the goodies 😉)!
Amanda Ortiz (Community and Culture Manager)
Out of all the things you typically ate for lunch, what was your favorite?
"I would be lying if I didn't admit I still hold a very special place in my heart for cafeteria pizza. I looked forward to this day every week and never missed a pizza day! "
What did your childhood lunch box look like?
"When I finally started making my own lunches, which was about the time I entered 7th grade, I saved up my money and got a Roxy Purse from Delias and used it to carry my lunch. I thought I was the most sophisticated girl carrying my purse filled with food."
Tell us about one of your favorite lunchtime memories as a kid:
"I couldn't wait for a trip to the dentist. Going to the dentist meant, I would leave school in the middle of the day! If I had no cavities, my mom would take me to a movie and to get Taco Bell. I remember seeing the movie Congo (1995) and sneakin' in some soft tacos and thinking I was so cool and that my mom was the best."
Yumena Waki (Designer and Production Planner)
What was a typical, packed school lunch for you as an elementary school kid?
"My mom always packed me Japanese food in a bento box."
What did your childhood lunch box look like?
"I had this soft yellow lunch bag that had my name embroidered on it."
Tell us about one of your favorite lunchtime memories as a kid:
"My mom was really into sewing clothes for me and my dolls so one day I wore this floral dress to school and I opened up my lunch bag and my doll was inside wearing a matching dress. I felt so special."
Elaine Lee (Director of E-Commerce)
Out of all the things you typically ate for lunch, what was your favorite?
"When we had field trips or special school days that meant a fun lunch of Lunchables and Hot Cheetos!"
What did your childhood lunch box look like?
"I can't recall what it looked like but it was definitely big. It had to be big enough for my breakfast, lunch, and multiple snacks that my mom packed me daily. I basically carried my lunch bag around all day to every single class because I was always hungry. If a friend was hungry they always knew who to come to!"
Tell us about one of your favorite lunchtime memories as a kid:
"I remember one summer my parents enrolled me in a week long summer camp and the best part of it was planning my lunches. I drew out a calendar and painstakingly planned my lunches."
Katarina Rocha (Senior Marketing Coordinator)
What was a typical, packed school lunch for you as an elementary school kid?
"My mom would always pack a Juicy Juice box, string cheese, PB&J sandwich or turkey/cheese sandwich and orange slices. If I was lucky there would be a chocolate chip cookie from Subway in it."
What did your childhood lunch box look like?
"I loved all the Disney princesses, but I was obsessed with Ariel, so naturally I had a Little Mermaid lunch box. She and Flounder were on it and there was a plastic glitter looking film on it so the bag was almost 3-D...at least to me it seemed that way."
Tell us about one of your favorite lunchtime memories as a kid:
"My brother was a year younger than me and when I was in Kindergarten, he in Pre-school, our school's playgrounds were neighboring. We had the same lunchtime, so I would race to the fence and meet up with him to say hello and make sure he was doing ok or playing with friends. I would usually give him my oranges since I didn't like fruit either, haha!"
William Wong (Sales & Operations Associate)
Out of all the things you typically ate for lunch, what was your favorite?
"During the holidays my mom would try out new cookie recipes and would put some in my lunch. Nothing beats home made cookies."
What did your childhood lunch box look like?
"Classic brown paper bag with my name written on it."
Tell us about one of your favorite lunchtime memories as a kid:
"My mom was a substitute teacher and best lunches were the days she subbed at my school. She was able to use the microwave and refrigerator in the teachers lounge so I would get warm pasta and cold soda."
Giselle Romero (Senior Brand Marketing Manager)
What was a typical, packed school lunch for you as an elementary school kid?
"My parents would send me to school with a Lunchable, Capri Sun, and a fruit roll up."
What did your childhood lunch box look like?
"I had so many lunch bags. It was like I got a new one for every school year, but my go-to's were either a Badtz Maru lunch box or a plain red insulated lunch bag."
Tell us about one of your favorite lunchtime memories as a kid:
"My mom would sometimes tell me there was a surprise coming during lunch and she would drop off a Happy Meal during lunchtime as a treat. Who didn't love Happy Meals as a kid? The toy during lunch was obviously the best part."
Shelby Taylor (Senior Designer)
Out of all the things you typically ate for lunch, what was your favorite?
"When it was cold outside, my mom would put some Chef Boyardee in a cute, Campbell's Soup thermos. Spaghetti-O's all the way."
What did your childhood lunch box look like?
"My most prominent memory of my lunchbox was this pink, plastic Barbie case. And then of course, the classic Campbell's thermos."
Tell us about one of your favorite lunchtime memories as a kid:
"I was in the third grade when The Cheetah Girls came out, and on the days that we were lucky enough to eat outside, my friends and I would spend the entire lunch time pretending we were in a girl band. I was convinced I was the real life Dorinda."
Sam Danan (Art Director)
What was a typical, packed school lunch for you as an elementary school kid?
"A fried egg, Spam, and banana ketchup over white rice and Tang."
What did your childhood lunch box look like?
"In elementary school, I had a purple hard shell Barney lunch box (I still have it) and a Princess Jasmine tumbler."
Tell us about one of your favorite lunchtime memories as a kid:
"I moved to a new school and a new district in 2nd grade, where there was only one other BIPOC in my class named Shavonne. My teacher suggested we had a "Family Food Traditions" potluck lunch one day and I remember being so stressed because I was afraid of bringing Filipino food no one would recognize or eat. My aunt made me a Filipino dessert instead and when I got to class the next day, my Peruvian classmate also brought Peruvian dessert. Our desserts ended up being the favorites and Shavonne became my first friend in that elementary school."
Thank you to everyone on the CALPAK team for submitting these responses. We love hearing your stories, and can't do any of this without you!