US20050061707A1

US20050061707A1 - Themed lunch bags

Info

Publication number: US20050061707A1
Application number: US10/944,206
Authority: US
Inventors: Kristi Naelitz-Thomas
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-09-17
Filing date: 2004-09-17
Publication date: 2005-03-24

Abstract

The invention provides an improved lunch bags of the disposable and/or brown kraft paper type. The bags may be packaged in themed sets, where each bag in the set is an original and unlike the next. The bags of the present invention may be geared toward and developmentally appropriate for school-aged children from Kindergarten through 8^thgrade. Other themed bags may be directed at teenagers and adults as well. The front of each of the themed bags may be enhanced and decorated with original art-work and includes caveats of educational, entertainment or inspirational information that is printed either above or below the picture. The bags may also include pre-printed prompts and spaces for information such as the child's name, teacher's name, child's grade and classroom number.

Description

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/503,714 filed Sep. 17, 2003, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention is an improvement in the field of paper lunch bags for children of all ages. The present invention comprises paper bags of a size and type appropriate for carrying a lunch. The bags of the present invention are decorated with original artwork and include educational, entertaining, or inspirational information printed thereon. The bags of the present may also include preprinted spaces for adding identifying information such as the child's name, teacher's name, child's grade and classroom number.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In many schools across the country, children are required to bring their own midday meal to school with them. In other schools, children choose to carry their own lunches to school as an alternative to the lunches provided by the school. When children carry their lunches to school, they often use brown paper bags to hold their lunches. Paper bags of an appropriate size and quality for carrying a lunch are commercially available. The bags are typically comprised of plain brown paper and are generally inexpensive. Brown paper bags have the additional advantage of being disposable and convenient; a child may simply place any trash generated while she is eating lunch in the bag and throw the entire bag away.
The disadvantage of brown paper bags is that they are plain and nondescript. Typically, schools store the lunches of many children in one location. Because of this, parents must put information on the bag to identify the lunch as that of their child. Plain brown paper bags typically do not provide educational or informational stimuli nor do they allow children to show off their favorite characters or fads. In short, plain brown paper bags are not a conversation piece.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention improves upon the prior art and addresses some of the limitations of the prior art by providing lunch bags including decorative information as well as entertaining, educational, inspirational or other information on the bag. The bags of the present invention also add convenience by including pre-printed spaces for inserting identifying information about the owner of the lunch.
In a first embodiment, the present invention is a disposable lunch bag having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the exterior surface having a front portion and a rear portion, the lunch bag comprising: a first pre-printed prompt on the exterior surface, the first pre-printed prompt having a first corresponding marking area and being adapted to induce a user to mark a first personal identifier on the first corresponding marking area, the first pre-printed prompt being a name prompt; and a second pre-printed prompt on the exterior surface, the second pre-printed prompt having a second corresponding marking area and being adapted to induce a user to mark a second personal identifier on the second corresponding portion of the bag. Any number of additional pre-printed prompts is contemplated.
In a second embodiment, the present invention is a themed set of disposable lunch bags comprising: a predetermined number of disposable lunch bags, each lunch bag having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the exterior surface having a front portion and a rear portion, a first pre-printed prompt on the exterior surface, the first pre-printed prompt having a first corresponding marking area and being adapted to induce a user to mark a first personal identifier on the first corresponding marking area, the first pre-printed prompt being a name prompt; and a second pre-printed prompt on the exterior surface, the second pre-printed prompt having a second corresponding marking area and being adapted to induce a user to mark a second personal identifier on the second corresponding marking area; wherein, each lunch bag in the set comprises a pre-printed message, the pre-printed message being an image message or a text message, the messages of each bag being related as having a common theme.
In a third embodiment, the present invention is a disposable lunch kit comprising: a predetermined quantity of disposable lunch bags, each lunch bag having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the exterior surface having a front side and a rear side; a predetermined quantity of napkins; and a predetermined quantity of wet-towelettes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a first view of an improved lunch bag in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a second view of the bag shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a first view of a second exemplary embodiment of a bag in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a second view of the bag shown in FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a first view of a third exemplary embodiment of a bag in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a second view of the bag shown in FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a third view of the bag shown in FIGS. 5 and 6;
FIG. 8 is a first view of a fourth exemplary embodiment of a bag in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 9 is a second view of the bag shown in FIG. 8.
FIG. 10 is a side view of a lunch kit, being a fifth embodiment in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of one exemplary embodiment of the lunch bags shown in FIG. 10;
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a second exemplary embodiment of the lunch bags shown in FIG. 10;
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the napkins shown in FIG. 10;
FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the stickers shown in FIG. 10;
FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the wet-towelettes shown in FIG. 10;
FIG. 16 is an enlarged view of the header card shown in FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is described through several examples and embodiments. These embodiments are included by way of example only and should not be considered to unduly limit the scope of the present invention.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show two views of a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. For ease of references, the view shown in FIG. 1 will be referred to as the “front” of the bag, while the view shown in FIG. 2 will be referred to as the “back” of the bag. As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention comprises a disposable and/or paper lunch bag 2. The front outer surface of the bag may comprise various types of printed matter. For instance, the front surface of the bag may include graphical material or image 6. The graphical material 6 may consist of pictures, photos, third party advertisements, licensed characters, or other artwork. The front surface of the bag may also include various types of textual information/messages as shown by references numerals 4, 8, 10 and 12. In one embodiment of the present invention, a first set of textual material/messages, 4 comprises an opening question to a joke or riddle.
Another aspect of the present invention comprises at least one pre-printed prompt 8, 10, 12 having a corresponding marking area, such as a pre-printed line 11 or designated blank area, for providing identifying information about the owner of the lunch (a personal identifier). For example, the second set of textual material/messages may include pre-printed spaces for filling in a child's name 8, classroom number 10, and/or lunch period 12. Spaces for other types of optional or alternative information, such as teacher name, grade, school name, student group name, and bus number, are within the scope of the present invention.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, any artwork, graphical material, or image 6 has some relationship to first set of textual material/messages 4, if both text 4 and graphical material 6 are present. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the printed material/message 4 asks “Why did the chicken cross the road?” while the artwork shows a picture of a chicken. In an alternative embodiment, the artwork 6 does not have any express relationship to the printed material 4. For instance, if printed material 4 includes an inspirational or motivational phrase, such as “IF IT IS MEANT TO BE, IT IS UP TO ME!” various styles of artwork 6 could be used.
As shown in FIG. 2, the “back” side of the bag may include additional printed material 14, which answers the question 4 on the front side of the bag. The back side of the bag may optionally include artwork 16 related or unrelated to the printed material 4 or 14.
FIGS. 3 and 4 show another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the “front” of the bag may contain a picture or image 20 and/or name 18 of a historical figure. Pre-printed prompts 8, 10, 12, collectively referred to as reference character 22 or 42, and corresponding spaces 11 for identifying text 22 may optionally be included on the bag as well. In this embodiment the “back” side of the bag may contain facts and information about the historical FIG. 24.
FIGS. 5-7 show another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In the view shown in FIG. 5, the bag 2 includes textual material/message 26 in the form of an educational type question. In this case, the question is “What city is the Capitol of Ohio?” Artwork 28 may be included related to the textual material 26. In this example, the artwork 28 includes a picture of an outline of the state of Ohio. In this example, multiple answer choices 30 to the educational question 26 are included at the lower section on the same side of the bag.
The view shown in FIG. 6 is the opposite side of the bag from FIG. 5. This side of the bag 2 comprises additional information and facts related to the question or subject on the front side of the bag. This side of the bag may also include preprinted spaces for adding identifying information for the lunch bag. The preprinted spaces may optionally be included on any embodiments of the present invention.
In this embodiment, the answer 34 to the question 26 is printed on the bottom surface of the bag, as shown in FIG. 7.
In another embodiment, shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the “front” side of the bag need not include a question. In the example shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the “front” side of the bag 2 includes inspirational or motivational text 36. In this embodiment, pre-printed spaces 42 for adding identifying information are included on the “back” of the bag, although such spaces may optionally be printed on the “front” of the bag as well. In this embodiment, the “back” side of the bag 2, includes additional artwork 40 and an additional inspirational or motivational message 44.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the artwork on the bags comprises licensed characters or third party advertisements. Representations of copyrighted characters could be licensed and printed on the bags. Examples include Disney® characters, Muppetts® characters, the Simpsons® or any other characters that are popular with children or young adults. In this embodiment, the printed material on the bag may include trivia about the characters, excerpts from television shows or movies in which the characters appeared, or comic strip type depictions of the characters.
It is also contemplated by the present invention any textual or artistic matter discussed herein may be alternatively printed on the bottom surface of the bag.
As such, the lunch bags 2 may comprise at least one pre-printed prompt, such as prompts 8, 10, 12, with corresponding pre-printed marking areas 11, Additionally, the lunch bags 2 may contain pre-printed images or graphics, such as graphics 6, 16, 20, 28. Moreover, the lunch bags 2 may contain textual messages, such as text 4, 14, 18, 24, 26.
The present invention may include printed information on any topic. In another embodiment, the bags of the present invention are packaged together in sets containing several bags to hundreds of bags. All of the bags in a set may have a common topic theme or two or more themes could be mixed in a single set of bags.
In a related embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 10-16, a packaged set of bags 52 having a common or related theme may be packaged together. For example, a set of bags may all include trivia questions and answers, factoids, educational topics, or the like.
Moreover, a set of bags 52 may be packaged with sets of napkins 58, stickers 62, and/or moist or wet-towelettes 68, forming a lunch bag kit 60. The stickers 62 may be used to seal the lunch bags after filling the bags with, e.g., food items. The kit 60 may contain a predetermined quantity of one or more of these accessory items. Additionally, the kit 60, and the items contained therein, may reflect a common subject theme, such that each item may contain different preprinted markings, of which are consistent with the overall theme. It is contemplated that multiple themes may be present within a single kit.
The markings on the items, other than the bags, may reflect a solid color, a multi-color pattern, or any of the markings disclosed within this application pertaining to the novel lunch bags. For example, the bags 52 may contain artwork 54 or blank spaces to enter one's name, class room number, and/or teacher's name. Also, for example, the napkins 58 may contain a logo 60. The stickers 62 may be used to seal the bags 52 or solely for decorative or identifying purposes. The stickers 62 may be contained in a roll or sheet 64, of which may be perforated to allow for the separation of individual stickers 66. Similarly, the wet-towelettes 68 may be contained in a roll or sheet 70, of which may be perforated to allow for the separation of individual towelettes 72. The kit is contained within a packaging bag or box, which may contain a header card 74 identifying the theme or themes contained within the kit.
Bags may also be geared towards topics of interest for teenagers and young adults. For example, bags may include trivia questions, political quotes, or other topics of interest for young adults and teenagers who carry their lunches to work and school.
It is contemplated that virtually any topic could be addressed on the bags of the present invention that would provide educational, entertaining or inspirational stimuli for the user. The following examples discuss various embodiments of themes that may be used in the present invention.
Educational Topics
Example #1: A, B, C's (Kindergarten)—Bags which comprise information about all 26 letters of the alphabet and simple 2 and 3 letter word creations. Each bag may have one letter of the alphabet on it and a word association.
Example #2: Alphabet Fun (Kindergarten)—Themed bags where each bag can give its child/owner the opportunity to have fun with alphabet in spelling games. The child may be given four random letters of the alphabet and can arrange these letters to create simple 2 and 3 letter words.
Example #3: Animals—Themed bags that may include a series of each of the following; Aquatic/Marine Life, Arachnids, Arthropods, Birds, Crypto zoology, Endangered Species, Extinct Animals, Farm Animals, Insects, Invertebrates, Mammals, Mollusks, Pet Care, Regional, Reptiles and Amphibians, Wild Animal Parks, Wildlife, Worms and Zoos.
Example #4: Anthropology—Themed bags describing, “What is Anthropology?” and “Who are Daisy Bates —20th century civil rights activist and anthropologist, Jane Goodall—anthropologist and expert on chimpanzees, Margaret Mead —20th century American anthropologist, and/or Charles Darwin, to name a few. The bags can explore Cultures, Museums, Galleries, and Exhibits, Paleontology, Prehistory and Religion.
Example #5: Archaeology—Bags including information describing “What is Archaeology?” and further explores Ancient Civilizations and Cultures, Egyptian Archaeology, Incan and Mayan Archaeology, Mummies, Nazca Lines and Prehistory, to name a few.
Example #6: Art—Themed bags that contain information on Art Activities, Architecture, Art History, Artists, Calligraphy, Crafts, Graffiti, Murals, Museums and Galleries, Painting, Photography, Pottery, Quilting, Sculpture, Stained Glass, The Masters and Young Artists.
Example #7: Astronomy and Outer Space—Themed bags that include topics such as Space Agencies, Centers and Institutes, Astronauts, Famous Astronomers, Asteroids, Auroras, Black Holes, Comets, Constellations and Stars, Exploration, Human Spaceflight, Meteors, Mythology, NASA, Observatories and Planetariums, Solar System, Space Mysteries, Spacecraft, Star-Gazing, Sun-Spots and Telescopes and Instruments.
Example #8: Book Reviews—Themed bags that include kid's ratings and reviews of children's books that are sorted by author, title and reading level. Sets include definitions of Caldecott, Robert F. Sibert and Newberry Honors, as well as, Children's Choice Awards.
Example #9: Careers—Themed bags that describe, “What People Do; descriptions of different occupations with stories that show what people in those occupations do and find out what careers are available to you based on the subjects you like in school.
Example #10: Computer Science—Themed bags that help the owner of the bags get definitions and explanations for all things related to computers; including but not limited to: basic operations, what makes a good computer, hardware and software, programming, computer history, bugs/viruses, computer hackers and future technology.
Example #11: Countries—Themed bags that allow children to explore a new country on each bag. The owner of the bags can learn about the country's people, society, history, wildlife and points of interest for countries around the world and more.
Example #12: Cultures—Themed bags that teach kids real life news, great games, folklore, traditions and lots more, about kids from such cultures as African American, American (United States), Ancient Civilizations, Arab American, Asian Pacific American, Australian, Canadian, Celtic, Chinese, Cowboys, Germany, Hispanic and Latino, Indian, Irish, Japanese, Mexican, Native American, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spanish, and Thai cultures. Find out how kids of these cultures all over the world celebrate birth, death, weddings, festivals and much more.
Example #13: Dinosaurs—Themed bags that teach kids about dinosaurs from the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods of the Mesozoic Era. For example, the bags could be printed in several series as follows: Series #1—Triassic Period; Series #2—Jurassic Period; and Series #3—Cretaceous Period. These bags may further teach kids about Paleontology and dinosaur discoveries.
Example #14: Economics—Themed bags that inform children about economics with descriptions of topics like supply and demand, stocks, commerce, banking, tax responsibilities, what different government agencies do, what it takes to live on your own and more. The owner of the bags will read about key events, countries and people who shape the economic system.
Example #15: Engineering—Themed bags that teach kids how things are made. These bags may be designed for kids who have wondered how things like airplanes, bottles, bridges, candy, cars, domes, dams, skyscrapers, tunnels and tons of other stuff are made.
Example #16: Experiments and Activities—Themed bags that give kids' hands on science projects and ideas to have fun at home. Kids can try out experiments that deal with biology, chemistry, computer science, earth science, engineering and physics.
Example #17: Fifty States and Capitals—Themed bags that include all 50 states, their geographic location, their neighboring states and state capitols.
Example #18: Flags—Themed bags that allow kids to see what flags from countries across the world look like and get other cool facts about why the style and colors were chosen.
Example #19: Geography—Themed bags that help kids learn the basics of physical geography and how to find information on latitude and longitude, the earth's atmosphere, ecology and climate. See maps of where certain countries, bodies of water, mountains ranges, cities, rivers, roads, volcanoes and the International Date Line are.
Example #20: Government—Themed bags that contain lists of heads of state and heads of government of a variety of countries. The bags may give information on government departments and agencies, executive branch, judicial branch, legislative branch, branches of the military, politics, political parties and the U.S. Constitution and allows kids to find out about the political powers regular people have in the United States. These bags may also include facts about the Congress, Supreme Court, state governments, and the President.
Example #21: Grade School Phrases—Themed bags that are designed to inspire kids to do their best in class everyday! Such phrases include: Do your best on your test! Shake off the Monday Blues, put on those studyin' shoes! Tuesday's are “You Rule” Days! When Half the Week is Over, It's Wednesday! Thursday, Thursday, Make it “Totally Your Day!” Hurray, it's FRIDAY! Concentrate on doing great! What did you learn today? I'll want you to share it with me later! Enjoy your field trip!
Example #22: Health and Safety—Themed bags that give kids' information and ideas for healthy eating, so they can learn about good nutrition and find fun physical activities they can do alone or with friends. Some bags may include recipes as well.
Example #23: History—Themed bags that help children learn about famous people from different eras, while others give opportunities to see if you can figure out what objects don't belong in scenes from various time periods. Some bags offer information on the best History Museums and Exhibits across the country.
Example #24: History of Science—Themed bags that teach children about various items and inventions of daily life and when those items and inventions first appeared in time.
Example #25: Homework Help—Themed bags that offer tips, activities and resources by topic to assist children with homework assignments.
Example #26: Living Things—Themed bags that teach kids cool facts about anatomy, biologists, biology, botany, cells, cloning, DNA, evolution, fungi, genetics, microbes, parasites and reproduction and development.
Example #27: Languages of the World—Themed bags that teach children about all the different languages spoken in countries around the world and teach kids how to say selected words, such as “Hello” in that language.
Example #28: Language Arts: Arabic—Themed bags that teach children Arabic words and/or how to count in Arabic.
Example #29: Language Arts: Chinese—Themed bags that teach children Chinese words and/or how to count in Chinese.
Example #30: Language Arts: French—Themed bags that teach children French words and/or how to count in French.
Example #31: Language Arts: German—Themed bags that teach children German words and/or how to count in German.
Example #32: Language Arts: Italian—Themed bags that teach children Italian words and/or how to count in Italian.
Example #33: Language Arts: Japanese—Themed bags that teach children Japanese words and/or how to count in Japanese.
Example #34: Language Arts: Spanish—Themed bags that teach children Spanish words and/or how to count in Spanish.
Example #35: Machines—Themed bags that give short descriptions of machines including, but not limited to levers, gears, incline planes, pulleys, screws, wedges and wheels and axles. Each bag teaches about how simple and compound machines work that you can find when you explore your house, garage and garden tool shed.
Example #36: Math Facts: Addition—Themed bags that use cool math games to teach kids math exercises and lessons about basic addition facts, adding the tens, adding three digit numbers and adding whole numbers.
Example #37: Math Facts: Algebra—Themed bags that use cool math games to teach kids math exercises and lessons about basic algebra facts, decimals, fractions, prime factorization, ratio and proportion, the Pythagorean Theorem and more. These bags provide solutions to algebra problems, opportunities to practice algebra skills and complete mini-lessons.
Example #38: Math Facts: Division—Themed bags that use cool math games to teach kids math exercises and lessons about basic division facts, including dividing by 2, dividing by 10, long division and division with remainders.
Example #39: Math Facts: Fractions, Decimals and Percents—Themed bags that use cool math games to teach kids about learn about the numerator, denominator, least common multiple, and other fraction facts. The bags give creative opportunities to help children practice how to add, subtract, multiply and divide with decimals. You can also practice converting fractions to decimals and percents. Children can learn a new fraction, decimal or percent concept on each bag.
Example #40: Math Facts: Multiplication—Themed bags that use cool math games to teach kids math exercises and lessons about basic multiplication tables.
Example #41: Math Facts: Subtraction—Themed bags that use cool math games to teach kids math exercises and lessons about basic subtraction facts, subtracting the tens and subtracting three digit numbers.
Example #42: Measurements and Units—Themed bags that teach school aged children measurement concepts for length, mass, temperature, time and volume in both U.S. and metric forms.
Example #43: Media Awareness—Themed bags that show kids how advertising affects them and young adults. This set teaches kids who decide what music is played on the radio and what the tricks are that advertisers use to persuade them to buy things. Information on theses bags also educates kids about how television shows and movies are produced and marketed. In addition, this set addresses how kids can to stay safe on the Internet.
Example #44: Museums and Exhibits—Themed bags that teach children about the many different Anthropology and Archaeology, Art, History, Natural History, Science and Sports Museums across our country and in others and the treasures they house.
Example #45: Mythology and Folklore—Themed bags that give kids' information on folk tales, mystical creatures, legends, mythology and unsolved mysteries. These bags allow kids to get to the bottom of mysteries such as Atlantis, Bigfoot, UFO's, crop circles, and more. This set explores myths from around the world, various belief systems, and controversial scientific theories such as the Big Bang.
Example #46: Physical Sciences—Themed bags teach children to concepts of Chemistry, Energy, Light and Optics, Optical Illusions and Physics. Concepts of Chemistry include, but are not limited to, atoms, chemists, density, elements, periodic tables and the pH scale. Concepts of Energy include, but are not limited to, bio-diesel energy, electricity, energy conservation, fossil fuels, fuel cells, geothermal energy, hydropower, nuclear energy, radiometers, issues of energy safety, solar power and wind power. Kids can learn concepts of Optical Illusions which include, but are not limited to, rainbows, the speed of light, electronic versions of exploratorium's optical illusion and perceptual exhibits. Concepts of Physics include, but are not limited to, aeronautics, Bernoulli's Principle, bubbles, buoyancy, gravity, gyroscopes, inertia, light and optics, machines, magnetism, physicists, relativity, simple machines, sound and temperature.
Example #47: Presidents—Themed bags that include a picture of each of our 43 Presidents of the United States of America, and information such as their birthplace, age during their term(s), the important events that occurred during their presidencies and family information. Bags may also include facts about our current President, George W. Bush, that include his favorite ice cream, color and hobbies.
Example #48: Regions—Themed bags that educate children about regions including Africa, Antarctica, Arctic, Asia, Caribbean, Central America, Europe, Latin America, Mediterranean, Middle East, North America, Oceania and South America and gives a kid friendly recipe form each region.
Example #49: Religions—Themed bags that teach kids about major world religions, which include Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism, through their people, history, traditions and teachings.
Example #50: Science Fairs—Themed bags that give the owner of the bags information on cool project ideas and experiments and outlines steps in preparing a project, complete with a grocery/item list.
Example #51: Scientists—Themed bags that teach kids about famous anthropologists, archaeologists, astronauts, astronomers, biologists, chemists, computer scientists, earth scientists, inventors, mathematicians, medical pioneers, meteorologists, oceanographers and physicists. With these bags, kids can learn how women and men from ancient times, up to the present, have left their mark on science! Example #52: Sign Language—Themed bags that teach kids to sign the alphabet and 20+simple words.
Example #53: The Earth—Themed bags that teach kids about their planet Earth and all its wonders. Kids can learn about the Earth's placement in the solar system and how the Earth was formed. These bags can answers such questions as: How faithful is Old Faithful? How large is the world in centimeters? How many rubber bands would it take to stretch from the North Pole to the South Pole? What are the seven continents? How was the Grand Canyon formed? What is global warming and can we stop it? Where is Mount Everest? Will Mount St. Helens ever erupt again? Where are the coolest national parks? Have you ever heard of the Paracutin volcano? What happened to prehistoric Beringia? How are quarries formed? How can I recycle? What are the seven manmade and the seven natural wonders of the world?
Example #54: The Weather—Themed bags that teach children about avalanches, climate, clouds, drought, El Niño and La Niña, floods, forecasts and weather maps, humidity, hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones, lightning, meteorologists, monsoons, rainbows, safety, seasons, snow, temperature, thunderstorms, tornadoes, weather instruments and wind. These bags can answer questions like: How are rainbows made? How are snowflakes formed? What have been the worst natural disasters in the United States? What does a meteorologist do? What is a blizzard? What is a drought? What is a lightning rod? What is a vortex? What is acid rain? Why does it rain? Why does thunder make a big boom? Why is it colder at the top of a mountain? What makes the snow fall? Why are the waves in Australia and Hawaii so big?
Entertainment Topics
Example #1: Actors and Actresses—Themed bags that give kids quick facts and stats on their favorite big screen child and teen actors and actresses.
Example #2: Amusement and Theme Parks—Themed bags that lets kids check out great rides and thrills at amusement, theme and water parks, as well as where the best parks in the world can be found.
Example #3: Art—Themed bags that contain information on subject such as art activities, architecture, art history, artists, calligraphy, crafts, graffiti, murals, museums and galleries, painting, photography, pottery, quilting, sculpture, stained glass, the masters and young artists.
Example #4: Astrology—Themed bags that allow early teens to learn the sign for the year they were born, the personality type of friends and family members, find out what their sign reveals about them and get cool tips on fashion.
Example #5: Coaster Trivia—Themed bags that let kids discover the history and science behind roller coasters, Ferris wheels, and carousels. Bags may include a roller coaster description, review and where it's located. These bags can answer such kid questions as; Where was the first Roller Coaster built? How high is the tallest Roller Coaster? How fast can you go? How do force, friction and gravity help you stay in your seat on a Roller Coaster?
Example #6: Contests—Themed bags designed by children, from Kindergarten through 8^thgrade, who have submitted their own original artwork to a proprietor and have won the opportunity to be part of this unique set. Each bag will feature a child's artwork with her or his name and state that they are from printed on the front of each bag!
Example #7: Dance—Themed bags that educate kids about dance. These bags may include a timeline for dance and its history in America. Each bag may explore one particular type or style of dance in this timeline including, but not limited to, such dances as ballet, ballroom, break dancing, disco, ethnic/national, the hula, the jitter bug, the mambo, the mashed potato, modern, the polka, the samba, square dancing, the tango, tap, the twist, and the waltz. Bags also include biographies of well-known dancers such as Fred Estair, Martha Graham, Ginger Rogers and Michael Jackson to name a few.
Example #8: Fashion—Themed bags entertain kids with examples male and female footwear, hairstyles and clothing from around the 17th Century to present.
Example #9: Food and Eating Facts—Themed bags entertain kids with answers to such mind boggling questions about food as: How did it come to be that fortune cookies are eaten at the end of a Chinese meal? What did Christopher Columbus and his crew have to eat on their various voyages? How has spice been used throughout history in medicine, perfume, incense, and flavorings? What did people eat in the middle ages, particularly at medieval feasts? How do you eat spaghetti without making a mess? Where do chocolate trees grows? Where do all those strange looking forks and knives go on the table?
Example #10: Games:—Themed bags that contain Puzzles, Word Search, Connect-The-Dots, Tic-Tac-Toe, Go, Spell-Down, Mazes, I Spy, Tangrams, Crossword, Cryptogram and Word Boggle for school aged kids.
Example #11: Holiday: Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa—Themed bags allow children to explore the history of three December holidays, including Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa and how they are celebrated in the United States and around the world. Kids will find recipes, crafts, stories, carols and more printed on these bags.
Example #12: Holiday: Easter, Pass-Over and Yom Kippur—Themed bags allow children to explore the history of Easter, Pass-Over and Yom Kippur and how they are celebrated in the United States and around the world. Kids will find recipes, crafts, stories, carols and more printed on these bags.
Example #13: Holiday: Thanksgiving and Halloween—Themed bags allow children to explore the history of Thanksgiving and Halloween and how they are celebrated in the United States and around the world. Kids will find recipes, crafts, stories, carols and more printed on these bags.
Example #14: Holidays During the Entire Year—Themed bags for each holiday that falls during the year, from January through December, are printed on an individual bag which include: All Saints' Day, ANZAC Day, April Fools' Day, Arbor Day, Australia Day, Bastille Day, Birthdays, Boxing Day, Canada Day, Children's Days, Chinese New Year, Christmas, Chusuk, Cinco de Mayo, Columbus Day, Dasara, Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), Diwali, Dragon Boat Festival, Durga Puja/Navratri, Earth Day, Easter, Eid, Father's Day, Feast Days, Flag Day, Fourth of July, Gandhi Jayanti, Golden Week, Grandparents' Day, Groundhog Day, Guy Fawkes Day, Halloween, Hanukkah, Holi, January 1—New Year's Day, Karwa Chauth, Kwanzaa, Labor Day, Lantern Festival, Lunar New Year, Mardi Gras, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, May Day, Memorial Day, Mexican Independence Day, Mid-Autumn Festival, Mother's Day, Nag Panchami, 100th Day of School, Pagan Sabbats, Passover, Presidents' Day, Purim, Queensland Day, Ramadan, Remembrance Day, Rosh Hashanah, Sadie Hawkins Day, Saint Patrick's Day, Santa Lucia Day, Shrove Tuesday, Sukkot, Thanksgiving, Tomb Sweeping Day, Valentine's Day, Vesak, Veterans' Day and Yom Kippur.
Example #15: Jokes, Riddles and Brain-Teasers—Themed bags that entertain children with a collection of funny jokes, riddles and brain-teasers. The jokes, riddles and brain-teasers are printed on the front of the bag and the answers may be inverted and printed at the bottom or the back of the bag.
Example #16: Movie Trivia—Themed bags that teach kids about screenwriting, directing, producing, acting in, and editing films, as well as information on special effects, such as miniatures, props and visual effects done for the entertainment industry. Bags give the “411” on current child and teen actresses, actors, writers and producers in Hollywood.
Example #17: Music Trivia—Themed bags entertain kids with information on famous composers, different instruments, the musicians behind the instruments, the variety of music that exists, musical and origins of such styles as Big Band, Blues, Celtic, Classical, Country, Jazz, Mariachi, Opera, Orchestra, Pansori, Rap, Rock, Reggae and more. Kids will learn about the classical masters and the youngest of musicians.
Example #18: Music Television Trivia—Themed bags entertain kids with trivia about theme songs television shows.
Example #19: Performing Arts—Themed bags entertain kids with information about circuses, opera, theater and drama. Kids can learn about the famous opera house in London, Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus, the job of a makeup artist and wigmaker, how to join the circus and performing arts camp for kids who want a taste of the circus life, read about children and family entertainers and ventriloquists and the magic of David Copperfield, to name a few
Example #20: Ripley's Believe it or Not—Themed bags entertain kids who have an interest in the strange, unusual, interesting, odd, or just plain weird? Each bag may contain printed pictures and information that you must decide whether you believe your own eyes . . . or not! The information and picture will be printed on the front of the bag and the answers are inverted and printed at the bottom of the back of the bag.
Example #21: Rock N- Roll Trivia—Themed bags let kids check out information on the hottest bands. Kids can find out information on the favorite bands, biographies on band members, number of platinum, gold and silver records and the like.
Example #22: School House Rock—Themed bags entertain kids with the printed version of the catchy tunes that help kids learn about America, computers, grammar, mathematics and science.
Example #23: Teen Celebrities—Themed bags entertain kids with brief biographies of their favorite teen stars. Bags give kids pieces of such as the teen celebrity's favorite food, family, hobbies, fan club information and more.
Example #24: Television Trivia—Themed bags let kids check out information on the hottest kid shows currently on TV or in syndication including, but not limited to: The Amanda Show, The Brady Bunch, The Simpson's, Lost in Space, Batman, Gilligan's Island, Gilmore Girls, Kratts' Creatures, Lewis and Clark, The Crocodile Hunter and Zoboomafoo, to name a few. Bags introduce kids to the TV show casts members, reveal true stories and biographies and give trivia and facts that kids have always wanted to know.
Example #25: Totally Gross—Themed bags that share with kids what's grosser than gross? Get your gross, disgusting and totally repulsive of facts on these bags for kids. Such facts include: Did you know snot keeps your lungs clean? Or that some bullfrogs are cannibals? Edible Insects! Bags also include a collection of tasty and easy-to-prepare, yet Totally Gross recipes such as: Cat Litter Casserole and Hairball Salad with Saliva Dressing.
Example #26: World Records—Themed bags that teach kids about weird world records and the men, women and children who set them, such as Gary Duschl and his world record hobby of chewing gum and creating the world's longest “Chewing Gum Wrapper Chain.” These bags entertain kids with answers to such questions as: What's the world's longest bridge? The fastest bird? How many hotdogs can one man eat in five minutes? Where's the oldest city? Has anyone ever lived to be 120? You can even learn how to break a record yourself! Example #27: Who Did It?—Themed bags that is dedicated and devoted exclusively to kid sleuths that enjoy mystery, suspense and good old fashioned detective work! In a set, a mystery to be solved may be presented and the story unfolds with the very first bag and continues over the course of the remaining bags in the set. The answer to the mystery is available only to those who have accumulated clues over the course of the entire set of bags. Kids can submit their answers to a proprietor and the winners may be featured on the next series of bags.
Sports Topics
These themed bags allows kids to find out about various sport, the rules of the game, equipment needed, terminology, statistics, team, famous player, athletic gear, world records, record holders, halls-of-fame, Heismann trophy winners, awards and managers, to name a few. Bags include personal information about the athletes, tournament scores, race results and winnings. Bags also include a collection of answers to questions such as: What is the difference between fast pitch and slow pitch softball? How many miles are in a 5K, 10K and Marathon Race? What is the difference between Grappling, Judo, Taekwondo and Karate? What is Lacrosse? How many laps make up the 500 meter freestyle? Getting “big air” is when the snowboarder rushes up the side of a halfpipe, flipping the board into the air as high as it will go and coming down for a smooth landing, only to try again on the other side of the pipe. Examples of sports which may be featured on the bags include, but are not limited to

Example #1: Archery
Example #2: Athletes
Example #3: Auto Racing
Example #4: Badminton
Example #5: Baseball
Example #6: Basketball
Example #7: Baton Twirling
Example #8: Bobsledding
Example #9: Boxing
Example #10: Cheerleading
Example #11: College Sports
Example #12: Cricket
Example #13: Curling
Example #14: Cycling
Example #15: Dance
Example #16: Disabled Sports
Example #17: Fencing
Example #18: Fitness
Example #19: Football (American)
Example #20: Football (Australian)
Example #21: Frisbee and Discs
Example #22: Goal Ball
Example #23: Golf
Example #24: Gymnastics
Example #25: Handball
Example #26: Hang Gliding
Example #27: Hockey
Example #28: Horse Riding
Example #29: Jump Rope
Example #30: Lacrosse
Example #31: Martial Arts
Example #32: Motor Cross
Example #33: Nascar Trivia
Example #34: NBA Trivia
Example #35: NFL Trivia
Example #36: NHL Trivia
Example #37: Netball
Example #38: Rodeo
Example #39: Rowing
Example #40: Rugby
Example #41: Running
Example #42: Sailing
Example #43: Scuba Diving
Example #44: Skating and Roller-Blading
Example #45: Skiing
Example #46: Skydiving
Example #47: Snowboarding
Example #48: Soccer
Example #49: Softball
Example #50: Squash
Example #51: Surfing
Example #52: Swimming and Diving
Example #53: Table Tennis
Example #54: Tennis
Example #55: Track and Field
Example #56: Triathlon
Example #57: Volleyball
Example #58: WNBA Trivia
Example #59: Wrestling
Example #60: X-Games Trivia
Example #61: Yukigassen (Snow Ball Fighting)
Inspirational Topics

Example #1: American Girl—Themed bags that are designed in cooperation with American Girl's creator, Pleasant T. Rowland. The bags are created on the idea that learning about history doesn't have to be boring. Pleasant T. Rowland believed that engaging stories about girls living at important times in the past—and dolls standing as tangible symbols of these characters—could breathe life into history, turning it into something real and personal, something today's girls could hold in their hands. Short stories printed on the front of the bags let kids see what it's like for girls growing up years ago and in today's world and read about the challenges real girls face every day.
Example #2: Bible Verses—Themed bags with Bible verses printed on the front with their source from the Bible.
Example #3: Chicken Soup for Kid's Soul—Themed bags with excerpts from authors Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen and co-authors Patty Hansen and Irene Dunlap famous book, Chicken Soup for Kid's Soul.
Example #4: Chicken Soup for Teenagers—Themed bags with excerpts from authors Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen and co-authors Patty Hansen and Irene Dunlap famous book, Chicken Soup for Teenage Soul, Editions 1, 2, and 3.
Example #5: Chinese Words of Wisdom—Themed bags sharing ideas on Chinese philosophy, proverbs and Confucianism.
Example #6: Famous Quotations—Themed bags with famous quotes by literary greats and famous people such as Sir Walter Raleigh, Abraham Lincoln, Henry David Thoreau, William Shakespeare, John Keats, Plato, Oprah Winfrey, Maya Angelo and Babe Ruth, to name a few.
Example #7: Great Teachers—Themed bags include personal accounts from kids about their favorite teacher.
Example #8: Heroes—Themed bags that introduce the reader to meet some real-life kid heroes from all over the world.
Example #9: Heroines—Themed bags that introduce the reader to meet some real-life kid heroines from all over the world.
Example #10: Inspirational Phrases—Themed bags inspire kids to make the most of their day at school, to challenge them to do the right thing and the like. Examples of phrases include: If it is to be, it is up to me! Go Greet Your Destiny! Only kindness matters! Character counts! The day is what you make it! Shine like the sun! If you look for goodness and beauty, it will find you, wherever you go! Have confidence to stand alone! Be Positive, Great Things Will Happen! Work hard today, but play harder! Seize the day!
Example #11: Inspiring Men—Themed bags dedicated to men who have inspired us in the 20^thand 21^stCenturies. Bags will share biographies and contributions of such greats as Alexander Graham Bell, Winston Churchill, Terry Fox, Galileo Galilei, Lou Gehrig, Abraham Lincoln, Vince Lombardi, Bob Marley, Arnold Palmer, Walter Payton, Christopher Reeve, Cal Ripken, Jr., Theodore Roosevelt, Jim Valvano and George Washington, to name a few.
Example #12: Inspiring Women—Themed bags dedicated to women who have inspired us in the 20^thand 21^stCenturies. Bags will share biographies and contributions of such greats as Madeleine Albright, Stacy Allison, Susan B. Anthony, Clara Barton, Rachel Carson, Laurel Clark, Marie Curie, Amelia Earhart, Fannie Farmer, Geraldine Ferraro, Eileen Ford, Betty Friedan, Indira Gandhi, Jane Goodall, Katharine Graham, Mother Hale, Joan of Arc, Barbara Jordan, Helen Keller, Margaret Kuhn, Napur Lala, Rose Hawthorne Lanthrop, Cindy Lightner, Queen Liliuokalani, Juliette Gordon Low, Clare Boothe Luce, Mary Margaret Mead, Maria Montessori, Jean Nidetch, Florence Nightingale, Sandra Day O'Connor, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, Rosa Parks, Mary Pickford, Queen Mother, Jeanette Rankin, Condoleezza Rice, Sally Ride, Anita Roddick, Betsy Ross, Margaret Sanger, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Martha Stewart, St. Teresa, Mother Teresa, Margaret Thatcher, Sarah Breedlove Walker and Oprah Winfrey.
Example #13: Inspirational Phrases from Licensed Cartoons—Themed bags with licensed cartoon characters and their famous phrases from some of the following industry leaders; (ABC Kids, Barbie, Classic Media Entertainment Company, Disney, Dr. Seuss Enterprises, Inc., Hannah-Barbera, Mattel, MDI Entertainment, Mirage Studios, Inc., Nickelodeon, Norman Bridwell Inc., Playmates Toys, Inc., Sarnio Inc., Scholastic Entertainment Inc., Speed Racer Enterprises, The Jim Henson Company, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Universal Studios, and Warner Brothers.)
Example #14: Love Notes from Home—Themed bags inspire kids to remember that they are loved throughout their school day with such phrases as: You are Extraordinary! You're one terrific kid! My miracle! You are loved! What a great kid you are! You are strong! You Rock! I love you! I'll miss you today! Example #15: Miracles—Themed bags include short stories of modern day miracles. Examples include: Researchers believe the miracle cure for cancer be found in the “Noni” plant in Hawaii.
Example #16: Pal Power—Themed bags that inform children on lessons of how to be a great friend.
Example #17: Poems—Themed bags with poems printed on the front that motivate, educate and inspire from such authors as Carl Sandburg, Thomas Carlyle, Walt Whitman, Virginia Woolf, Rainer Maria Rilke, Emily Dickinson, Sylvia Plath, Robert Frost, John Keats, Jewel, Elizabeth Barrett Browning and poems submitted from same aged kids across the country.
Example #18: Prayers—Themed bags offer a collection and celebration of passionate prayers for kids from all types of religions around the globe.
Example #19: Random Acts of Kindness—Themed bags that are inspired by Diana, the Princess of Wales, (1961-1997) who was born in Norfolk, England. She once said, “Carry out a random act of kindness . . . someone somewhere might do the same for you.” Through her life we can see how precious and brief life is. How there are some things beyond our control. How kindness matters. A set of these bags gives kids simple ways to demonstrate an act of kindness to another.
Example #20: Rules to Break—Themed bags that give kids examples of rules that actually need to be broken. People say that you are remembered by the rules you break, so here is an opportunity to make them count. Per the words of Katharine Hepburn, “If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun.”
Example #21: Saints—Themed bags that feature different Patron Saints and everything there is to know about them.
Example #22: School Days Phrases—Themed bags that are designed to inspire kids to do their best in class everyday! Such phrases include: Do your best on your test! Shake off the Monday Blues, put on those studyin' shoes! Tuesday's are “You Rule” Days! When Half the Week is Over, It's Wednesday! Thursday, Thursday, Make it “Totally Your Day!” Hurray, it's FRIDAY! Concentrate on doing great! What did you learn today? I'll want you to share it with me later! Enjoy your field trip!
Example #23: Thankful For—Themed bags that offer kids a collection of paths to gratitude. Through poetry, song lyrics and inspirational phases, kids can learn that, “The more gratitude you have, the more you have to be grateful for. ˜Elaine St. James”
Example #24: Volunteer Ideas—Themed bags that are a celebration of volunteering ideas for kids that really do make a difference in their homes, schools, churches and communities.
Example #25: Word for the Day—Themed bags that are a collection of unique words for kids to use throughout the day. These bags give children an opportunity to expand their vocabularies and make sense of some “Pretty Big Words.” Words include: craven, deleterious, spurious, vex, neophyte, bombastic, burgeoning and many others.

Claims

1. A disposable lunch bag having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the exterior surface having a front portion and a rear portion, the lunch bag comprising:

a first pre-printed prompt on the exterior surface, the first pre-printed prompt having a first corresponding marking area and being adapted to induce a user to mark a first personal identifier on the first corresponding marking area, the first pre-printed prompt being a name prompt; and

a second pre-printed prompt on the exterior surface, the second pre-printed prompt having a second corresponding marking area and being adapted to induce a user to mark a second personal identifier on the second corresponding portion of the bag.

2. The disposable lunch bag according to claim 1, wherein the first and second corresponding marking areas are pre-printed lines.

3. The disposable lunch bag according to claim 1, wherein the second pre-printed prompt is a teacher name prompt.

4. The disposable lunch bag according to claim 1, wherein the second pre-printed prompt is a room number prompt.

5. The disposable lunch bag according to claim 1, wherein the second pre-printed prompt is selected from the group consisting of a lunch period prompt, a school grade prompt, a school name prompt, a student group name prompt, and a bus number prompt.

6. The disposable lunch bag according to claim 1, further comprising a third pre-printed prompt on the exterior surface, the third pre-printed having a third corresponding marking area and being adapted to induce a user to mark a third personal identifier on the third corresponding marking area of the bag.

7. The disposable lunch bag according to claim 6, wherein the second pre-printed prompt is a teacher name prompt and the third pre-printed prompt is a room number prompt.

8. The disposable lunch bag according to claim 6, wherein the second pre-printed prompt is a lunch period prompt and the third pre-printed prompt is a room number prompt.

9. The disposable lunch bag according to claim 6, wherein the bag is a paper bag.

10. The disposable lunch bag according to claim 1, wherein the bag is a paper bag.

11. The disposable lunch bag according to claim 1, further comprising a pre-printed image on the exterior surface.

12. The disposable lunch bag according to claim 11, wherein the pre-printed image is an advertisement.

13. The disposable lunch bag according to claim 11, wherein the pre-printed image is artwork.

14. The disposable lunch bag according to claim 1, further comprising a pre-printed text message on the exterior surface.

15. The disposable lunch bag according to claim 14, wherein the pre-printed text message is inspirational.

16. The disposable lunch bag according to claim 14, wherein the pre-printed text message is educational.

17. A themed set of disposable lunch bags comprising:

a predetermined number of disposable lunch bags, each lunch bag having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the exterior surface having a front portion and a rear portion, a first pre-printed prompt on the exterior surface, the first pre-printed prompt having a first corresponding marking area and being adapted to induce a user to mark a first personal identifier on the first corresponding marking area, the first pre-printed prompt being a name prompt, and

a second pre-printed prompt on the exterior surface, the second pre-printed prompt having a second corresponding marking area and being adapted to induce a user to mark a second personal identifier on the second corresponding marking area; wherein,

each lunch bag in the set comprises a pre-printed message, the pre-printed message being an image message or a text message, the messages of each bag being related as having a common theme.

18. The themed set of disposable lunch bags according to claim 17, wherein the theme is selected from the group consisting of educational topics, entertainment topics, sports topics, trivia questions and answers, facts, and inspirational topics.

19. A disposable lunch kit comprising:

a predetermined quantity of disposable lunch bags, each lunch bag having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the exterior surface having a front side and a rear side;

a predetermined quantity of napkins; and

a predetermined quantity of wet-towelettes.

20. The disposable lunch kit according to claim 19, wherein each lunch bag further comprises:

a first pre-printed prompt on one of the front side and rear side, the first pre-printed prompt having a first corresponding marking area and being adapted to induce a user to mark a first personal identifier on the first corresponding marking area, the first pre-printed prompt being a name prompt; and

21. The disposable lunch kit according to claim 20, wherein,

each lunch bag in the kit comprises a pre-printed message on the other of the front side and rear side, the pre-printed message being an image message or a text message, the messages of each bag being related as having a common theme.

22. The disposable lunch kit according to claim 21, wherein the theme is selected from the group consisting of educational topics, entertainment topics, sports topics, trivia questions and answers, facts, and inspirational topics.

23. The disposable lunch kit according to claim 22, further comprising a predetermined quantity of stickers.

24. The disposable lunch kit according to claim 19, further comprising a predetermined quantity of stickers.