I recently had the opportunity to attend the Build a Better Lunchbox event at the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando. Luckily for us, the weather was perfect for an outdoor brunch on the patio of Portofino’s Trattoria del Porto.

The Build a Better Lunchbox event was a buffet-like setup of tables, each with a different food groups’ offering from which children were asked to choose several items from for their “lunchbox.” At each station, the event hosts would explain to the children about the food groups and what each of the available foods were so that the kids were encouraged to try new things. My girls’ favorites were the bread station (just like their Mama) and the fruits. They were able to try new things we hadn’t introduced to them before, so having then get to try from a bevy of options was a great experience for us.

As the parents, we were allowed to eat from the brunch buffet inside the restaurant for the purchase price of the Lunchbox event. While my personal opinion is that the price of the event was a bit high, my girls did receive a full buffet, and they learned some things about good foods. Universal characters where there as well, but at other Loews locations, I’m sure the characters would not be a part of the event. In addition to the characters, there was a clown painting faces for free and each kid left with a gift bag of some coupons and a few “healthy option” goodies.

The Build a Better Lunchbox event will be in the following cities in upcoming months:

Photos courtesy: Angie Lynch

Disclosure: Our event tickets were provided in exchange for my articles on the events. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

Teaching your kids to pack their own lunchbox? Awesome.

This Sunday, my family and I are going to Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando to participate in the Build a Better Lunchbox event where my girls will participate in a hands-on experience with food. My girls are notorious for being “stuck in a rut” of what they like to eat for lunch, so I’m hoping these kind people will be able to coax them into trying some new lunch foods.

The Build a Better Lunchbox event is making its way around the US, so if you’re not lucky enough to be in Orlando this weekend (Hello, Fall weather!), check out the Loews website for more information.

“Loews Hotels is helping families “Build a Better Lunchbox” to promote healthy eating habits and raise funds to support projects in local schools. Starting in October, Loews Hotels across the U.S. will host fundraising events where children and parents will have the opportunity to learn how to build a healthier lunch together, and at the same time support community schools through DonorsChoose.org, Loews’ newest charity partner, a web-based not-for-profit that supports local school projects for individual sponsorship.”

The Build a Better Lunchbox Event will be at the following Loews Hotels in the upcoming weeks:

Loews New Orleans Hotel (New Orleans, LA) – November 12, 2010
Loews Atlanta (Atlanta, GA) – November 13, 2010
Loews Coronado Bay (Coronado, CA) – November 13, 2010
Loews Philadelphia Hotel (Philadelphia, PA) – November 13, 2010
Loews Miami Beach Hotel (Miami Beach, FL) – November 13, 2010
Loews Ventana Canyon (Tucson, Arizona) – November 13, 2010
The Don Cesar, a Loews Hotel (St. Pete Beach, FL) – November 14, 2010
Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel (Santa Monica, CA) – November 21, 2010
Loews Vanderbilt Hotel (Nashville, TN) – November 28, 2010
Loews Annapolis Hotel (Annapolis, MD) – December 11, 2010

The Orlando event will take place at Portofino Bay Hotel on Sunday, November 7th, from 10am-1pm. Cost per person is $25 and includes gift bags for children.

Photo courtesy: Loews Hotels

Disclaimer: I was provided gratis entry to the event for myself and my family. The information provided in this post is a combination of my experiences, ideas, opinions, and information provided to me by the event.

Most people make their vacation destination the location rather than the hotel. When choosing Nick Hotel as the place to lay your heads on your vacation, you had better plan on taking at least 2 full days to stay on the resort property and enjoy the water attractions.

The Nickelodeon television-themed hotel is jam-packed with everything Nick from characters to wall murals to a massive bucket of slime that dumps thousands of gallons of green slime on guests twice a day. It’s like a dream wonderland for kids ages 4-13 and their fathers reliving their childhood fantasies of wanting to be slimed.

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To prove its family-friendly creds, Marriott is going out of its way this summer to make special arrangements for families traveling with kids.

One part of it is the Tots Travel Too™ program, now available at 2500 family hotels across 5 Marriott brands – Courtyard, Fairfield Inn & Suites, SpringHill Suites, Residence Inn and TownePlace Suites hotels.

Upon request, guests at these 2500 hotels will be provided with complimentary travel cribs along with freshly laundered Coverplay covers. Also complimentary is a squirting tub toy for bathtime which your tiny tot can take home.

There’s more, if you need it. Contact the front desk, and they’ll supply you with everything from outlet covers and nightlights to baby shampoo and lotion. Disposable bibs will be available in the breakfast areas.

All of the above is complimentary and available as part of the Tots Travel Too experience. More details here – www.marriott.com/totsTravel2.

But Marriott isn’t resting on its cribsters, so to speak. They also want to reel in families with kids who no longer need cribs.

To that end, Marriott has teamed up with Nickelodeon to offer Nick-themed vacations at 2000 Marriott hotels across 7 brands – Marriott, JW Marriott, Courtyard, Fairfield Inn & Suites, SpringHill Suites, Residence Inn and TownePlace Suites hotels.

Exactly what a Nick-themed Marriott vacation means is a bit vague right now, but if you can hold on to your squarepants until around June 17, we’ll provide you with an update.

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